Degree programme in social welfare

Rasika Somarathna

COLOMBO: The Social Welfare and Social Services Ministry has launched a post graduate degree programme in Social Welfare and a training course for officials on governing social care centres, fulfilling a long felt need to take care of the needy in the country.

The project cofunded by the Canadian International Agency (CIDA) and UNICEF will be implemented by Queens University of Canada in collaboration with the Social Services Ministry and Save the Children.

Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda at the launch said, the project is designed to support Sri Lanka's national strategy to reorient social services for the 21st century".

The Minister said this programme would strengthen institutional capacity to educate the future social development leaders. "They will be capable of managing responsive participatory and gender sensitive programmes according to international standards and best practices" Devananda said.

According to Ministry sources 20% of Sri Lankan populace is in need of urgent social care. This includes the disabled, elders, people displaced by the present conflict and the tsunami and the mentally ill. Coordinated social development in Sri Lanka has been a much neglected area.

These projects will act as a launching pad in promoting social development and services in a manner that affirms transparency, accessibility and community ownership.