World Social Work
Day
WSWD 2008
Social Workers around the World join
together to celebrate the Second World Social Work Day April 15, 2008. This annual event is held to focus
on social work's contributions to society and be part of an ongoing dialogue
with all partners on how challenges linked to social conditions can met by
communities.
The general theme for the World Social Work Day is "Social Work - Making a
World of Difference", and is initiated by the International Federation of
Social Workers, a global body for social workers in 84 countries around the
globe. Social Work has made and continues to make a significant contribution to
the response of economic and social changes and to the support of vulnerable
people and communities. Social work promotes the social welfare of individuals,
groups and communities, facilitates social cohesion in periods of change and
supports and protects the vulnerable members of the community, working in
partnership with service users, communities and other professions.
Social workers assist individuals, families and communities who are
disadvantaged to address challenges and positively impact changes in their
lives. Social workers make an essential contribution to the promotion of social
cohesion, both through preventive work and their response to social problems.
Social work is therefore an investment in the current and future welfare of our
communities.
Malaysian Association of Social
Workers to celebrates SOCIAL WORK DAY
MASW
is mobilising a few social work agencies to hold an
Exposition of Social Work to commemorate World Social Work Day. SWD will be
held on Sat 19 April at a shopping mall to take advantage of the shopping
traffic on weekends and to enable working members to participate. We'll
go along with the IFSW proposed theme, while also promoting a sub-theme : "Social Work ...
Empowerment. Dignity. For All." This will be printed on all related
materials, with the elm leaf as an icon.
The objectives are to highlight how Social Work makes a world of difference, to
create better awareness of professional social work practice, to promote social
work as a career and to make social workers more visible to the public. There
will be an official launching by a Minister,
activities involving the public, talks on social issues and sale of handicrafts
from NGOs, amongst other things.
The
organisations involved with Social Work Day will
include the Department of Social Welfare, Social Institute of Malaysia
(training arm of Social Welfare) under Ministry of Women, Family &
Community Development.
Find out more about Malaysian
social work from an article: Reaching
out
SASW celebrates and appreciates Social Workers on 15 April 2008, Social Workers’ Day, a day
chosen to mark the occasion in line with the International Federation of Social
Workers (IFSW) plans to name this day as World Social Work Day 2008.
The highlight for this year’s event is the honour of having the President of Singapore to come and grace
the event. He has accepted the Association’s decision to confer on him
the status of Fellow in our Membership Roll. The title of Fellow is
the highest honor to be conferred on a social worker for the significant
contributions that he or she has done for the industry. We at SASW are
proud of not only having the President be a member of our industrious
profession, but also for his accomplishments as a fellow practitioner.
This year’s celebration will be an indoor event, a dinner
specifically at the Meritus Mandarin Singapore, Mandarin Ballroom ( 4th Floor,
SASW invites Singaporean social workers to join in
proudly being identified as a social worker, someone who not only has the
heart, but also the training and expertise in the skills of people helping. Even if you are no longer in direct practice, this
would be a good opportunity to meet with your classmates and rekindle your ties
and memories of your earlier days of camaraderie when you were still fresh and
passionate (idealistic perhaps, but still had a vision of caring and giving).
Those who register for the dinner will receive a gift
package from SASW, specially designed by a social worker and a social work
student. Social Workers are encouraged to wear this T-shirt at their work
place in celebration of the Social Workers’ Day on 15 April. More
information on how to obtain this packages will be
given when you register. In addition, if you are currently in direct practice,
please participate in the survey on Social Workers.
Visit the Social Workers’ Day
website at www.sasw.org.sg/swd2008 to read about the highlights, such as the
dinner programme and
the survey.
