The Global Social Service Workforce Alliance held three sessions at the REPSSI Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative 2015 Forum on planning, developing and supporting para professional social service workers.
Session 1 : What Are Guiding Principles for Working with Para Professional Social Service Workers? Moderator: Alex Collins, Program Officer, IntraHealth International. Presenters and topics included: Zeni Thumbadoo, Deputy Director, National Association of Child and Youth Care Workers (NACCW), South Africa; Rev. Robert Sihubwa, Chairperson, Zambian Association of Child Care Workers (ZACCW), Zambia; Hussein Kanduru, Lecturer and Coordinator of REPSSI Certificate in Community Based Work with Children and Youth, Institute of Social Work, Tanzania.
Session 2: What Are The Core Competencies of Para Professional Social Service Workers Who Work With Children and Families? Moderator: Zeni Thumbadoo, Deputy Director, National Association of Child and Youth Care Workers (NACCW), South Africa. Presenters and topics included: Patrick Onyango Mangen, Country Director, TPO Uganda, Uganda; Ismael Ddumba-Nyanzi, Research and M&E Specialist, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Uganda. The presentation provided below provides an overview, as this session was an interactive group exercise to assess the competency framework.
Session 3: The State of the Evidence of Para Professional Social Service Workers--What We Know, What We Don't Know and What We Would Like To Know to Support Advocacy and Strengthen the Social Service Workforce. Moderator(s): Kelley Bunkers, Child Protection and Welfare Systems Technical Director, 4Children; and Patrick Onyango Mangen, Country Director, TPO Uganda. Presenters and topics included: Grace Mayanja, Chief of Party, SUNRISE OVC Project, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Uganda; Kuule Azariah Mwanamwolho, Para Social Worker, Bwesumbu Sub County, Uganda; Sowedi Kitanywa, Senior Probation and Social Welfare Officer, Kasese District Local Government, Uganda; Ashenafi Tesfaye, Capacity Development Manager, Yekokeb Berhan Project, Ethiopia. The presentation provided below is the introduction as each speaker hosted interactive, small group discussions.
