Department of Social Work - Fieldwork

The Department has an intensive fieldwork programme spread across all semesters, adhering to international standards. The number of hours of fieldwork is 1000 to 1200. Students have been placed in different renowned international, national organizations and public sector undertakings for their practical exposure.

Total no of hrs: 1000-1200

Full Marks: 100 in each Semester

Social work is a professional course-based on practice. Field work -the practice component in Social Work, is an indispensable part of the discipline. Fieldwork gives students the opportunity to apply knowledge attained in the classroom to practical settings.Field work has the dual purpose of promoting student's own learning while contributing to the development of the service users, especially the disadvantaged sections of the society. Students of the Department of Social Work, SXUK, will undergo Fieldwork in organizations selected by the Department.

Learning Objectives:

• To provide exposure to different areas of social work practice.
• To develop critical understanding of social realities.
• To develop understanding of the issues,problems of the marginalized sections of the society.
• To critically understand and appreciate programmes and projects of governmental and non-governmental organizations.    
• To practice the methods of Social Work with individuals, groups and communities.
• To develop understanding of the role of Social Workers in different settings.

Course Outcomes:

• Students will develop sensitivity towards the needs and problems of different vulnerable groups.
• Students will be acquainted with urban,rural and tribal scenario and their socio-economic aspects.
• Students will develop the ability to link theoretical learning with practical realities.
• Students will acquire skills in observation, interviewing, planning, organizing, implementing projects/programmes,report writing , leadership etc.
• Students will develop professional attitude conducive to deal with human problems. 

The details of the field practicum are as follows:

Semester wise Field Work Details

Internship:

Students during semester II will undergo internship as part of fieldwork in development organizations, industries, mental health and public health institutions, child protection, family welfare and women welfare etc. Students will maintain daily work sheets (duly signed by their agency supervisor) and daily reports. Worksheets and reports are to be submitted to the University supervisor. Students will submit consolidated reports at the end of the programme.

Specialization based Block Field Work

In the third and fourth semester students will be placed for field work, based on their specialization. The student will learn more on their specialization field. Students will be placed in welfare and development organisations for one-month block field work according to their area of specialization. The student has to send weekly report duly certified by the agency supervisor. Students will maintain daily work sheets (duly signed by their agency supervisor) and daily reports. Worksheets and reports are to be submitted to the University supervisor. Students will submit consolidated reports at the end of the programme.

Field Work Tasks /Activities:

1. Observation visits to the governmental or non-governmental organizations. These visits would be highlighting the role of social work profession. in the given area. Some of the areas where visits can be organized are: hospitals, primary health centres, psychiatric departments, schools, skill development programme centres, vocational training centres, institutional and non-institutional services for special groups- the differently abled, mentally challenged, migrants, women, street children, elderly, and other vulnerable groups; adoption agencies, child rights protection facilities, rehabilitation centres, industries, wings of corporate social responsibility. Criminal Justice System- correctional institutions and agencies under the Juvenile Justice Act. Civic Administration Centres- Municipal Corporation, Ward offices, Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, Block Development Office, etc.
2. Familiarization with agency and develop an agency profile with focus on:

• Organizational genesis, organizational types and structure, ideological orientation, programmes and policies
• Observe agency functioning
• Service users
• Problems that are addressed
• Services provided
• Role of social workers
• Networking with other agencies

3. Practice the methods of Social Work
4. Assist the organization wherever desirable in its ongoing interventions
5. Seek guidance from agency supervisor
6. Attend weekly Individual/Group Conference with Field Work supervisor
7. Report Writing
8. Attending Individual Conference and Group Conference
9. Preparing presentations

Attendance:

Only those students who have put in minimum of 75% attendance in fieldwork and complied with the guidelines provided are eligible to appear for the practicum Examination. Failed candidates in practicum must redo the practical and will not be promoted to the next semester. Practical examination will be conducted as per the procedure.

Repeaters / Absentees to field work practicum:

A student who does not fulfil the field work requirements during the given semester will not be eligible to continue with the course, until he/she repeats the Field Work training programme for that semester to the satisfaction of the Department.

All repeaters in field work must take prior permission through proper channel from Head of the Department, to redo their work, with correct details on agency and time frame of field work details will be provided to Head of the Department. No two field work programme can operate simultaneously. All such matters are reported to the Dean through proper channel. All other examination procedures have to be followed.

Individual and Group Conference:

To facilitate learning, Individual as well as Group conference will be organized every week. Supervisors are required to visit periodically, supervise and monitor the field work training. All reports should be regularly corrected.Weekly individual and group conference should be scheduled and held.

Recording/ Report Writing:

Students will be required to maintain recordings of the field work done during the course of their study. Each student will be assigned a Field Supervisor at the beginning of the year with whom the student will meet regularly to get personal directions and guidance. The supervisor may also conduct individual and group conferences to help them to learn skills. A minimum of 15 hours of Supervised Field Work per week (2 days per week) throughout the course is mandatory for each student. A minimum of 10 hours should be spent in the agency . The remaining hours could be utilized for special programs, writing of Field Work reports, planning activities in the agency, Field work conference with the guide etc.

Field Work Supervision:

1. The Department has to take responsibility of planning and monitoring including networking with agency. The faculty members and Social Work Programme Coordinator should meet as frequently as required to review the field work programme and strengthen it. The students are placed in agencies for field work keeping in view the requirement of agency and the aptitude of the students.
2. All the supervisors have to visit the field work agencies to supervise and monitor the fieldwork training. The faculty members have to conduct both individual conference and group conference once/twice in a week to promote effective training.
3. The department should promote agency – supervisor – student interaction by conducting an interacting session at least once a year.

Evaluation:

After completion of the field work, viva voce examination will be conducted by the Department. Here, the students' leaning and applicability of theory into practice will be assessed.Field Work will be evaluated based on the following areas:

1. Attendance: Attendance in fieldwork and IC/GCs
2. Field work recordings: Language, content, logical connection, timely submission of reports, etc.
3. Professional Growth: Integration of theory into practice.

• Concurrent Field Work
• Summer Internship (According to Specializations)
• Block Placement (According to Specializations)
• Theme Based Rural Camp

* Since the lockdown started in March 2020, the University adopted online mode of teaching- learning. Keeping in mind the importance of fieldwork experience for Social Work students, the department arranged for online mode of fieldwork from August 2020 to February 2022.