Thandi Mazuze
School Social Worker, Gauteng Department of Social Development, South Africa
Overview of role
My primary role is to support vulnerable primary and secondary school learners and their families. The psychosocial support I render in schools encompasses case work in the form of individual intake, assessment and counselling. This also includes internal and external referrals for further intervention. Additionally, I conduct therapeutic and educational groups with learners.
Part of my macro practice entails conducting prevention and awareness programs through collaboration with various stakeholders from the Department of Social Development, other departments and organizations. I also conduct mentorship and leadership programs with secondary school learners. These programs are aimed at enhancing learners’ leadership, networking and communication skills while linking them with professionals and entrepreneurs invested in mentoring the learners and assisting learners with funding for their tertiary education.
In all spheres of my work, I am an active member of a multi-disciplinary team. The support that I provide to families entails family mediation, family preservation services, linking family members between the ages of 18 and 35 with skills development centers, linking other family members with community resources relevant for meeting the identified needs during home visits as well as parenting workshops with parents and guardians.
From an individual perspective, the results of my work embody a sense of hope for the vulnerable children and their families. In essence, I stand as an anchor of positive change and development for learners and their families. While I link children and their families with resources in their communities, I build and enhance a sense of resilience, cohesion and liberation. It is through the provision of psychosocial support and education that children are empowered with skills and knowledge that enable them to become responsible, empowered and self-reliant members of society. Through the provision of the aforementioned services to families, parents and guardians become attuned to meeting the various needs of our children. Essentially, my aim is to address issues that hinder learners from enjoying their right to education and the ability to development into self-reliant members of society. In this way, I aim to radically preserve the future of the children because the future of our nation lies with them.
Daily tasks
I attend to psychosocial cases/incidents reported by educators in schools. I conduct sessions with learners and their families, individually and in groups. I consult with my supervisor weekly for guidance and support. Furthermore, I liaise with various stakeholders from various departments and organizations to address the identified needs of the learners and their families. This collaborative partnership also entails plenary and feedback meetings for the interventions provided. An additional component of my daily duties includes administrative duties to preserve the data collected as evidence for the services rendered and planning.
Motivation
I have always been passionate about education and seeing children happy and safe. Whenever I intervene, my aim is to put a smile on a child’s face, and this should be a lifelong experience for that vulnerable child. Therefore, I assist with passion, warmth and professionalism that ensures that the learner and his/her family step out of the presenting adversity feeling empowered and ready to move forward with resilience.
Training/Education
I received my bachelor’s degree in Social Work at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2015. During my practice as a Social Worker, the Department of Social Development provided me with additional training that is relevant in conscientizing me about the prevalent social ills affecting learners. I am equipped with knowledge and skills on how to effectively respond to the needs related to these social ills. An additional and critical part of my training as a Social Worker is that I have recently completed my Schools Social Work Short Course facilitated by the University of the Witwatersrand. This is a comprehensive course which specifically focuses on how to effectively respond to the specific needs of school-going children and their families.
Qualifications or skills to succeed in role
I have a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, which gives me the ability to fully apply theory into practice in a manner that radically addresses the needs of the learners and their families. This should go hand-in-hand with practicing in a professional, integrated and dignified manner, to leave a mark that significantly represents the Department of Social Development as the main custodian of the Children’s Act, and other related legislative frameworks and policies. Furthermore, working in schools also requires an innovative, flexible, reliable and passionate professional, as the dynamics surrounding societal issues affecting learners and their families constantly evolve.
A qualification in social work provides the basic skills needed to intervene in a variety of environments. Schools have proven to be a specialized environment, which presents the social worker with evolving challenges. Therefore, a social worker providing services in schools, needs continuous specialized capacity building and knowledge development, to effectively intervene. Initiatives of knowledge management in the field of providing social work services in schools, is necessary, for the growth and development of this specialized field.
Most rewarding aspect of job
The most rewarding aspect of my work is seeing a child excitedly smiling when he/she sees me during and after the intervention process. It is also rewarding to see progress in the child’s functioning and an improvement in the child’s relationship with his or her peers, family, educators and other significant people involved in the child’s life. When a parent, teacher, child, guardian and other professionals give words of gratitude and affirmation that their needs have been met and that they can carry on their own, I confidently feel that I have done my job. On a professional level, it is rewarding to see growth in my career, which is often evident in my ability to intervene beyond my expectations and those of my clients.
Most challenging aspect of job
The most challenging part of my job is the limited time I have, to perform my duties, especially in schools as learners cannot miss out on their academic work. The scope of the identified needs and the diversity of the intervention processes often outweighs the given time. This is often a challenge for me as I enjoy serving variety from my basket of services.
Importance of social service workers in schools
Children spend most of their daily living in schools. The school environment is an essential catalyst for growth and development for children, where they feel a sense of belonging. This is where children socialize and influence each other with experiences they are exposed to outside the school environment. The school is an environment where children can raise their concerns from home directly and indirectly, voluntarily and involuntarily. Therefore, the presence and active involvement of a social worker in a school ensures that children feel safe at school and ultimately, at home. This is achieved through the involvement of educators, as they are the first point of reference when gathering the needed data to inform the relevant services needed to address barriers to learning. Social workers in schools are equipped with the knowledge and skills that go beyond the academic needs of the learners, as they also extend their services to families and link them with community resources. All these efforts are geared towards safeguarding the wellbeing and functioning of the learners and families.
Additional thoughts
A school is a dynamic environment, where a variety of issues and social ills are presented. By virtue of this dynamism, there are multiple stakeholders and role players intervening in schools. Therefore, it is essential that the social worker providing services in schools, clearly defines and understands their role in order to be impactful.
