Old Friends Have Arrived

Some of my dearest mentors and friends have arrived in Sri Lanka: Bob Mullaly, Helen Pearlman, Louise Johnson, Barry Cournoyer and Hepworth and Larsen, to name a few. They arrived by mail.
For the better part of last year and off the side of my desk, I developed a concept paper that was presented to the University Grants Commission (UGC). The concept paper's premise was that Sri Lanka needed to provide a post graduate diploma program in social work in order to meet the mandate of the Mental Health Policy of Sri Lanka. This glossy policy calls for a social worker to be in every Medical Officer or Health (MOH) Division by 2015.



Look inside the cabinet 

There are more than 200 MOH divisions and precious few degreed social workers in the country. In 2005, The National Institute of Social Development instituted a four year social work degree program, but this is graduating students too slowly to meet the 2015 deadline (and this is just for mental health social workers). As a result, we argued for a "fast track" method of graduating social workers by building on an existing social science degree and then offering two years of core social work skills that then ladders into a master's program, if the student is so inclined to go on with advanced social work education.

The UGC accepted our proposal and we have a university very interested in offering the program. As I was developing the paper, I recognized the importance of developing a social work library for the program. Text books are a rare commodity here and with limited computer access or electronic library support, both students and instructors would need resource materials.
Therefore, I sent a plea home to my colleagues in Kamloops. I pled for old social work text books on the social work list serve. The list serve advertised the need and text books poured in. Long time social workers culled their bookshelves and offered books up to the cause. New social workers parted with their precious texts. Thompson Rivers University offered to be the collection depot and one of my old teachers, (not old in age, but old as in past), Trish Archibald sorted the books, eliminated duplicates, fundraised for the shipping and upon finally getting them boxed, posted them to me. Two social workers from the UK, who learned about my book campaign, also rustled up some texts for the library.



Social work text books arrived like old friends

Ah, the books have finally arrived and they are like old friends to me. Friends who imparted to me core social work knowledge, values and skills. Some were mentors who challenged my beliefs and assumptions. Others were teachers who trained me in the art and science of social work. Books that shaped my understanding of diversity and culture and texts furnishing theory to guide my practice can to visit. I can now write curriculum because they have come to help. These old teachers are staying in Sri Lanka. They have come to stay, leaving behind a social work library that can help educate others in the profession of social work.

I lovingly ran my hands over the worn covers of these old friends and gratitude emerged from me for the colleagues at home who cared to help build a library for Sri Lanka. I was awash with gratitude that I was led to a profession that has served me so well and one that has allowed me to serve others in some small way. Thank you good colleagues and good teachers (paper kind and the real kind).