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Careers in Social Work

Social work declared a "scarce skill"

Mon, 18 May 2009 14:06

One of the biggest challenges South Africa faces is an over reliance on social workers – which has resulted in many leaving the country, former Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said recently.

Speaking at a celebration in Johannesburg held to mark World Social Work Day, the previous Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya, announced a new strategy to recruit more social workers in the public sector.

By partnering with the SABC Career Fair to sponsor and recruit prospective student social workers, it is hoped the strategy will address what the Minister called "an acute shortage of social service professionals.”

“In the current financial year we have allocated R105 million to the social work bursary scheme, and this amount has been increased to R210 million in the 2009/10 financial year. Currently there are 3 529 students on the departmental scholarship programme,” Dr Skweyiya said.

In response to the news that social work has officially been categorised as a scarce skill, Lynne Cawood, director of Gauteng Childline, told Business Day that there was a need for at least 43 000 social workers across the country to deal solely with issues affecting children.

Margot Davids of the National Association of Social Workers in SA said most social workers were operating in difficult conditions and their contributions were less recognised. She said it was a good idea to lobby influential people, such as veteran social worker and struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, to help promote the profession.

Speaking with regards to the financial global recession, Dr Skweyiya predicted that current challenges confronting the social development sector would increase the demand for social services.

Sky-rocketing threats include family dysfunction, violence against women and children and substance and alcohol abuse, all of which are challenges that the new Minister of Social Development Edna Molewa and her Deputy, Bathabile Dlamini, will have to address.

Caitlin Smythe - Skills Portal Journalist