American politician Robert F. Kennedy once said that each time a person stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lives of others, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope which crosses each other from a million different centres of energy. In many ways, social workers create ripples that touch the lives of people of every age, from every background and in every corner of the country.

Social Workers’ Day (SWD) is celebrated annually worldwide on every third Tuesday in March and it fell on 17 March this year. Our professionals from the Community and Social Service Department (CSSD) took the opportunity to organise a part-celebratory-part-educational event at SPD on 18 March in the hope of sharing with everyone at SPD the work and role of social workers as well as its importance in society.

Information booths were set up at the reception area with activities for everyone. The purpose of each booth was to create awareness of the work of social workers and the challenges that they face when meeting clients. At one of the booths, participants were taught how to draw genograms and eco-maps which allowed them to experience first-hand what social workers do as part of their assessments. Staff were also given the opportunity to put on the social worker’s hat as they role-played for 5 minutes with an actual social worker acting as beneficiaries. Participants were tasked to find out their ‘charge’s’ needs, the support that they needed and finally to draw the family genogram.

The participants, who are made up mostly of SPD staff, were forthcoming and enthusiastic.

We take this opportunity to thank and show our appreciation to social workers all over the world. Happy Social Workers’ Day!