Department of Social Work

SOPs

Dept. data last updated on :08/01/2024

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP), OFFICE

The Office is fully equipped with computer systems with Wi-Fi/Internet facility, printer, scanner, Xerox Machine, Cabinets and racks for keeping office-related items. The office hours are 08:00 A.M to 04:00 P.M with a one-hour lunch break. On Fridays the office timings are 8.00 A.M to 12.30 P.M.


The Office, Department of Social Work operates as per the following procedure:

  1. The task of giving appointments and arranging meetings of the Chairperson, Department of Social Work.
  2. Keeps record of attendance of Research Scholars and Staff.
  3. Maintains records of teaching staff related to leave, salary, or any other application.
  4. Receives and dispatches official letters to the concerned departments/offices.
  5. Filing, maintaining and record-keeping of all the official documents.
  6. Preparing agenda and minutes of Departmental meetings.
  7. Managing admission and examination related procedures and maintaining its documents.
  8. Consolidation and compilation of attendance of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
  9. Facilitating Ph.D. Scholarship and maintaining files of research scholars.
  10. Providing individual timetable as per Chairperson’s directive.
  11. Maintaining personal files of teaching and non-teaching staff.

Guidelines for Office Maintenance:

  1. No one is permitted to have access to the computer system of the office except the authorised person.
  2. Keeping the office neat and clean and regular clearing of unused documents is the responsibility of the office in charge.
  3. Talking, shouting, listening to music and excessive use of mobile phones are not allowed in the office.
  4. The staff is responsible for saving electricity and ensuring energy conservation in the department.
  5. COVID 19 protocols should be strictly followed while performing routine tasks and visiting the department.

NOTE: In case of any clarification the students/ staff may contact the Office, Department of Social Work during office hours or email chairperson.sw@amu.ac.in and phone: 0571-2700920 (Ext. 1620).


SOP for Field Work Practicum

Field Practicum is a dynamic course that helps students apply social work knowledge, skills, and values within an organizational and community context. It is an integral part of social work education. The hours and efforts of field practice prepare students to enter the workforce as trained social work practitioners. Students get opportunities to apply their academic and practice experiences on the actual ground. Students participate in supervised field experience and become familiar with different components of the social work profession. Field Practicum provides practice experiences of working with individuals, families, groups, and communities within an organizational and open community context. It is expected that students will engage with the diversity of populations and experience intervention issues, based on various theoretical standpoints and models to develop learning and establish a broad base for social work practice. Field education is an integral part of the Social Work curriculum, providing the opportunity to apply what is learnt in the classroom and work with real-life clients under the supervision of a social worker (Faculty). Community/agencies act as learning laboratories, giving students valuable exposure to the full range of functions, responsibilities, challenges and opportunities today’s social workers experience in the current scenario.

The fieldwork procedures include several crucial components for enhancing the quality of students’ learning by integrating theoretical knowledge with practical experiences. Field Work Practice with communities and agencies involves understanding of needs of a community, facilitating interaction between the different parts of the community such as the institutions, leadership–informal and formal, other members and the geographical subdivisions. The students are taken for observation visits to Governmental and Non -Governmental Organizations to get acquainted with the services delivered by these agencies. Students are exposed to various issues like disability, health, problems of vulnerable groups, urban & rural communities and industry. It facilitates maximum use of its internal and external resources. Fieldwork exposure gives an opportunity to students to work in various social work settings. The students observe and develop a spirit of inquiry. The students get acquainted with the structure, functioning, staffing pattern and activities of the organization. The students acquire skills such as Organizing & Participatory skills, Observation& Interactive skills, Listening & comprehending skills, Analytical skills, Interpersonal skills and Documentation skills


OBJECTIVES OF FIELD WORK

  1. To develop practice skills by applying classroom theory to real-life situations
  2. To determine which approaches work in practice and how they must be adapted to specific situations with individual, group or community
  3. To understand the importance of professional practice while developing skills in social work
  4. To learn to use supervision and consultation
  5. To begin to engage in self-assessment in accordance with the values and ethics of social work
  6. To develop a professional identity



COMPONENTS OF FIELD WORK PRACTICUM

  1. Orientation Programme of One Week for newly admitted students

  2. Concurrent Field Work (twice a week)

  3. Weekly Seminar Presentations (For MSW and BA 5th Semester onwards)

  4. Supervisory Conferences: Once a week

  5. Winter Rural Camp

  6. Summer Internships


Field Work is evaluated on the basis of report writing, fieldwork attendance (concurrent fieldwork, seminar presentations, supervisory conferences, winter camp and summer internships) and viva.


  1. One Week Orientation Programme

One-week Orientation Programme is organised following the admission of the students into the department and before the commencement of field visits and placements. The focus of the orientation is to provide insight and understanding to the students on:

  • The nature and significance of fieldwork practice in Social Work education 
  • The meaning of concurrent fieldwork in an approved agency
  • Importance of guided practice 
  • Areas of social work practice 
  • Guidelines on ways to relate to issues and field problems
  • Resource persons are invited to deliver lectures on various areas of social work practice.
  • Lectures are organised per day for a week, and students are instructed to make reports of each lecture per day for weekly seminar presentations.

  1. Concurrent Field Work

The concurrent fieldwork allows students to practice their skills and apply knowledge in working with individuals, groups, and communities. 

Concurrent fieldwork begins with the commencement of the first semester till the last semester of their course. It is an essential part of the social work curriculum and is considered as a subject carrying a Maximum of 100 Marks. Students are expected to follow different methodologies to engage with clients to achieve their desired objectives or goals.

  1. The students are divided into various groups for the purpose of field visits either to the community or the agency.
  2. At the end of the orientation programme, students are provided with the fieldwork tasks for the whole semester with consultation and supervision of the assigned supervisor prior to the commencement of field visits.
  3. The students assemble in the seminar library for a briefing about the task already mentioned in the manual. They mark their attendance and proceed for their fieldwork placement sites like JNMCH, rural/semi-urban communities and Non-Governmental Organizations
  4. After completing the fieldwork of the day, the students write fieldwork reports on the basis of tasks completed and observations/analyses are also made in consultation with the fieldwork supervisor. 
  5. After completion of two days of fieldwork, the students consult their concerned supervisor for their seminar presentation, which is scheduled every week to present and deliberate on their fieldwork with their peers, research scholars and faculty members.
  6. The students are required to write fieldwork reports in loose sheets and arrange them in block files.
  7. The block file is submitted to the concerned faculty supervisor at the start of the session.
  8. The student is expected to write final reports with a professional outlook (integrating theory into practice). 
  9. During supervisory conferences, the faculty supervisor checks reports and provides necessary inputs regarding report writing and fieldwork practicum.
  10. Faculty supervisory may ask for rewriting of fieldwork report; if found with errors or if there is a need for improvement. 
  11. Fieldwork reports are based on the integration of theory and practice. 


  1. Weekly Seminar Presentation

  1. The weekly seminar presentation is organised every Friday where the students deliver a PowerPoint presentation of the fieldwork task and learning outcome of that particular week.
  2. The presentation prepared by the students is of 7 to 10 minutes which displays their work, knowledge and integration of theory into practice.
  3. Every week students, along with the Chairperson and all faculty members, assemble in the smart classroom for a formal conference like environment.  
  4. Seminar Presentations is student-centric activity.
  5. It is a platform for fieldwork discussions and deliberations on the ongoing fieldwork. 
  6. Each session has one Chair, two rapporteurs, and a presenter.
  7. The Chair is required to oversee the overall arrangements of the presentation like presentation venue, equipment, etc.  
  8. Rapporteurs are required to write minutes of the presentation of each session. 
  9. Every student has to perform all three roles ie. Chair, rapporteur and presenter on a rotation basis. 
  10. Each student has to share their work done in fieldwork and problems they face during fieldwork and seek suggestions from their peers and research scholars.
  11. It is mandatory to consult the supervisor for the presentation paper, PPT and minutes of the presentation. 

Guidelines for Seminar Presentation

The Chair

  • The Chair of the session starts the session by welcoming all the Faculty Members, Students and Presenters of the Day.

  • He/she orients the group with the number of presentations of that day

  • He/she introduces the presenter and the topic of the presentation each time before the presentation.

  • After each presentation, the chair opens the house for discussions, deliberations and suggestions.

  • After the final presentation, the chairperson invites Senior Faculty for the concluding remarks.

  • The Chair also keeps the track of the time allotted to each presentation.

Rapporteurs:

    • Rapporteurs are expected to write minutes of each session.
    • The rapporteurs are required to write all the questions and clarifications asked to the presenter.
    • The rapporteurs are also required to write suggestions given by the group members in the minutes of the presentation.
    • The rapporteur is required to give concluding remarks after each presentation.

Presenter:

    • The presenter is expected to present professionally and keep the time limits.
    • The presenter is expected to make proper PowerPoint presentations.
    • The presenter is expected to make their presentation effective, audible, presentable and precise.
    • It is the duty of the presenter to report to the chair before the presentation.

  1. Supervisory Conferences

One of the most effective ways of mentoring and supervising the students is through regular supervisory conferences between the concerned faculty supervisors and the students.

  1. The students are continuously guided and mentored by the supervisors for their fieldwork. 
  2. The supervisory conferences are a mode to have one to one communication between the supervisors and students where they could discuss issues, challenges, events or any problems encountered during fieldwork.
  3. The supervisory conferences are also a platform for planning, organizing, and conducting any event, activity, or program in the community
  4. The supervisors and students meet once a week at a scheduled day date and time.
  5. The students seek professional advice, suggestions and guidance for their ongoing field tasks.
  6. The students submit and maintain a record of their weekly field task in a file that is presented before the supervisor for their remarks.

  1. Winter Rural Camp

The department organizes a rural winter camp of one week with a special focus on rural communities, cultures, traditions and customs. The location of the rural winter camp is a nearby village within the territory of the Aligarh district. The rural winter camp gives a glimpse of rural life and their day to day activities.


  1. The students assemble in the seminar library of the department, a brief introduction regarding the winter camp schedule, assigned tasks, and methodology is made.

  2. Along with the faculty members, they proceed from the department to the pre-decided location.

  3. The rural winter camp commences with the inauguration programme. Dignitaries are invited like the representative of village panchayats, Pradhan, CMO, local leaders, NGOs, and officials from the district administration.

  4. The students are then engaged in a myriad of activities using participatory tools and techniques.

  5. The students create awareness on various social issues through IPC and IEC activities.

  6. They organize health camps, financial awareness camps, co-curricular activities in the rural communities and in schools

  7. They report their activities daily and then give a presentation after the winter camp is over.

  8. Students are required to submit the winter rural camp report to the concerned supervisor.


  1. Summer Internship


Unlike most degrees, social work programs require on-site experience through a social work internship or practicum. Under the supervision of experienced professionals, interns help with project proposal writing, evaluation and treatment, case management, and administrative needs. For this purpose, students of the MSW programme must undertake a summer internship of 45 days after the second semester and fourth semester. The students contact research, non-profits, and voluntary organizations when considering social work internships.

  1. In the second semester break, they are required to undertake a summer internship in community work. At the end of the fourth semester, they have to take an internship in human resource management.
  2. The students are required to submit a confidential letter to the concerned organization applied for working as an intern.
  3. At the end of the training, they have to submit two reports, one at the organization and the other in the department, for their final mark sheet and degree.



Arranging field work file for final submission

  1. Fieldwork summary sheet

  2. Student Attendance Sheet

  3. Self-Evaluation Performa

  4. Agency Profile/ Community Profile

  5. Any Assignment/ Research Activity undertaken/Seminar Presentation PPT and Paper/Minutes of the presentations/ winter rural camp report

  6. Fieldwork reports (first to last)

  7. Supervisory Conference/ Seminar Presentation Record

  8. Community/Agency Profile format will be shared by the department. The student is expected to make a community/agency profile separate from fieldwork reports.



SOP of Smart Classroom

The Department of Social Work has one smart classroom equipped with a projector, smart podium, internet connectivity and speaker system. Faculty members use the smart classroom for PowerPoint/ web-based assisted teaching. A smart classroom is also used in showing students various audio-visual documentaries. Multiple programs and lectures by external experts are also regularly organized in smart classrooms. 

  1. The internet facility is used with the help of logging I.D. and Password provided by the computer centre.
  2. All types of eatables are strictly prohibited in the smart classroom.  
  3. Any computer equipment or accessories cannot be relocated, modified, disassembled or removed without the chairman's permission.
  4. Any issues related to the hardware or software of the smart podium must be reported to the chairman immediately after realization.
  5. Keeping the smart classroom neat and clean is the responsibility of every user.

SOP of Seminar Library, Social Work

The Department of Social Work has a well-equipped Seminar Library with more than 50 students seating capacity. The seminar library has an extensive collection of textbooks and reference books of social work and related disciplines. 

  1. It follows the office timings of University, i.e. 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on all working days and till 12:30 pm on Fridays. 
  2. The Seminar Library also has computers and an internet facility with the accessibility of the online resources of the University's central library (Maulana Azad library). 
  3. The books in the seminar library are properly catalogued with Unique Accession Number as given by Maulana Azad Library. 
  4. The faculty members, research scholars and Postgraduate students utilize the facilities of the Seminar library by using it during office hours or 
  5. The books are issued against the valid identity cards of the University by the Seminar Incharge. 
  6. Two seminar secretaries, one from M.S.W (Previous) and the other from M.S.W. (Final) year under the guidance of the Chairperson and Seminar Incharge, helps in the functioning of the seminar library. 
  7. Separate student almirah, with multiple copies of classic social work textbook, is also maintained and is issued to students by the seminar secretary. 
  8. The seminar secretary keeps a proper record of each book issued or returned on a separate register. 
  9. On completing the course, every student has to take clearance from the seminar library to get their mark sheet and degree issued. 
  10. The Chairman and faculty members also undertake a periodic stock verification. 
  11. All types of eatables are strictly prohibited in the seminar library.  
  12. Any computer equipment or accessories cannot be relocated, modified, disassembled or removed without the chairman's permission.
  13. Keeping the seminar library neat and clean is the responsibility of every user.