Strong challenges ahead for new group of social workers |28 March 2022

The social workers in a souvenir photograph with guests after they had been presented with their official documents and badges (Photo: Louis Toussaint)

• Embracing ongoing personal development is the way forward

Embracing the culture of professional development and delivering daily work with highest standard of professional ethics is the best way forward toward a successful and fulfilling career, chairperson of the Social Workers Council (SWC) Shella Mohideen has said.

Ms Mohideen was addressing a group of newly licenced social workers, shortly before presenting them with their official documents and badges during a ceremony held last week at the Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps) conference room at the Orion Mall in Victoria.

Noble, the social work profession is distinct from other helping line of work since social workers advocate social justice and change on behalf of clients and society in addition to enhancing individual well-being.

It is an academic discipline and practice-based profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole in an effort to meet basic needs and enhance social functioning, self-determination, collective responsibility, optimal health, and overall well-being.

Most of the newly-certified social workers have just completed a three-year diploma programme with the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) where they covered subjects such as mental health, aged and disability, social problems and social policy, community development, psychology and human development.

They also had the opportunities to attend work-based experience sessions at various local institutions and agencies.

In the presence of Programme Leader at the NIHSS Grace Irimani and chief executive of Ceps Alvin Laurence, Ms Mohideen reminded the social workers that social work is not static and that they should embrace ongoing personal development thus continue to engage, taking their careers as far as they can.

She added that if they adopt a high working standard, applying the good ethics of the profession, there will be nothing to be afraid of during their careers.

Ms Mohideen further explained that in the noble and deeply satisfying profession of social work, preservation of the public interest, or public protection, is the most compelling reason for regulating social work practice, while the licence proves that social work is a learned profession that affects public health, safety, and welfare, and, must be therefore left in the capable hands of qualified persons recognised by in-place legislation.

On behalf of his colleagues, newly licenced social worker Daniel Mahoune noted that the journey has not been an easy one, but through patience, dedication, commitment and teamwork, they have managed to reach the summit as a group.

He thanked all those – parents, lecturers, friends – who, in one way or another supported them throughout the three years of studies which he described as very challenging, but fruitful.

Governed by the Social Workers’ Council Act – 1st October 2007 (consolidated to June 30, 2012) – the SWC is mandated to regulate the professional conduct of social workers for the purpose of protecting service users and promoting and upholding the highest possible standard in social work, register and maintain a register of social workers with accurate and up-to-date information, and also to enquire into allegations of breaches of ethical standards and of serious professional misconduct by a social worker and to take appropriate disciplinary measures.

Roland Duval