You may not have known – but it’s World Social Worker Day and in Belize, social work is actively pursued by a robust enrolment of students who are pursuing degrees in social work at the University of Belize. Now, those of us who know about social work know that it is a thankless, difficult job – dealing with the most complex, often intractable social problem in real time and face to face. But the Social Work Student Association today took it one step further – and went out into the community today to proactively engage in social work – and we found out that it was tough going.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
This rugged yard work is not the type of activity you’d normally associate with social work – much less constructing a wooden drain cross, but for the young WOMEN OF THE University of Belize’s Social Work Student Association, it is about re-defining the terms of social work.
Kendra Griffith,
“What we are trying to do is to change the image of social work in Belize. When people think of social workers they think of persons who work at the Department of Human Services but that isn’t just what social work is about and we are just trying to show people that social work is something positive. It had that negative connotation to it and it does not have to be.”
And 88 year old Icenie Mckoy is the one that’s benefiting from this example of proactive engagement.
Kendra Griffith,
“We are painting her house, we plan to fix her fence, we are going to be cleaning up her yard and just doing some general maintenance for her.”
Icenie Mckoy, 88 years old
“When I looked I saw this thing di come, the bus to come, truck the come, board the come, and I said praise God. I sit down right there and said praise God my yard will be fixed today. It is the first day from I came to live here and it is not now. When I clean this yard it is only me that chops it.”
Kendra Griffith,
“We wanted to show an older person that we, as social workers, we do care about the wellbeing of the citizens and the elderly, that there are people out there who also want to help them.”
And on World Social Worker Day, these students are learning that social work is a handful.
Kendra Griffith,
“We want to also give the students a realistic view of what social work is supposed to be. We are trying to move a little bit away from the status quo and say it is not only case management, it is not only children protection. There are various avenues and yes social workers can get out there and you can get dirty and you can help your community and do things like this. And so we are also holding ourselves and the association up as an example of what the social work profession can be.”
And they’ve certainly won over one ardent believer.
Icenie Mckoy,
“And I feel so happy and proud of all the workers who came.”
