Professional Social Work in East Africa - Towards Sustainable Impact | PROSOWO II

International Social Work Conference 2014 in Kampala (opens larger image) © Decent Africa
International Social Work Conference 2014 in Kampala


Project Coordinator: Helmut Spitzer

Coordinating Institution: Carinthia University of Applied Sciences

Partner Institutions: Makerere University (Janestic Mwende Twikirize), University of Nairobi (Gidraph Gachunga Wairire), Hope Africa University (Jacqueline Murekasenge), University of Rwanda (Charles Rutikanga), Institute of Social Work (Zena Mnasi Mabeyo)

Partner Countries: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi

Project Duration: 1st of January 2016 – 31st of March 2019

Abstract

PROSOWO II is an extension of activities that were successfully implemented under the PROSOWO project (2011–2014) in order to promote professional social work in East Africa. The overall objective of the international cooperation between partner institutions from Austria, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda is directed towards the formation and strengthening of mechanisms for social work education and practice to more effectively contribute to social development, poverty reduction and social inclusion.

The project has six major components:

  • Empirical research on indigenous and innovative models of social work practice.
  • Establishment of a regional center for social work and social development research.
  • Capacity building of tertiary social work institutions through research, training, joint publications, and networking at national, regional and international levels.
  • Efforts towards the legislation of social work in East Africa.
  • Increased engagement of social work professionals in social policy and advocacy for human rights.
  • Multidirectional knowledge transfer and sharing of lessons learnt within Africa, with stakeholders in Austria and the international scientific community.

Key outcomes of the project will be disseminated through national workshops, regional meetings and international conferences, and through an open access policy with regard to journal articles and internet-based distribution of knowledge, particularly through a new project website.Country-specific research reports will be produced, and an empirically based book on social work practice in East Africa will be published.

A major social work conference in East Africa will be launched, bringing together practitioners, educators, scholars, students and policy makers.Finally, all project activities are geared to have a tangible impact on the lives of poor and marginalized people by highly qualified social workers and improved social services.