Challenges Faced by Social Work Students in the Initial Fieldwork: A Case Study of First-Year Students at the National Institute of Social Development

Social work is considered a professional qualification in Sri Lanka and is offered by the National Institute of Social Development as a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) course. This program integrates classroom learning with a field practicum, requiring students to complete three stages of fieldwork during their first, second, and fourth years. First-year students encounter various challenges during their initial fieldwork, including a lack of prior experience, language proficiency, and technical knowledge. Additional difficulties include issues with registration, being compelled to work in unrelated industries like cleaning, marriage proposals, insufficient allowances, high transportation costs, and feelings of insecurity. Therefore, this study aims to identify the challenges faced by first-year BSW students during their initial fieldwork. The study employed both primary and secondary data collection methods. Primary data were gathered through questionnaires, interviews, direct observation, and case studies. Interviews were conducted with 50 students and 10 key informants, including lecturers, NGO officers, hospital medical superintendents, child welfare officers, and government officials. Secondary data sources included students' field reports, organizational reports, and field test results, which were analyzed both numerically and conceptually. Findings indicate that first-year social work students encounter significant challenges due to inadequate facilities for conducting field tests in their selected departments, a knowledge gap among departmental officials, limited supervision and awareness programs for trainees, racial discrimination in government departments, and a lack of community understanding regarding the trainees' roles. To mitigate these challenges, pairing two or more students for fieldwork, rather than assigning individuals alone, proved to be beneficial. Implementing this practice could alleviate the difficulties faced by first-year social work students during their initial field experiences and enhance the overall learning process.