UNAM Student Social Work Society- USSWS

 

University of Namibia

UNAM Student Social Work Society- USSWS

 

 

The Social Work Student Society is a society for social work students under the Office of Dean of Students (ODS) of the University of Namibia (UNAM) main campus.

 

Mission:

The society's mission is to promote, restore, maintain and enhance the social functioning of families, groups, organizations and communities. The society also aims to promote the profession by ensuring that students are stimulated to find delight and pride in being a social worker.

 

Description:

The social work student society acts as a platform which connects students, the social work section, the university as well as the Namibia Social Workers Association (NASWA). It also serves to inform students about news; be it about financial aid, activities offered by outside organs such Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well keeping them up to date with the happenings in the university.

The aims and objectives of the society shall be:

• To promote professional interest in the field of Social Work to the students of UNAM.
• To provide opportunities for interaction between students, staff and the Social Work practitioners.
• To ensure that social work students at UNAM engage in ongoing professional development and capacity building
• To build the leadership abilities of social work students.
• To represent the views of social work students on matters of social policy and practice at local, national and international level.
• To develop a sense of pride amongst social work students about the value of their profession.
• To be advocates and get involved in local, national and international Social Work issues and policies.

The Principles of the society are:

• Code of Ethics for Social Workers in Namibia: We accept to abide by the code of ethics for social workers in Namibia which serve as guidelines for social work practice in Namibia.
• Gender equality: We accept that women and men are equal in all aspects of social endeavor
• Non-party political: The society is open to persons with different political affiliations, as long as they accept the principle of the code of ethics for social workers in Namibia. The society will however not affiliate to any particular political party and members cannot use society platforms to advance the interests of any particular political party.
• Anti-racism: We actively reject racism and any form of discrimination on the basis of skin color or other biological features and will actively work against any form of racism or racial discrimination in our society.
• Anti-tribalism: We actively reject tribalism and any form of discrimination on the basis of cultural or ethnic identity and will actively work against any form of tribalism or ethnic discrimination in our society.
• Anti-homophobia: Actively reject all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation in our society.
• Secularism: The society shall be free from any religious influence.

Ethics:

• We will abide by the code of Ethics for Social Workers in Namibia at all times.
• Our society affairs will be conducted in the spirit of solidarity, mutual respect as well as frank, honest, and open discussion of differences;
• We will support, nurture, and care for the well-being of all members.
• We will practice of non-violence and hope to achieve a non-violent society;
• We are committed to openness, transparency, equality, and accountability in our society

Membership of the UNAM Student Social Work Society shall be open to all registered undergraduate and post-graduate students from the department of Social Work as well as the staff of the Social Work Department. Further, membership is also open to anyone who is interested in helping the society to achieve its aim and willing to abide by the principles and ethics of the society.

The society is currently under the leadership of an elected executive committee and Mrs Zelda Rukambe who is the current patron of the society from the social work section under the department of Human Sciences of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.