Institute of Social Work and Research University of Dhaka

“Social Work is the dual focus on person and environment , with the emphasis  placed on interactions and transactions between them, that sets social work apart from other helping disciplines”¹. Social work in its various forms addresses the multiple, complex transactions between people and their environments. Its mission is to enable all people to develop their full potential, enrich their lives, and prevent dysfunction. Professional social work is focused on problem solving and change. As such, social workers are change agents in society and in the lives of the individuals, families and communities they serve. Social work is an interrelated system of values, theory and practice. Field work is the way of getting social work students used to with the diverse fields of social work interventions. Field work may to build a bridge between community and academic education. It can be viewed the following Figure:

In this chapter, I would like to present the overall concept about social work, field work practice and school social work.

SOCIAL WORK

Social work developed as a 20th century profession out of its voluntary philanthropy and social reform roots. These roots are deeply linked to ancient values and concepts of charity, equality and compassion toward others in times of need. The profession’s contemporary roots are particularly connected to social welfare developments in the 19th century.

These developments included reform movements to change negative societal attitudes toward people in need; charity organization societies to help individuals and families; settlement houses to improve living conditions at the neighborhood level; and rising feminist advocacy for human rights, social justice and gender equalitThe profession of social work is uniquely founded on altruistic values respecting the inherent dignity of every individual and the obligation of societal systems to provide equitable structural resources for all their members.

Social work’s primary concern is the social well-being of all people equally valued with the importance of their physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Social work pioneers were among the first to address the significance of deeply connected relationships that constitute the social context of people’s lives. Out of this rich heritage social work is recognized for its familiar “person-in-environment” perspective, which characterizes the unique relationship-centered focus of the profession. Parallel advances in other fields now provide significant support for the on-going advancement of social work as a relationship-centered profession with a repertoire of person- and environment-oriented methods of practice.

International federation of social worker has defined social work as such:

The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human behavior and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.

According to National Association of Social Worker “Social Work is the professional activity of helping individuals, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favorable to this goal. Social Work practice consists of the professional application of Social Work values, principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends: helping people obtain tangible services; counseling and psychotherapy with individuals, families, and groups; helping communities or groups provide or improve processes. The practice of Social Work requires knowledge of human development and behavior; of social, economic, and cultural institutions; and of the interactions of all these factors. Social Work is concerned and involved with the interactions between people and the institutions of society that affect the ability of people to accomplish life tasks, realize aspirations and values, and alleviate distress. These interactions between people and social institutions occur within the context of the larger societal good. Therefore, three major purposes of social work may be defined

►to enhance the problem-solving, coping and developmental capacities of people;
►to promote the effective and humane operation of the systems that provide people with resources and services;
►to link people with systems that provide them with resources, services, and opportunities.

SOCIAL WORK VALUES

Social work grew out of humanitarian and democratic ideals, and its values are based on respect for the equality, worth, and dignity of all people. Since its beginnings over a century ago, social work practice has focused on meeting human needs and developing human potential. Human rights and social justice serve as the motivation and justification for social work action. In solidarity with those who are dis-advantaged, the profession strives to alleviate poverty and to liberate vulnerable and oppressed people in order to promote social inclusion. Social work values are embodied in the profession’s national and international codes of ethics.

SOCIAL WORK THEORY

Social work bases its methodology on a systematic body of evidence-based knowledge derived from research and practice evaluation, including local and indigenous knowledge specific to its context. It recognises the complexity of interactions between human beings and their environment, and the capacity of people both to be affected by and to alter the multiple influences upon them including bio-psychosocial factors. The social work profession draws on theories of human development and behavior and social systems to analyze complex situations and to facilitate individual, organizational, social and cultural changes.

SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

Social work addresses the barriers, inequities and injustices that exist in society. It responds to crises and emergencies as well as to everyday personal and social problems. Social work utilizes a variety of skills, techniques, and activities consistent with its holistic focus on persons and their environments. Social work interventions range from primarily person-focused psychosocial processes to involvement in social policy, planning and development.

These include counseling, clinical social work, group work, social pedagogical work, and family treatment and therapy as well as efforts to help people obtain services and resources in the community. Interventions also include agency administration, community organization and engaging in social and political action to impact social policy and economic development. The holistic focus of social work is universal, but the priorities of social work practice will vary from country to country and from time to time depending on cultural, historical, and socio-economic conditions.

SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE DOMAIN

Social work’s person-in-environment perspective describes the area or domain in which social workers conduct their practice. Person refers to developmental and social functioning abilities in the context of environmental influences. The concept of environment in social work includes factors in society that enhance or impede the development of individual social well-being. In particular, these factors include their natural support networks and the formal structures in their communities, which together are shaped by a variety of societal norms and expectations in the form of influential attitudes, beliefs, customs, policies and laws. Social functioning refers to the way people perform their social roles and to the way societies provide structural supports to help them perform their roles.

The person-in-environment domain gives social work a common organizing framework and a holistic context for its mission and vision. The global vision of social work is a world consistently working toward social justice and well-being for all citizens. The central mission is to have social workers engaged in activities that will improve social well-being structures and enhance individual, family and community social functioning at local, national and international levels.

FIELD WORK PRACTICE IN SOCIAL WORK

Social work is a helping profession which aim is to help the individuals group and community to cope with their problems through enabling them so that they can solve their problems by themselves. It, in modern time, is a profession subject which has two facts- theoretical and practical. Theoretical education is confined within the classroom only whereas practical side rings students out of the classrooms and engaged them in actual practice field. This practical side of social work education it’s called field work practice.

Simply, fieldwork is a way of getting social work students used to with the divers fields of social work interventions. This orientation takes place at various social services agencies where students become engaged with variety of actions and programs of these agencies, aiming at providing services to their clients. Worth motioning the activities of the students at their respective agencies are educationally directed and supervised by a professional social worker. It is considered as a critical component of social work education and it is in the field that academic knowledge, values, ethics and skills are integrated with real world experience in a planned way to produce component social workers.

Field Work is defined by a R .R Sing as an educationally sponsored attachments of social work students to an institutions in which they are helped to extend their knowledge and understanding and experience the impact of human need (Sing, 1985)

International association of social workers has defined field work as a work in real environment practical work, study, or research carried out in the real world away from the desk.

So, It can be said that field work is a well-organized and consciously and purposely structured training program of both the institutions offering professional social work education and agencies offering some sorts of social services which provides students with some kinds of opportunities of applying, checking their theoretical knowledge; acquiring skills from actual practice field as well as showing and proving their ability as a beginner in professional practice.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF FIELD WORK PRACTICE

Field work provides students with genuine experiences in applying social work methods and it enables them to become familiar with the real work practice.  the major objectives of the field work is to provide planned observations and practical demonstration in the selected fields of social work which are being analyzed in the classes.

R.R Sing in Field work in social work education has mentioned the following objectives:

• To offer purposeful learning experience to students through interaction with life situations under supervisory guidance for professional growth in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
• To foster attitudes in the student towards professional self development, increasing self awareness appreciation of both capacities and limitations.
• To develop in the student the required skills in helping the needy through organizational work, use of social work methods, that is, listening, participating communication and so on. And
• To enable the student to develop and deepen capacity to relate theory to practice and also to relate experience to theory.

The view committee on social work education in India has mentioned the following objectives:

• Development of skills in problem solving at the mean and macro mentioned
• Integration of classroom learning with field practices
• Development of skills for professionals practice at the particular level of learning
• Development of professional attitudes , values and commitments
• Development of self awareness and professional ideas.

Font of the above decision, we can summarize as below:

• To acquire the real knowledge by applying all theoretical knowledge.
• To help students learn how to think critically, analytically and evaluative, so that their talent can be developed.
• To help students develop the capacity to establish and maintain professional relationships
• To help students develop a high degree of social awareness and a deeper understanding the democratic process.
• To help students develop their professional selves, including some ability to evaluate their own capacities to help people. This is seen as including identification with profession and is understood in terms of progress the students make in identifying with the school and with his field work agency.
• To help students master a substantial body of conceptual knowledge regarding individual, group and societal behavior.
• To develop of skill in helping, involving the disciplined use of knowledge in thinking about analyzing and understanding professional problems and in the helping process.
• It tries to develop professionalism and professional discipline among social worker.

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

School social work is a specialized area of practice within the broad field of the social work profession. School social workers bring unique knowledge and skills to the school system and the student services team. School social workers are instrumental in furthering the purpose of the schools: to provide a setting for teaching, learning, and for the attainment of competence and confidence. School social workers are hired by school districts to enhance the district’s ability to meet its academic mission, especially where home, school and community collaboration is the key to achieving that mission. (School Social Work Association of America, 2005) The family and the school are the central places for the development of Children. Here in can be found the hopes for the next generation. There are often gaps in this relationship, within the school, within the family, and in their relationships to each other and to the needs of students. There are gaps between aspirations and realities, between manifest need and available programs. In the dynamic multicultural world of the child today, there are gaps between particular cultures and what education may offer. Everywhere it is a top public priority that children develop well and that schools Support that development. Nevertheless, aspirations are unfulfilled, policies fail, and otherwise effective programs fail with certain students. School Section 1 7/8/08 8:43 AM Page 3 social workers practice in the space where children, families, schools, and communities encounter one another, where hopes can fail, where gaps exist, and where education can break down. Throughout the world, schools are becoming the main public institution for social development. Schools are working to include those previously excluded from the opportunity of education.

They are raising standards for educational outcomes to prepare citizens to participate in a multinational world, bound together by communication and by economic and social relations. The school social worker is becoming a useful professional to assist children who are marginalized—whether economically, socially, politically, or personally—to participate in this. Social workers work to make the education process effective. To do this, their central focus is working in partnership with parents on the pupil in transaction with a complex school and home environment. Education has become crucial, not only for each person to cope with the demands of modern living, but also for national economic survival (Friedman, 2005).

 It is very serious work. As a consequence of education’s enhanced mission, an outcome-based education system is developing. This system is characterized by common standards, flexible notions of education to meet these standards, and higher standards for education professionals to deal differently with different levels of need. Because children begin school with different skills, abilities, and resources, they do not begin with a level playing field, and the imposition of uniform standards on all children logically leads to the need to shift resources to those who are more at risk for failure. While outcomes now drive all education law and policy, for children with disabilities in the United States outcome-driven, inclusive, and differentiated education has become establihed over thirty years.

In preserving the dignity and respect due any one person, the school needs to become a community of belonging and respect. For example, social workers may work with a whole school on developing positive policies and educational programs dealing with harassment of students alleged to be gay or lesbian. When the school decides to implement a zero-tolerance policy, social workers are available to consult with teachers on implementation and to work with victims and perpetrators of harassment.

THE INTERTWINING PURPOSES OF

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK AND EDUCATION

School social workers have long been concerned about children who are not able to use what education has to offer. Gradually these concerns are coming to be shared by others. Over the span of a century, schools have broadened their mission and scope toward becoming more inclusive and toward ensuring respect for the individual differences of all children. Consequently, social workers and many educators have come to share similar values. Each person possesses intrinsic worth. People have common needs. Schools and families are environments where children should develop, discover their own dignity and worth, and come to realize their potential. Unfortunately, the human potential of each person is often needlessly wasted. The worlds of young people, often so full of hope, can also be taken over by strange and distorted pictures of human worth and of social relations. School social workers work with young people and their school and family environments, assisting them to accomplish tasks associated with their learning, growth, and development, and thus to come to a fuller realization of their intrinsic dignity, capability, and potential.

The school social work role is developed from this purpose and these values. It is not simply doing clinical social work in a school. The basic focus of the school social worker is the constellation of teacher, parent, and child. The social worker must be able to relate to and work with all aspects of the child’s situation, but the basic skill underlying all of this is assessment, a systematic way of understanding and communicating what is happening and what is possible. Building on assessment, the social worker develops a plan to assist the total constellation—teacher and students in the classroom, parents, and others—to work together to support the child in successfully completing the developmental steps that lie ahead.

The basic questions are: What should the role of the school social worker be in a particular school community? And where are the best places to intervene— the units of attention—in this particular situation? Guided by the purposes and needs of education and the learning process, an effective, focused, and comprehensive school social work role can be negotiated within a school community. Role, the key to the understanding of what the school social worker does, is a set of expected behaviors constructed by school social workers together with their school communities. In each school, the school social worker’s role is developed by social workers with others, such as the principal and the teachers. To do this, school social workers need to have a vision of what is possible, possess tools of analysis, be comfortable with the processes of negotiation, and coordinate their interventions with the life of the school. They can construct their role with others, assessing the needs and priorities of the school community and understanding what school social work can offer.

ROLE OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER

The First Role Definition by a School System: The Rochester Schools

In 1913 in Rochester, New York, the Board of Education hired visiting teachers for the first time. The school’s commitment to hire visiting teachers was an acknowledgment of both the broadening mission of education and the possibility that social workers could be part of that mission. In justifying the appointments, the Rochester Board of Education noted that in the child’s environment outside the school there are forces that often thwart the school in its endeavors to educate. The school was now broadening and individualizing its mission, attempting to meet its responsibilities for the “whole welfare of the child,” and maximizing “cooperation between the home and the school” (Julius Oppenheimer, qtd. in Lide, 19

WHOM DOES THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER SERVE?

Society places a heavy responsibility on schools and families. Schooling is not simply a process of teaching and learning, but of preparing children for the future. Schools are the vehicle for aspirations, not only for children who may conform easily to external expectations, but for every child. Responsibilities are placed on the school, on the parent, and on the child to make the educational process work so that each child who goes to school may fulfill his or her potential for growth. Schools need to be concerned for every child whose coping capacity is not well matched with the demands and resources of the educational institution.

At one time or other, any person could be vulnerable. In addition, particular groups have borne certain burdens within society. Children come to school with messages from society, and sometimes from the school itself. Perhaps they feel that because of certain defining characteristics, such as gender, race, disability, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, they cannot have the same aspirations as others, or that objective conditions, such as poverty, will surely prevent them from achieving their aspirations. The power of education, and many of the values that drive it, can refute these messages. School social workers with their central access to teachers, children and families in the school community can refute these messages as well.

WHAT DOES THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER DO?

The school social worker’s role is multifaceted. There is assessment and consultation within the school team. There is direct work with children and parents individually and in groups. There is program and policy development. In 1989 a group of nineteen nationally recognized experts in school social work was asked to develop a list of the tasks that entry-level school social workers perform in their day-to-day professional roles. The result was a list of 104 tasks, evidence of the complexity of school social work.

These tasks fell along five job dimensions:

1. Relationships with and services to children and families

2. Relationships with and services to teachers and school staff

3. Services to other school personnel

4. Community services

5. Administrative and professional tasks.

 (Nelson, 1990) further research on these roles, tasks, and skills found four areas of school social work to be both very important and frequently addressed:

1. Consultation with others in the school system and the teamwork relationships that make consultation possible

2. Assessment applied to a variety of different roles in direct service, in consultation, and in program development

3. Direct work with children and parents in individual, group, and family Modalities

4. Assistance with program development in schools (Constable et al, 1999)

A key skill, the foundation of all other areas, is assessment. Assessment is a systematic way of understanding what is taking place in relationships in the classroom, within the family, and between the family and the school. The social worker looks for units of attention—places where intervention will be most effective. Needs assessment, a broader process, provides a basis for program development and policy formation in a school. It is often a more formal process that utilizes many of the tools of research and is geared toward the development of programs and policies that meet the needs of children in school.

Underprivileged Children’s Educational Programs, UCEP-Bangladesh is working with the distressed urban working children. Starting in 1972 at the DhakaUniversity premises with only 60 students, it is now a hub of over 40 thousand working children striving to inculcate marketable skills and provide employment support service through general education and vocational training in close collaboration with industries and employers throughout Bangladesh.

The main objective of UCEP programs is to improve the socio-economic status of the urban poor and support industrial growth by generating skilled manpower. UCEP has global reputation for its unique model of human resource development. UCEP’s success has enabled it to be listed twice in the UN ESCAP’s “Compendium of Centers of Excellence in HRD Research and Training”.

EVOLUTION OF UCEP

Lindsay Allan Cheyne The Underprivileged Children’s Educational Programs (UCEP) is a leading national non-government organization of Bangladesh. It strives to inculcate marketable skills among the hardcore poor urban working children and adolescents through Integrated General and Vocational education followed by Technical Education and on the job apprenticeship in close collaboration with potential entrepreneurs and enterprises / industries throughout Bangladesh.

The origin of Underprivileged Children’s Educational Programs (UCEP)- Bangladesh is connected with a philanthropic New Zealander, Lindsay Allan Cheyne. Mr. Cheyne came to Bangladesh on a British relief mission in 1970 to run a mother and child health clinic for the millions of tornado hit distressed families in the south-eastern part of the country.

Chyene had just completed establishing the clinic when the 1971 war of independence broke out and Bangladesh was born. The destruction in the wake of the tornado paled beside the tragedy of human misery left by the war, and the new nation faced ever-greater crisis than before.

Along with his relief operation duties, Cheyne worked with the Directorate of Social Welfare in planning an educational program for the underprivileged, homeless, poor children. Cheyne went to work finding a sponsor. The Danish government responded to the appeal of Mr. Cheyne and extended generous financial assistance to launch a 3-year project. The government of Bangladesh provided a building to house the program. UCEP was created in 1972 as an International Non Government Organization. Initially UCEP worked with the concept of “community schools” to provide alternative schooling opportunity to the poor working children living in slums or on the streets of the cities. The initial project experience was very positive in terms of the results of schooling and the response of the poor working children and street children to the special schooling arrangement. The concept of “non-formal education” has been gradually grounded in UCEP as a useful approach to improving the condition of the poor out-of-school children who are considered to be an ‘especially disadvantaged group’.

In order to make UCEP approach more useful and effective, skills training opportunities were added to UCEP’s general education in 1983 with the establishment of one TechnicalSchool in Dhaka. By that time UCEP’s general education program had been expanded to the Chittagong and Khulna cities.UCEP was reorganized in 1988 and got itself registered as a national NGO under the Voluntary Social Welfare (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961.

Beginning in 1972 UCEP has been able to progress steadily. By now it has grown into an establihed NGO having 52 general schools and 10 Technical schools located in Dhaka , Chittagong , Khulna,  Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal and Rangpur Division and Gazipur District.

During the period 1972 November 2010 UCEP extended support service to as many as 1, 81,654 poor urban working children who enrolled as student in UCEP education system. Out of them 42,760 students completed technical education at UCEP technical schools and para-trade centres. The major fields, where UCEP trained hands are working, include automobile (repair, operation and maintenance), garments making, electronics (assembling and repair), printing and packaging, electrical, air conditioning and refrigeration (installation, repair and maintenance), textile (spinning, weaving and knitting), Aid to Nurse etc.

At present, a total of 40,539 children are pursuing Integrated General and Vocational Education  at the UCEP Integrated General and Vocational Schools and TechnicalSchools.

VISION OF UCEP

 “To be a leading human resource development organization in providing cost-effective non-formal education, marketable skills and employment promotion for urban poor working and distressed children and adolescents in Bangladesh”.

MISSION OF UCEP

“To raise the socio- economic condition of the urban poor to a level that they can effectively participate in national development with enhanced capacity dignity and fulfillment of their basic rights”.

GOAL OF UCEP

• To raise the standard of socio-economic condition of the urban poor people
• To enable of urban poor people in making decision of national  development  effectively
• To increase the empowerment and self-honor of the urban poor people
• To help the urban people gaining basic rights

UCEP APPROACH

Child Labour in recent years especially after the CRC of 1990 has become a sensitive issue both in the developed countries where it is nearly non- existent and the least developed countries where it is abundant. The former equipped with CRC is exerting immense pressure on the later to eliminate child labour in their midst. The fact, however, remains the least developed countries are not in a position to eliminate child labour overnight as it is an instrument of survival for the people who provide them.

It is not to say that child labour is inevitable and has to be tolerated. On the contrary, it can be eliminated only when the factors causing child labour are identified and removed.

Two important factors known to be the cause of child labour are: poverty and illiteracy, not necessarily in that order. UCEP believes and has demonstrated with documented case histories that by providing education, skill training and employment support child labour can be eliminated in future generations. This is the philosophy that drives UCEP forward.

UCEP MODEL INTEGRATED APPROACH TO HRD

• IGVE-Integrated General &Vocational Education
• SSC-Secondary school certificate
• EFS-Employment and field service

TARGET GROUP OF UCEP

The target group of UCEP consists of;

• Underprivileged children in general and urban working children in particular between the age of ten and seventeen.
• The major groups of working children at UCEP are domestic aids, hawkers, shop assistants, porters, workshop helpers, transport helpers and day laborers.
• UCEP will also continue to include the most marginalized children ie street children, children from minority groups, children with disabilities, dropouts from the formal system of education who have no second chance of education and are forced to work in hazardous conditions. It will enroll such children either directly from the different areas or through effective networking and linkage with other NGOs.

PROGRAM OF UCEP

UCEP operates different activity for its target group. The Programs of UCEP can be categorizing in the following Types:

• Integrated General and Vocational Education
• Technical Education &Technical Schools
• Employment & Field Services
• UCEP SME Credit Program

INTEGRATED GENERAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

UCEP currently operates 52 integrated general & vocational schools (feeder schools) in urban slums of which;

• 15 are in Dhaka,
• 05 in Gazipur,
• 09 in Chittagong,
• 06 in Khulna,
• 05 in Rajshahi,
• 04 in Sylhet,
• 04 in Barisal and
• 04 in Rangpur.

UCEP feeder schools follow the curriculum and textbooks prescribed by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) incorporating basic elements of technical education and provide basic education up to Grade VIII. The prime objective of the IGVE curriculum is to prepare the students to follow a high quality of technical education.  A total of 35,565 students, 50% are girls attend the UCEP-Non-formal basic education.

GENERAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION WHO’S FOR?

The service of UCEP is meant for the poor working children living in urban slums. The major categories of such children are;

• Domestic servants
• Hawkers
• Factory workers
• Shop-assistants
• Rag pickers
• Porters and day laborers.

PROCEDURE OF ADMISSION

 A specific needs assessment of each individual child to the school is conducted during the pre-admission period through home working place visits and interviews with the children and their families/employers.

 STRATEGIES OF GENERAL EDUCATION

UCEP Schools adhere to the following strategies making them unique by design:

1. Working While Learning
2. Shortened School Year
3. Abridged Curriculum
4. Schools in Catchment Areas
5. Linkage with the Community
6. Access and Equity
7. School Environment
8. Learning Environment
9. Teaching-learning process
10. Social work supports
11. Children’s Council
12. Children’s Library

TECHNICAL EDUCATION, TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

To provide appropriate skills and thereby improve the employment prospects of GeneralSchool graduates, UCEP-Bangladesh provides Technical Education through its 10 Technical Schools in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barishal, Sylhet, Rangpur and Gazipur. Technical Schools are running training programs in 17 trades.

Technical schools run 2 shifts per day, each of 4.2 hours duration, so that working children can continue in their jobs while they acquire skills in the Technical Schools. Total enrolment in 10 technical schools is 4,974 (boys 2,911 and girls 2063). Innovativeness of the Technical Schools approach is well demonstrated in the data that attendance and dropout rates are 95%+ and below 3% respectively.

The underprivileged children of UCEP secured the top three positions in GPA-5 category along with 100% success rate in the SSC (Vocational) examination of 2010 held under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB).This year 182 students from three UCEP Technical schools at Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna appeared in the SSC (Vocational) examination. Out of this number 19 students obtained ‘A+’, 162 got ‘A’ and only 1 student passed in the ‘A-‘ category. The success rates of the all three UCEP Technical schools are 100%.

Salient Feature of Technical Education

•  Learning while working
•  Flexible school timing (two shifts)
•  Instructor Learner ratio is 1:10
•  Work compensation of Tk.400 per month provided to student
• Curriculum prepared in consultation with employers
•  Handouts and Job heets provided to the students
•  Emphasis on practical or hands on training (80% of total course)
•  Linkage with other technical schools
•  Social work support services given to students
•  Employment support services given to graduates

Name of the Trades

UCEP continues Technical Education training on 17 trades and the duration of training is from 6 months to 12 months. Trades are-

• Auto Mechanics
• Welding & Fabrication
•   Machinist
•  Plumbing & Pipe Fitting
•  Electronic Technology
•   Industrial Electrical and Electronic Control
•  Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
• Offset Printing Technology
•  Industrial Woodworking
•   Tailoring and Industrial Sewing Operation
•   Industrial Wool Knitting Operation
•  Garments Finishing & Quality Control
•  Industrial Garments Machine Mechanics
•   Textile Weaving Mechanic
•    Textile Spinning Mechanics
•   Textile Knitting Mechanic
•    Aide to Nurse

EMPLOYMENT & FIELD SERVICES

The EFS Component has evolved from the feeling that UCEP’s responsibilities did not end just after imparting education & training to the disadvantaged children, rather it was necessary to support the graduates to seek appropriate & long- term employment by exploiting their knowledge & skills in line with the demand of the labor market. Keeping this in mind the EFS Component has been providing employment support Services to UCEP technical schools graduates to assist them in getting employment in various industries & enterprises home and abroad. The EFS Component is currently operating its services in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur division.

Till the session November 2010 a total of 39,534 graduates were placed in jobs since the inception of the EFS component in the year 1991. The gender ratio of the graduates (Girls: Boys) provided employment support was 44: 56. During the year July – Dec 2010 a total of 1,993 graduates were provided with jobs in different industries, workshops & production units in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet and Gazipur divisions.

UCEP SME CREDIT PROGRAM

UCEP introduced SME/ME Credit b\program in June 2005 for self employment of UCEP graduates. About 590 UCEP graduates are enjoying loan facilities under this program.

Eligibility

• The borrowers are selected on the basis of the following criteria:
•  UCEP graduates having productive skills.
•  Parents of UCEP graduates and others.
•  Involved in feasible IGAs as daily wage earner or some type of business;
•  Running business/enterprises of his/her own;
• Possess inherent entrepreneurial capability to run a business on her/his own
•  Must be ready to employ eligible UCEP graduate in their enterprise
•  Accepted by others as well behaved persons and having good moral   character.
• Deposit thrift savings of Tk.100 (One hundred) every month regularly
• Currently not involved with any other credit program run by other agencies;
• Never became defaulter by  other agencies running credit program in the are

Amount of Loan

The size of credit varies from Tk.10, 000.00 to Tk.400, 000.00 depending on the nature of IGAs proposed to be taken up by a particular member of a credit group.

CHILD RIGHTS & ADVOCACY

The government and the donor agencies are seriously concerned about the CRC issues and the problem of child labour.  A prominent feature of UCEP is that it implemented a project on advocacy of child rights named ‘Let Children Speak’ through 16 partner NGOs in eight districts (Dhaka, Narayangonj, Jessore, Khulna, Rajshahi, Bogra, Noakhali, Chittagong) throughout Bangladesh from March 2004 to May 2007 with the financial assistance of Manuher Jonno Foundation.

Objectives of these programs

The main objective of that project was to raise the voice of the children against all sorts of abuse, exploitation and discrimination affecting their lives.

Orientation:

1. Introduction to UCEP programs i.e its genesis, aims, objectives and innovative features.
2. Reading materials on child labour and literacy situation in Bangladesh and UCEP program.
3. Field visit to some selected slum and poor children’s working places to have a familiarly with the socio-economic condition of the poor working children and possible  interventions for their welfare.
4. Children  suffering from malnutrition and causes/effects on physical &mental development.

Follow-up of irregular students

a. Taking 5 currently irregular students of different and conduct social work to turn them regular students.

b. Taking 5 new admission from the july-dec, 2012 session and assess whether those admissions are carried out according to UCEP rules and making a social provider of those students.

Guardian and  Community contact

a.Community  motivation and awareness raising for childrens education and health &hygiene

b.Holding parents/guardian/employers/group meetings  at school community level to raise their commitment and participation in improving  the school performance as well as positive change attitude towards,hygiene,neatness cleanliness and food culture.

Findings

On the basis of your findings suggested  certain measures to increase the attendance rate and to reduce the dropout of the students.

• Applicability of social work &knowledge in UCEP
• Scope of further changes in social work practice in UCEP
• Scope for improvement in UCEP activities
• Areas where improvement is needed in the light of practical experience for these disadvantaged childrens proper physical and mental growth /development.
• Suggest any inclusion  of reading materials relating to nutrition,health & hygiene.

CASE WORK PRACTICE

Social case work may be defined as a method of social work which enables the individual to solve his psycho-social problems with the help of resources within him an in the community. National Association of Social Work (NASW) has defined case work practice as a social work case management.

According to H.H.Perlman “Social case work is a process used by some human welfare agencies to help individuals to cope more effectively with their problems of social functioning”. The practice of case management varies greatly across social work settings and is even more diverse as applied by other professionals. Despite this diversity, several elements distinguish social work case management from other forms of case management.

Social work case management is a method of providing services whereby a professional social worker assesses the needs of the client and the client’s family, when appropriate, and arranges, coordinates, monitors., evaluates, and advocates for a package of multiple services to meet the specific client’s complex needs. A professional social worker is the primary provider of social work case management. Distinct from other forms of case management, social work case management addresses both the individual client’s bio-psychosocial status as well as the state of the social system in which case management operates. Social work case management is both micro and macro in nature: intervention occurs at both the client and system levels. It requires the social worker to develop and maintain a therapeutic relationship with the client, which may include linking the client with systems that provide him or her with needed services, resources, and opportunities. Services provided under the rubric of social work case management practice may be located in a single agency or may be spread across numerous agencies or organizations.

Perlman explained the elements of social case work practice such as “A person with a problem comes to a place where a professional representative helps by a given process”

GOAL OF SOCIAL CASE WORK PRACTICE

• enhancing developmental, problem- solving, and coping capacities of clients
• creating and promoting the effective and humane operation of systems that provide resources and services to people
• linking people with systems that provide them with resources, services, and opportunities
• improving the scope and capacity of the delivery system
• Contributing to the development and improvement of social policy.

PERSONAL PROFILE OF 10 NEW ADMITTED STUDENTS

As assigned responsibility I prepared personal profile of 10 newly admitted students who were admitted in July-November Session and assessed whether this student admitted in accordance with UCEP rules and regulations.

Objectives of Making Personal Profile

• It was my assigned responsibility to make personal profile of newly admitted students
• To know the family background of UCEP students
• To know the working condition of UCEP students
• To know the aims and dreams of UCEP students
• To assess whether UCEP rules and regulations followed in admitted new students.

Satisfaction  with work environment
When I talked with sheuli she confessed that he is not satisfied with her present work environment. she informed me that she worked with other child worker in a gloomy and hot weather; there is no electric fan in the room.

Satisfaction with current Wage

 Interestingly sheuli is satisfied with her current wage in spite of being many   forced worked. Not of exclamation! That like many working women sheuli does not   expense her money according her own wishes.

Torture/Abuse in work place

sheuli scaredly confessed that she faced some kind of mental and physical torture such as slapping or punching by supervisor or other male /female elder worker. Sometimes supervisor use indecent word.

Vision of Life

sheuli wants to be an industrial electrician. While asking question why she wants to be an electrician she said that I had an elder brother name selim had died two years before an electric shot at his work place. My mother looks gloomy. She loved me very much.  For this I want to be electrician that’s why no one can die like my beloved brother”.

Way to achieve Goal

sheuli continuing her study in UCEP school upto pre-tech after than she get admitted in the Electrical and electronics courses under the UCEP technical school. After finishing the course she likes to be involved in Job in the garments industry as electricians. By this way she wants to achieve her vision of life.

Family affair

sheuli loves her parents very much. She likes to keep herself always close to her family. Asking about her family affairs she replied that in her own languages “ I love my mother very much, my father always keep his beloveness to ours, I have a dream to my brother will be doctor one day, I will try my best to support him by my Job. My teacher assured me if I study regularly and attentively I will be able to do that.

Social Worker Comment

Admission process of sheuli in UCEPSchool has done in accordance with UCEP Rules and regulation.

PERSONAL PROFILE OF UCEP STUDENT

(The following information was collected through both Students Personal File which was prepared by supervisor of the student and interview which was conducted by Social worker)

Satisfaction with work environment

Jannat works in an ornaments factory situated at modhubag. She works three days in a weak with 3hours per day. Jannat satisfied with her current work environment and grateful to elder brother to manage this work. she did not even change her work place after enrolled in UCEP.

Satisfaction with current Wage

Jannat is not satisfied with her current wage. Asking about wage she replied that “ My wage is less than my effort, I always try to my best to produce better .elder employer are doing less but paying more this is injustice.  600 Tk is tiny amount than my demand to livelihood such in costly Dhaka city”.

Torture / Abuse in work place

Though When I talked with Jannat , she looked  smiling face and satisfied expression but she has some complaints against other older worker . Sometimes they used jannat as a call boy such as to buy cigarette, bringing water, to go here and there to bringing necessary goods which is not responsibility for jannat.

Vision of Life

Jannat wants to be a Garments mechanics. Her dream is to be a pioneer mechanics in the garments sector that’s why he would able to manage a high salary job. Later life jannat wants to be owner of the large mechanics factory.

Way to achieve Goal

Like many other UCEP school children’s jannat   want to complete her study in UCEP then she get admitted in the technical school major in mechanics engineering. He said that “  I want to study well in this school, My teacher applauded me as a good student , and assured me if I study in good manner I will be able to enroll in UCEP technical school. A mechanics shop situated in beside my home. One day I will be owner such a mechanics shop it’s my mother dreams).

Family affair

Jannat living in a large family consisted of nine members.She always feels inadequate facilities to fulfill the basic necessities like Food, cloths, education, health service, etc.

Social Worker Comments

Jannat has fulfilled all the requirements which was needed for enrollment in UCEPSchool.

PERSONAL PROFILE OF UCEP STUDENT

(The following information was collected through both Students Personal File which was prepared by supervisor of the student and interviewed which was conducted by Social worker)

Satisfaction with current Wage

Shilpi is satisfied with her current wage. Asking about wage she replied that “My uncle likes me very much. Though he is bearing my all expenses he gives my wage monthly 700Tk”.

Torture / Abuse in work place

Like her work environment and wage Shilpi is satisfied with her uncle-aunt behavior. “My aunt never slapping or punching me ,he always fulfill my needs according my wishes. For example: The dress which is currently I wearing given my Mami.

Vision of Life Shilpi wants to be an industrial electrician.

Way to achieve Goal:

Shilpi keep her effort to study in UCEP school upto pre-tech after than she get admitted in the Electrical and electronics courses under the UCEP technical school. After finishing the course she likes to be involved in job in the garments industry as electricians. By this way she wants to achieve her vision of life.

Family affair

Shilpi loves her parents very much. She likes to keep herself always close to her family. Asking about her family affairs he replied that “I love my mother very much, my father always keep his beloveness to ours, I have a dream to my brother he will be doctor one day, I will try my best to support him by my job. My teacher assured me if I study regularly and attentively I will be able to do that”.

Social Worker Comments

With silly differences shilpi has fulfilled all the requirements which were needed for enrollment in UCEPSchool.

How do you think of working environment?

• With insufficient ventilation
• Insufficient light of dark
• Risk of emergencies (being set fire or instrumental accident / physical    injuries.
• Dust, Chemicals, unhygienic sanitation
• Having no rest room
• No recreational arrangement (TV watch, hearing song, play)

Satisfaction with current wages

1. Unsatisfied with current wage
2. Wage is not suitable with current life expenses
3. More work but less benefit

Kind of abuses you experienced

Physical abuse

• Pushing, slapping, or punching
• Throwing objects and injustice
• Deprivation of basic things (food, water, clothing)

sexual abuses

• Forced by employer
• Use obscent word

Verbal abuse or emotional abuse

1. Constant criticism / scolding
2. Isolating him/ her from activities / movement
3. Envying him her any personal pleasure or outside interests
4. Controlling him / her fear, threats, on her life

       3.4 Economic abuse

• No money for emergencies
• Depriving of basic needs (food, cloths, helter)

Vision of Life

Fatema wants to be Doctor

Way to achieve Goal

Fatema continuing her study in UCEP school upto pre-tech after than she wants to be admitted in better school so that she would able to pass SSC in Science group.

Family affair

Fatema wants to back in her village after completed her study well. Her dream is to establish a Modern hospital where poor people will get treatment in a cheap cost.

Social Worker Comments

Fatema fulfilled all the requirements of the enrolling in UCEPSchool.

Rationale of taking Case

UCEP gives a lot of opportunity to disadvantage children so that they can take education properly. School case work has been practicing here. As a part of this, class teacher take part regular follow up of the students who is irregular of type. Class teacher  informed me that Maherun was a good student but presently she is irregular and not attending school. Frequently class teacher visited Maherun’s house and talked her father and mother but failed to come her back in school. At this circumstance, school administrator assigned me in this case. I have taken her as a case and followed all the process social work to make her as regular student.

Types of Problems

• Work under pressure
• Overtime work and did not gat time to go to school
• Physical abuse by the employer
• Economically disadvantage

Maherun works in a shoes factory; she usually works 5 hours in a day and sewing 15 sandal in a day but after Eid-ul-Azha her employer select the target to sewing 20 sandal in a day. For this Maherun works under inhuman pressure but get less money.

Creating Professional Relationship

I have taken interview from Maherun and her father and mother. She has cooperated with me giving necessary information. Even she has talked with me about her family, friends, and future. Thus a professional relation has been built between her and me.

Medium of Data Collection

• Personal Profile of student
• Supervisor teacher
• Classmate
• Family members
• Friends
• Interview
• observation

Economic Condition

Maherun’s economic condition is not good .Maherun’s father is a Rickshaw puller ,his monthly income is 3000 Tk and total income of this family is 5500Tk.the rent of their current house is 2500.with their other cost they manage their expenses so miserly.  So her family lives from hand to mouth.

Social Condition

 Maheruns dorm history where they live is not good enough. They live in two rooms; there has one toilet for ten families. But Maherun always try  to keep her house neat and clean. Also she is aware about her sister, brother and mother. education.  This family has good relation with neighbors like relatives as they have been in for long time. Environmental condition is also comparatively good. Maherun’s family maintains social Norms, Values, and Ethics.

Health Status:

The health status of Maherun’s is satisfactory. Though, sometime she suffers some skin diseases. She always try to keep clean and advice others to keep clean. Maherun’s father continuously suffering by Hupping Kashi for his chain smoking.

Mental Condition

There is a T.V, cassette player in Maherun ’s house for recreation. But most of the time  Maherun spend her time with factory work and study.

Problem assessing process

Interview

As a part of my problem assessing and treatment process I frequently taken interview from Maherun, her friends, family, teacher, and classmate.

First Interview

On 28^th august I went to class seven and I saw Maherun was absent. I known by her classmate that Maherun is irregular now, she frequently does not come in school. Before this session she was a regular student quoted her classmates

Second Interview

On October 29 I went to Maherun’s house with the help of her school friends. On this time Maherun was not in home, I talked with her mother about this matter. I was able to make understand her the importance of education. Her mother  Bakul Begum informed me that, Maherun is a good girl, she has no bad company but she does not go to school for her work.She informed me that Maherun has changed her work place and time. For this she does not go to school. Before this month Maherun worked in a shoes factory in rampura from 12-5pm but now she worked from9-3pm.

Third Interview

On august 30 I went to maherun work place rampura.There I talked with Maherun.

SHe said that “i am very interested to study but my bad luck disfavor me. It is very hard to livelihood by my father and brother income. I have changed my work place due to insufficient wages. I feel very tired by my work so that I lost my enthusiasm to study. I said my factory owner to allow me to study but She did not allow. She makes me feared to dismiss my job”.

Fourth Interview

On August 31 I went to Lili shoes factory where Maherun works. I talked with factory owner about child labour policy and child human rights. I convince him to allow Maherun going to school. I thanked him for his cooperation.

Fifth Interview

On September 3 I went to class six for taking class. I saw that Maherun is present. After then Maherun come to school regularly.

Steps followed to identify problem

• Regular follow up
• Discuss with classmates, friends
• Home visit
• School record
• Class teacher

Diagnosis the problem

Maherun spent most of the time for earning money because his family needs.She worked under pressure for this she lost her interest in education. Factory owner not aware about child rights and child education.

Treatment process

• Awareness about education
• Awareness about child rights
• Advice on going school regularly
• To dreamt on Future dream

Follow up

Finally when I have seen Maherun in school on November 10 she feels like better. I talked with her and I know that according my advice she come to school regularly and studying well.

Evaluation

As an apprentice social worker I try to provide professional services by visiting her house, taking interview, observation, data analysis after receiving her as a case. The whole condition of Maherun is better, She studying more attentively and confidently. Above positive Impact prove that I bring success in this case. I wish her overall wellbeing.

Case Acquaintance

Name of the Students                           : Amena Jahangir

Fathers Name                                       : Jahangir Alam

Mothers Name                                      : Fatema Begum

Class                                                     : Three

Age                                                       : 12years

Gender                                                  : Female

Marital Condition                                 : unmarried

Occupation                                           : Domestic worker

Religious affiliation                             : Islam

Nationality                                           : Bangladeshi

Present Address                                   : 16/b/1,bagan bari.mirbag,moghbazar.

Working Hours                                   : 5 hours per day

Income                                                : 450Tk per month

Date of adapting Case                         : 25/09/2012

Family Information

Background

In this year Amena was admitted in UCEPSchool at class six in the January-July session. He was a regular student in school and placed a third position in examination. But in the current session he gradually becomes irregular in her class.Her class teacher informed me about this matter and give me advice to take her (Amena) as a case.

Rationale of taking Case

It is said to be that UCEP is the tool of fulfilling the children dreams. After knowing about Amena I went to school administrator to discuss about this matter. He informed the same story which I have already known by class teacher. Additionally he informed me that Amena’s father is very eager to study her daughter but Amena’s mother and brother want to engage her in work instead of studying. Then I decided to take her as a case.

Creating Professional Relationship

I have taken interview from Amena, her father, mother and brother.She has cooperated with me giving necessary information. Even she has talked with me about her family, friends, and future. Thus a professional relation has been built between her and me.

Medium of Data Collection

• Personal Profile of student which preserve in UCEP school
• Supervisor teacher
• Classmate
• Family members
• Friends
• Interview
• Observation

Economic Condition

Like many other slums dweller the economic condition of Amena’s family is not good.Her  elder brother has separated after married.Her father is a rickshaw puller and her mother is a domestic worker. They live in a single room which is built by kacha and tin.

Social Condition

Though they are poor they have good relationship with their neighbors. Like many slums dwellers ten family use only single toilet and single tube well. They live in a congested room but follow the social rules , custom, valus.

Health Status:

Amena carries good health status. Though, sometime she suffers some skin diseases.She always try to keep clean and advice others to keep clean. Amena’s father has tuberculosis.

Problem assessing process

Interview

As a part of my problem assessing and treatment process I frequently taken interview from Amena , his friends, family, teacher, and classmate.

First Interview

On 26^th September I went to class one and I saw Amena was absent. I known by her classmate that Amena is irregular now, she frequently does not come in school. Before this session she was a regular student and always sat on the first bench of the class quoted her classmates.

Second Interview

On September 27 I went to Amena’s house with the help of her school friends.

On this time Amena was present in home, I talked with her mother about this matter. I was able to make understand her the importance of education. Her mother Fatema Begum informed me that, Amena is a good girl, she has no bad company but she does not go to school for her work. She confessed that she is the main hinder to go to school of Amena. She insisted on work instead of education.  She said that “ amago ki korar asa kon ?,amar songsar colena , age boro salata kamay korto tai dia falomoto songsar colto , kintu ahona or babay pai samanno  r ami ja pai ta mialia songsar colana. Hai jonno ora basi kora kaj korta bolac. Bola c gorib manusar poira ki lav?”

Third Interview

On September 30 I went to Amena’s work place in mirbag.Here I talked with Kajol rani bisshas who is the house wife of this house. I talked with kajol about education and rights of domestic worker. She feels sorry and assured me that he takes necessary steps Amena’s go to school.

Main Problem

• Working hours is not limited
• Overtime work

Fourth Interview

On October 2 I went to Amena’s house 2^nd time. I talked with her father and elder brother and Amena. I convinced all of them about education. They are agreed about this thing and assured me to continue the Amena’s study.

Fifth Interview

On October 3 I went to class one for taking class. I saw that Amena is present. After then Amena comes to school regularly.

Treatment process

• Awareness about education
• Awareness about child rights

 Follow up

Finally when I have seen Amena in school on October 3 she feels like better. I talked with her and I know that according my advice she come to school regularly and studying well.

Evaluation

As an apprentice social worker I try to provide professional services by visiting her house, taking interview, observation, data analysis after receiving her as a case. The whole condition of Amena is better, She studying more attentively and confidently. Above positive Impact prove that I bring success in this case. I wish her overall wellbeing.

Case Acquaintance

Name of the Students                         : Kulsum akhter

Fathers Name                                       : Hamid Mollah

Mothers Name                                      : Rabeya

Class                                                     : Four

Age                                                       : 13years

Gender                                                  : Female

Marital Condition                                 : unmarried

Occupation                                           : Sewing

Religious affiliation                             : Islam

Nationality                                           : Bangladeshi

Present Address                                   :126/a/1, modhu bag, Dhaka

Working Hours                                   : 5 hours per day

Income                                                : 800Tk per month

Date of adapting Case                         : 09-9-2011

Permanent address                               :Vill:nurpur,post:Fulgazi, Upzilla:Fulgazi ,zilla:Feni

Family Information

Background

Kulsum is the daughter of a family that her parents don’t pay any attention of her education. On the other hand, she is also very deceitful. Thus, she becomes irregular day by day.

Rationale of taking Case

Kulsum was the enlisted irregular student. Teachers of the UCEPSchool have gone to follow up several times but permanent result has not come. In this situation, I took the challenges and took her as a case.

Creating Professional Relationship

I have taken interview from kulsum, her father, mother and brother. She has cooperated with me giving necessary information. Evens she has talked with me about her family, friends, and future. Thus a professional relation has been built between her and me.

Medium of Data Collection

• Personal Profile of student which preserve in UCEP school
• Supervisor teacher
• Classmate
• Family members
• Friends
• Interview
• observation

Economic Condition

Like many other slums dweller the economic condition of kulsum’s family is not good. Her elder sister has separated after married. Her father is a rickshaw puller and her mother is a house wife. They live in a single room which is built by kacha and tin.

Social Condition

The social condition of kulsums family is comparatively good. They live in a single room. There have electricity in her house. Kulsums family maintains social custom, values. They have good relation with their neighbours.

Health Status:

Kulsum’s health condition is not good. He suffers frequently skin disease.

Problem assessing process

Interview

As a part of my problem assessing and treatment process I frequently taken interview from kulsum, her friends, family, teacher, and classmate.

First Interview

On 9^th September I went to class one and I saw kulsum was absent. I known by her classmate that kulsum is irregular now, she frequently does not come in school. Before this session she was a regular student and always sat on the first bench of the class quoted her classmates.

Second Interview

On September 10, I went to kulsum’s house with the help of her school friends. On this time kulsum was present in home, I talked with her mother about this matter. I was able to make understand her the importance of education. Her mother Rabeya informed me that, kulsum worked as a domestic worker in modhubagh. Then I talked with kulsum about her irregularity in class attendance. she said that “amar poresona korar khub iccha but ki korum kon , amar babar ja income ta dia songsar colana.  Tai amka bashi kora kaj korta hoy.age kaj kortam kom but ahon basi kaj korta hoy karon malikar obuar notun pola hoysa. Kajar jonno tai schoola jata parina. Toba amar malikra Jodi aktu bujhayta paren taila ami schoola jatam”.

Third Interview

On September 12, I went to modhubagh where kulsum works. I talked with nasrin begum who is wife of saleh ahmed about kulsum. She confessed that recently kulsum worked more than before. I understand her about child rights and child education. Finally she convinced with my speech. She assured me that kulsum will go to school from tomorrow in 2^nd shift

Types of Problems

• Working hours is not limited
• Overtime work
• Economically disadvantage
• Family expenses
• Employer abuse

Fourth Interview

On September 13, I went to kulsum’s house 2^nd time. I talked with her father and elder sister and Amena. I convinced all of them about education. They are agreed about this thing and assured me to continue the kulsum’s study.

• Fifth Interview

On September 16, I went to class four for taking class. I saw that kulsum is present. After then kulsum comes to school regularly.

Steps followed to identify problem

• Regular follow up
• Discuss with classmates, friends
• Home visit
• School record
• Class teacher

Treatment process

• Awareness about education
• Awareness about child rights
• Advice on going school regularly

GROUP WORK PRACTICE

For group work practice my assignment was to select a particular group of “Irregular Student” or “Slow Learners” and by defining aims, objectives, and goal apply the group work process and technique and discuss the outcome of group work.

In UCEPSchool I can feel myself as a social group worker. Because all the elements of social group like agency, group, worker present and it has been possible to gain experience to apply the real knowledge of group work.

 I form a group of students who are slow learner and irregular as well. Try hard to apply social group work techniques as much as possible for the development of the group.

Above mentioning students were so slow learner and irregular as well. There irregularity was under my case work. I treat individually with them to reduce their irregularity. But as they are slow learner, I face them through forming group applying social work method. I collect their names from the teachers and then talked with the students. Before starting 2^nd shift I sat with them and introduced myself and told the reason why we have been together. Then I talked with them about problem and try to identify their weakness.

My aim was to develop their condition. As it was just start of the session, they did not want to understand my words. Then I talked about the necessities of education and also reminded that good result can give them bright future. Lastly, I was able to make them understand why education is necessary and good performance in education is how much necessary.

Thus, I knew about their problems. Several subject they found hard and difficult to learn. In this case, at first I told them not be afraid of those subject. I have seen that as they were afraid of those subjects, they tried to avoid reading those one. So, the subject becomes harder to them. I taught them and tried to solve their problem. Day by day, I was able to build up a good rapport with then and I differentiate between their former and present performance.

It should be mentioned a continuous and gapless study cannot give remarkable result. So I tried to solve their problems by study along with entertainment like singing song, telling jokes and so on. And spontaneous participation was happened.

I always tried to maintain group work method. I tried to make them own decisions like what subject we would read and how. I tried to motivate them in accepting the new ideas and values for the letter development of them. I tried to remove any kind of misbehavior or attitude of them. I was happy to say that they all were mostly sweet and gentle.

 Tome is necessary to achieve the objectives and goals of a group. I got very short time. Generally, time was expended to collect the students and to know their problems.  When I started my work systematically, I saw my time was close to end. Thought 100% success was not gained, I was nearly successful t build self-determination among them, encourage them to face the problems grouply and make helping attitude among them I hope the sense built among them through group work will keep them attentive and make them a resourceful person.

COMMUNITY SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

The target group of UCEP is a part of community. UCEP has to keep in touch with community people to fulfill its objectives and create awareness among them. As a social worker, I get opportunity to practice community and hygienic for community development.

COMMUNITY MEETING

After continuous reminding of 4 days, I was able to arrange a community meeting on 8^th October, 2012 at 4pm. On the day of meeting, I made arrangements of sitting of guardian and teacher with the help of some students. At 4.30pm meeting started. At the beginning of meeting the 3 teachers gave their speech on the aims and objectives of UCEP, attendance of students, importance of regularity, hygienic etc. lastly I gave my speech. At 5.30 the meeting got end. In the meeting the topics of speech were

• UCEP and its objectives
• Importance of education
• Giving example of successful students of UCEP
• Regularity
• Truthfulness
• Hygienic etc.

I presented my speech with easy, understandable language and attitude. After finishing the meeting, I talked with the guardians whether they understand or not. Their positive responses make me think that the meeting was successful and my speech would be fruitful.

GUARDIAN MEETING

Guardians, parents, employers are also part of the UCEP. UCEP arranges on setting with them in the school. Current condition of study of the students and others are informed to them and whether any type of complain or not also is known through guardian meeting. The meeting started at 5pm. I along with several teachers discussed with the guardians. I talked with them about several matters. The matters were-

• Teacher cordiality
• Regularity of the student
• Their behavior and control keep their sons from bad company
• Disadvantages of early marriage
• health
• Hygienic
• To avoid going to the villages within interval etc.

Besides, current situation, politics also are discussed in the meeting. I wanted to know about any complain from them. But very impressively, they denied having any type of complain and also confused that they are very thankful and grateful to UCEP and regular follow-up by the teachers also encouraged them to continue his/her son’s / daughter’s education.

MY EXPERIENCES DURING FIELD WORK

Experience is such a thing that flourihes the life and its motto. Involvement makes people experienced. The involvement in field works opens the new door of experience which is really necessary for my real life. I have experience both sweet and sour. I hope my experience will lead me to correct way.

1. During field work, the most experience is to communicate with various class people specially the disadvantage and poor people. I am able to know their living condition and try t help then cordially.
2. I become able to differentiate between theory and reality. The variation and differences behavior, attitudes, feelings, expectation of the people give new dimension of my theoretical knowledge.
3. To deal a individual is tough task. Now I know how to deal a case and how to interact with them
4. I am able to build up a rapport with target system
5. I am able to learn about the life style of slum dwellers.
6. I have learned to control my emotion and expression while dealing with the case.
7. I have experience to adopt an official environment
8. Though I have learnt about various methods of social work, but now I have idea in which situation which methods are more applicable to solve the problems.
9. My range of knowledge has extended by the experience of dealing with target system.
10. I can know that how the little children are contributing to the family.
11. I become happy to see that day by day the working children and their parents are being conscious about education
12. I am able to know about the demands, wants, desires of the working children
13. I have known early marriage attacks and about its bad effects.
14. Now I can be able to apply social work methods practically.

SELF EVALUATION

Evaluation means the judgment of the quality of the work. How much the goals are achieved, how much it is failed how much I can provide etc is assessed through self-evaluation.

Self-evaluation is not easy task and biasness is the greatest enemy of the self-evaluation. I have tried mostly to evaluation my job and my performance neutrally and honestly. My institute, Institute of Social Work and Research of Dhaka University sends to UCEPSchool in order to make me professional social worker so that I can apply theoretical knowledge to practical field. Truly, I was afraid of field work. At the beginning of field work I felt uneasy. But after passing few days I was able to adopt with the environment along with my job. For this, I have completed my job satisfactory. I know if there is success, there is failure too. I cannot give assurance that I have completed my job successfully. Sometimes I feel happy when I see, after follow up, the students come to school and sometimes I have felt shame of failure when the students do not keep my words. After that I will say that ignoring some points I have felt happy after finishing all my assignment almost successfully with the help  of my friends , my honorable teacher and my well wiher.

MY ACHIEVEMENT

60 days is the duration of the field work practice. It is not enough for effective and eligible result. Besides, limitations were also available. Though I feel, I can play positive role on the following sector.

1. I was able to apply social work method to solve the problems of the students.
2. I was able to build up rapport with the client system
3. I was mostly successful to make students regular from irregular
4. I was able make social profit after assessing their profile
5. I was able to apply knowledge of sincerity, punctuality and responsibility in UCEPSchool.
6. I have the students about honesty, regularity, hygiene nutrition etc.
7. I have tried to give advice to avoid bad company, drugs, early marriage , video game etc and to be a good , honest person.
8. I have told that to respect each other especially the senior and women
9. I have tried to remove the misconception about UCEP
10. Overall, I have made myself as a professional social worker.

MY LIMITATIONS

While during field work, my speed, way of doing my job was interfered by limitation. Due to superstitions, prejudice, I have had to change my policy of working. In the following sector my limitations were:

1. I cannot to know detail about all of the schools due to shortage of time and finance.
2. In several time, I have faced problems to deal with my client due to un-cooperation   and telling lie of his family.
3. Due to some sensitive reason I cannot help some students with problem
4. In some sector where follow-up was necessary, I cannot did this due to financial problems
5. Privilege norms and ignorance hampered my job
6. Overall 100% successful field work practice was not possible for me.

During field work practice, I have gained and achieved wonderful experiences which will help me for my upcoming professional life.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE AGENCY

UCEP is a well organized and wonderful institution, providing quality technical education to the underprivileged children since 1972. More than 34000 thousands poor and underprivileged children get educated and facilitated by UCEP.

UCEP maintains quality of education and school environment strongly. During my field work practice I observe some inconsistency and inconvenient so that I draw some recommendations to develop and expand UCEP’s Noble facilities to the underprivileged children.

EXPAND GENERAL SCHOOL

UCEP are playing a vital role to educate underprivileged and poor children. There have 7.5 million working children in Bangladesh mostly are deprived their basic education. It is necessary to expand UCEP GeneralSchool.  So, more general school should be establihed.

INCREASE SEAT IN TECHNICAL SCHOOL

UCEP provide a wide range of Quality technical education trough 10 technical schools in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi,  Baishal, Rangpur and Gazipur. After completing Pre-Tech a small amount of student get opportunity to admit in TechnicalSchool. Rest of the student become irregular or drop out. In this situation , it necessary to establish more technical school and increase opportunity for students in getting admitted in Technical school.

INCREASE SOCIAL WORKER ENGAGEMENT

UCEP is a well organized school having its different valuable contribution to make quality human resources. School social work is a specialized area of practice within the broad field of the social work profession. School social workers bring unique knowledge and skills to the school system and the student services team. School social workers are instrumental in furthering the purpose of the schools: to provide a setting for teaching, learning, and for the attainment of competence and confidence. School social workers are hired by school districts to enhance the district’s ability to meet its academic mission, especially where home, school and community collaboration is the key to achieving that mission. For this UCEP should appoint two Social workers in every School.

TO TAKE INITIATIVE FOR COLLECT DONATION

UCEP is a Non-profit organization based on donation and grant. For continuing its services UCEP should adopt a policy to collect donation. For this purpose, UCEP create engagement program for Rich people to build a better Bangladesh.

INCREASE YOUTH VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT

Youth is the future leader of the nation. UCEP should engage youth in volunteer activities. Many organizations have such youth volunteer but it is matter of sorrow that UCEP has not such youth organization. UCEP should build a youth volunteer group to protect child labour and build awareness among community people.

DECREASE PRESSURE OF WORK ON TEACHER

Most of the teacher engages in various works in UCEPSchool for this reason student gets hampered. Many times teacher is engage in different activities instead of taking class.

FAMILY TRAINING PROGRAM

UCEP should be given training program to student’s family about various issues so that they can able to manage their family expenses. Many times the parents are unwilling to send their children to school instead of going to work because they are poor. UCEP should start a well organized selected training program for those parents whose children are most intelligence.

BUILD PRO-CHILD SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

Most of the school in Bangladesh is considered as a boring place to the children. So that children are not enjoying class room as well as school environment. UCEPSchool should build school environment recreational and joyful.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion of report, I can avow that field work helps a social worker to develop and expand his skill, experiences, knowledge and education. Because every theory get fulfill by its successful application. Institute of social welfare and research sent novice social worker to field work for apply theoretical knowledge of social work in real field. I was sent to UCEP Bangladesh for field work. I am very much pleased to work in this agency which is working for deprived children and his community’s development.

I am really astonihed to work in this Agency. here I have got opportunity to observe closely life style of different class’s people. I have astonihed to see the real situation of street children, underprivileged children who are the future of our nation.

I have understood that only government organization cannot ensure sustainable development, but the joint hand between governments and non- government organization can ensure sustain development. Finally I wish prosperity, success, and fame of UCEP-Bangladesh and expect that they will keep their journey continue and fulfill the dreams of many deprived and disadvantage children in our country.