International Social Work Susan Varghese, Ph.D., CRC

Profession of Social Work Own Experience People are not really aware about social work as a profession- still focus on professions of medicine, engineering and MBA. Lack of licensure and unified code of ethics, social workers themselves are not able to present a unified front, advocacy for the profession is not easy The salaries are extremely low No Benefits, often overworked and underpaid Want this to be interactive so please ask questions

Social Work in India First university with a course in Social Work started in 1930s in Bombay (now known as Mumbai). The Tata Institute of Social Sciences started the post-graduate degree in Social Work - offers specializations However in India the law does not limit the use of the term social worker to a professional social worker - confused with volunteering No licensing procedures yet - limited number of professional organizations There is not much autonomy for social workers to make radical changes. The degree of autonomy is determined by the larger bureaucratic setting - (Work in vadala). Slum Dog Millionaire - same slum. Many cultural and social factors.

Culture and Social Work India is a diverse country- – Population - 1 billion – Religion- 80 percent are Hindus, 2 percent are Sikhs, 14 percent Muslims, 2.4 percent Christians – Languages- 22 major languages, and 22,000 local dialects. Urban-Rural Divide- 80 percent in rural areas, 20% in urban areas. Caste system is still prevalent in the rural areas Women are at a lower position in society though that is constantly evolving especially in urban areas.

Culture and Social Work Role of family in India - Counseling more with group/family than individual counseling – KRIPA - family counseling Both culture and religion dictate the importance of family Aging is not seen as a problem. Elderly often are given the most respect in a family and are authority figures- Joint family system Interventions are often influenced by stereotypes, beliefs about cause of illnesses, religious beliefs- Doctor patient relationship study Hindu religion- karma (cause of their problems is often determined by fate)

Challenges faced by a Social Worker Position of authority thereby making self- determination very difficult. Clients expect to be told what to do. They do not question social workers’ suggestions. Stigma and stereotypes are widely attached to accessing social services. Issues like alcohol/drug abuse, child abuse, domestic violence are often underreported.

Challenges Faced by Social Workers Clients are not always comfortable talking about relationships especially family Lack of resources makes a social worker’s role very difficult. One needs to find solutions within the limited resources (Earthquake in Gujarat). Politics which is closely tied to religion has a big influence on what goals can be achieved.

Differences in Counseling Between India and USA Client-Centered approach in the USA versus Counselor-Directed approach in India Differences in family involvement Penn State experience - campus town, diversity