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Govt to Improve Social Workers' Salaries |
| Source: |
BuaNews |
| Source Date: |
Friday, February 04, 2011 |
| Focus: |
ICT for MDGs
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| Country: |
South Africa |
| Created: |
Feb 04, 2011 |
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Dlamini acknowledged that while this speaks to the improvement of working conditions and remuneration of professionals, the department still had the task of attracting potential social work students into the profession, as some of them got into the profession without knowing what's involved.
"We need to recruit relevant people, who understand that it's a calling and one needs to be humble because you deal with a number of vulnerable people," said Dlamini, stressing the need to look first at human beings in order to get good outcomes.
As part of the department's effort to address the shortage of social workers in the country, the department as also implemented a scholarship programme, as per the recommendations of the Recruitment and Retention Strategy.
The exchange programme is a collaboration between the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training (HWSETA) and UK-based Skills for Care. It is a joint initiative involving research and exchange of social workers in England and South Africa through the two skills development agencies.
Professionals from England arrived in South Africa on 29 January to pair with eight selected social work professionals from South Africa to start their local research. The South African social workers will at the end of February visit the UK for two weeks.
Dlamini said the programme was important in order to help identify novel solutions to some of the social challenges South Africa faced.
"These challenges require skilled and competent personnel that will use their knowledge and competencies to advance the country's development agenda," said the minister.
The programme seeks to compare and develop best practice models of social work delivery in both England and South Africa.
"It will increase knowledge awareness and understanding on how social workers work in each country as they play key roles in reducing impact of social issues," said HWSETA chairperson Sharon Slabbert.
UK social worker Tom Daniel said through the programme, both countries can learn from each other and their experiences.
"We are all facing challenges including poverty, child abuse, more vulnerable people who need our support and increasing demand of social care system and the programme will help us face our challenges," said Daniel.
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Govt to Improve Social Workers' Salaries In a bid to prevent the mass exodus of social workers from South Africa to other countries the Social Development Department has introduced Occupation Specific Dispensation OSD Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini announced this at the launch of the UK/SA social workers exchange programme on Thursday She said the OSD from the social development sector seeks to improve the remuneration of social service professionals through benefits such as a unique salary structure improvement in career paths increased promotion opportunities and recognition of relevant experience
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