Project Activities
1. Enhanced capacity of UNIBEN to provide professional social work education at the diploma & undergraduate level.
- Revise Diploma and develop curriculum for Full-time BSW degree
- Develop 10 Social Work courses
- Establish Social Work Learning Centre (with computers, resource room with books)
- Set-up Field Education Office. UNIBEN field coordinator to visit Canada with sMSW students
- 1 junior faculty member to undertake PhD studies in Canada
2. Development of a fully functioning and sustainable MSW program at UNIBEN
- Develop a ‘special’ MSW Curriculum
- Select 20 candidates with required academic & work experience (at least 5 will be Junior Faculty from University of Benin who teach in the Social Work Programme)
- Deliver 3 prerequisite seminars to prepare selected candidates
- Develop and deliver 15 half courses and three field-based learning courses (will be delivered via a combination of on-line and classroom formats
- Host
MSW trainees in Canada to complete for their field-based learning courses
3. Enhanced capacity of UNIBEN in collaboration with local NGOs and the Ministry of WASD to train in-service social workers through the establishment of a Community Social Work Training Centre
- The Centre will be housed within UNIBEN in the Social Work Learning Centre and will focus on developing and offering workshops and seminars collaboratively with the Centre for Gender Studies and various NGOs (for example, gender based violence)
- Total of 8 workshops will be developed
4. Improved capacity of UNIBEN faculty to conduct applied social welfare research that is policy and practice relevant in collaboration with community partners
- Research Workshops for junior faculty
- Baseline assessment/environmental scan
- Research on indigenous Social Work Practice
- Seed grants (CAN$2,000-3,000 each) will be available to encourage UNIBEN faculty and community partners members to conduct pilot applied research projects. 2 grants in years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.
5. Increased profile and reputation of social work in Nigeria through heightened awareness of social work roles and functions among policy makers and the public
- Build the capacity of Nigerian Association of Social Workers to promote social work in Nigeria
- Annual Social Work workshops in 2008, 2010, 2011
- A national conference in 2009 at a central place – possibly in Abuja
- Advocacy on the Bill regarding social work professionalization in Nigeria
- West African Journal of Social Work
Key Project Results to Date (September, 2010)
- The Curriculum for a new MSW programme was approved by the Senate of University of Benin and the first cohort of 25 students were admitted in November, 2007. The 24 students include junior faculty from University of Benin and University of Nigeria, Ministry staff, and NGO workers. The cohort includes 11 women and 13 men. For this first cohort, the programme is using a train-the trainer model.
- 22 students from the first cohort have completed all coursework, field work in various social service agencies in South Africa, a practice research paper and will graduate in the Fall of 2010.
- A junior faculty member is in the second year of doctoral studies at the University of British Columbia.
- The curriculum for the BSW programme has been revised and now includes courses in key areas of social work practice. University of Benin Faculty has been matched with a Canadian Faculty member to co-develop each core social work course in the BSW curriculum.
- A research capacity workshop was held for 20 junior/intermediate faculty and two community members. Seed research grants will be provided to University of Benin faculty who have completed the MSW programme for pilot research projects.
- University of Benin has donated space for a Social Work Learning Centre that will house a Resource Room with books and audio-visual learning equipment; a Computer Lab with 10 computers, printer, scanner, copier, etc; and an office for the Community Social Work Training Centre. The Centre will be completed by early 2011.
- A Roundtable entitled: Educating for Social Change: (Re)Visioning Social Education in Nigeria for the 21st Century was held in Benin City on April 16th 2009. The Roundtable brought together over 70 social work educators and students from 11 social work educational universities and polytechnics in Nigeria as well as practitioners to explore issues, possibilities and challenges related to educating future social workers who work towards social change.
- The Nigerian Association of Social Work Educators (NASWE) was launched on May 5th, 2010 and has elected an executive board.