Social Work Development in Africa: Encouraging Best Practice [ READ ]
Dr Namso Umoren
Since Social work practice has a professional approach to ameliorating social problems its compelling responsibility centres on supporting the vulnerable in our society on a daily basis. It is a general understanding however that social work profession utilizes professionally qualified personnel who use its knowledge base to help people tackle their social problems. Nevertheless, in developing countries, social work is a relatively young profession that was influenced by colonialism in its formation, and therefore mirrors to a large extent, similar social work practices that is operational in countries like Britain, France and Portugal among others. Indicating the continent of Africa as a case study, this article argues that social work practice in Africa tends to be curative or remedial in nature thereby failing in adequacy and proficiency in terms of addressing people’s problems. This paper therefore proposes a paradigm shift from remedial to a social development paradigm that must, in the 21st century create positive impact.
Dr Namso Umoren
Since Social work practice has a professional approach to ameliorating social problems its compelling responsibility centres on supporting the vulnerable in our society on a daily basis. It is a general understanding however that social work profession utilizes professionally qualified personnel who use its knowledge base to help people tackle their social problems. Nevertheless, in developing countries, social work is a relatively young profession that was influenced by colonialism in its formation, and therefore mirrors to a large extent, similar social work practices that is operational in countries like Britain, France and Portugal among others. Indicating the continent of Africa as a case study, this article argues that social work practice in Africa tends to be curative or remedial in nature thereby failing in adequacy and proficiency in terms of addressing people’s problems. This paper therefore proposes a paradigm shift from remedial to a social development paradigm that must, in the 21st century create positive impact.
