What is Social Work?
Social work is an academic discipline and profession that embraces and enhances long-held methods of addressing life challenges in order to increase social functioning, development, cohesion and liberation using diverse indigenous knowledges and values enshrined in the family, community, society, environment and in spirituality (ASWDNet, 2021).
Where do social workers work – settings or fields of practice?
- Development settings: Community Development; Family Development; Village Development; Society development; Country Development
- Community settings: Community Development; Community work; Advocacy
- Welfare settings: Disability; Occupational/ Industrial Social work; Food relief
- Protection settings: School Social work; Correctional Services
- Medical settings: Clinical/ Medico Social work; Rehabilitation; Mental Health Services
- Family and Protection Services: Child Protection; Gerontological Social work
- Policy settings: Activists; Lobbyists; Advocates
- Administration: Managers; Supervisors; Administrators
- Higher education: Researchers; Lecturers; Tutors; Field educators
Who is a social worker – in local languages
| Shona Language | English Translation |
| Batsiridzo yeMagariro or Tsigiro yeMagariro Short name Batsiridzo or Tsigiro | Social Work |
| Mubatsiridzi weMagariro (plural Vabatsiridzi veMagariro) Short name Mubatsiridzi pl. Vabatsiridzi Mutsigiri weMagariro (plural Vatsigiri veMagariro) Short name Mutsigiri or Mutsigi, pl. Vatsigiri or Vatsigi | Social Worker |
| Mubatsiridzwi (plural Vabatsiridzwi) Mutsigirwi (plural Vatsigirwi) | Community Member, Service User, Family Member, ‘Client’ |
| Batsiridzo | Support, help |
| Magariro | Family, social, economic, political, environmental, spiritual life |
| Chikoro cheBatsiridzo yeMagariro | School of Social Work |
Translations by Matindike, S. (2016).
Other languages will be added as they become available.
The following definition is a translation of the ASWDNet definition.
Batsiridzo yeMagariro zvinoreva chidzidzo neunyadzvi hwekushanda nevanhu. Nyanzvi idzi dzinobatsiridza vanhu kurwisa zvinonetsa mumagariro vavariro iri yekuti varikubatsiridzwa vagone kuzvibatsira, vabudirire, vabatane uye vasunungurwe muzvinetso. Vabatsiridzi veMagariro vanozendama nekukoshesa ruzivo neunyanzvi zvagara zvirimo nechekare mumhuri nemunzvimbo uye mukuita basa ravo vanoremekedza zvakatikomberedza nenyikadzimu.
Cite as Mugumbate, R. (2016). Zvinoreva Batsiridzo yeMagariro/Definition of Social Work (Translator). Harare, African Social Work Network (ASWDNet).
The following is a translation of the international definition was approved by the IFSW General Meeting and the IASSW General Assembly in July 2014. Translation by S. Matindike, 2016.
Basa reBatsiridzo yeMagariro rinoitwa nenyanzvi dzakadzidza dzinokurudzira shanduko nebudiriro, kubatana, kupa vanhu masimba nekuvasunungura. Zvinokosha mubasa rekubatsira vanhu kuvabata zvakafanana zvine rukudzo, kodzero dzevanhu, kuonera pamwe nekukoshesa kusiyana kwevanhu . Basa rekubatsiridza vanhu munezvinonetsa muupenyu nekuita kuti vanhu vararame zvakanaka zvinoda ruzivo rwunobva kuzvidzidzo zvine chekuita nevanhu, ruzivo rwavo vabatsiridzwi uye kushanda neutungamiri hwevanhu.