ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE STUDIES

(NAAC Re - Accredited A Grade and Affiliated to Bengaluru Central University)

Soladevanahalli, Bengaluru-560107

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK

A REPORT ON THE STUDY TOUR

The Social Work trainees of Acharya Institute of Graduate Studies visited Mumbai, Pune and
Ahamadnagar as part of their study tour from 17.11.2019 to 23.11.2019. The trainees visited and
got orientation from various Non-Government Organizations, Educational institutions and
Community Based Organizations.

On the 17th ,the trainees visited Dharavi slum and observed the people’s behavior, their lifestyle
and witnessed the culture and took a note on the various socio demographical aspects. On the
18th, Trainees visited Tata Institute of Social Sciences, the pioneers of Social Work education in
India. Mr. Utham, Ph.D Scholar, Dept. of Social Work, TISS navigated the team through the old
and the new campus of TISS and gave an orientation on the Social Work Education at TISS. The
students got an opportunity to have dialogues on the evolution of Social Work in India.

Dr. Poonam
Gulaliya , Fieldwork Co-ordinator, Department of Social Work, screened a video pertaining to
evolution of Social Work and versatile field actions by the department. Followed by which there
was an interactive session about the video. She narrated about the field initiatives by the students
of TISS like child line (1098), Prayas, Saksham, Sukoon, Tarasha, Muskaan, Koshish and so
forth. She also discussed about how Social Work trainees must mould themselves according to
the requirement of Social Work profession and encouraged the social work trainees to carry out
innovative field initiation to promote learning and transformation from personal self to enhanced
professional self.

The Social Work trainees visited Aastha Parivaar(R), Grant road east, Mumbai. Social Work
trainees met Mr. Prakash P M, Project Co-ordinator of the organization and he oriented about the
endeavors of Aastha Parivaar. The organization extensively work for sex workers in Jamuna and
Krishna of Pavwala street. Through peer educators, the organization spreads awareness on HIV
infection, providing condoms, periodical health check-up of sex workers, sex worker children’s
education; in addition to that, creating awareness on Community Based Organization for sex
workers, they also provide training for sustainable livelihoods. Social Work trainees were also
taken to a brothel home along with peer educators and had interaction about their problems and
present situation.

On the 20th, the Social Work trainees visited Department of Social Work, Bharathi Vidyapeeth
(Deemed university), Pune, Maharashtra and got an orientation from Dr. Ganesh Rama Rathod,
Director, Yashwantrao Chavan Institute of Social Sciences Studies about Social Work
Department and discussed with the trainees regarding their aspiration in this career. Senior
professor B T Lawani also interacted with the team and gave a thoughtful and valuable message
to the trainees.
The Social Work trainees have visited The Poona School and Home For The Blind Girls, Gandhi
Bhavan road, Kothrud, Pune, Maharashtra. The Poona School and Home for the Blind is a eight
decade old institution was started by Dr. S .R .Machave, a practicing eye specialist who worked
specifically for the noble cause of securing a future for people who were blind. The Poona
School and Home for the blind was established in the year 1934 at a rented premise in Somwar
Peth, Pune.

Mrs. Pavitra, Social Worker, explained about the evolution, vision, mission and functions of the
organization, later she took the trainees for the organization visit and showed various training
programmes for visually challenged girl children. Mrs. Pavitra also gave insight on the activities
of the institution, such as, Braille script training, crafting, music, weaving, tailoring training to
visually challenged girls and more. More than 150 visually challenged girls are provided with all
kinds of facilities like accommodation, education and vocational training for their betterment of
their livelihood. Trainees also interacted with visually challenged girls and realized the
importance of empathetic approach rather than sympathetic approach towards people living with
disability.
The Social Work trainees visited Ralegan Siddhi, a model village of Ahamad nagar district 85
KM away from Pune. The crusader behind the development of the village is none other than
Mr.Anna Hazare, anti-corruption and right to information activist. Trainees visited Hind Swaraj
Trust established by Anna Hazare for creating sustainable rural areas, the Trust provides training
for rural farmers throughout the year on sustainable agriculture, rain water harvesting and water
shed management. The Trainees got an opportunity to see the photo gallery of India against
corruption movement, followed by which, the guide, Mr. Nana took them to meet Anna Hazare.
Anna Hazare humbly welcomed and addressed the students. After knowing that the students are
from the state of Karnataka, He said “In Karnataka there is immense requirement of rural
development. Young people doing MSW rather run behind cities for seeking job, instead one
must go back to your village and utilize education for the development of the community. In
my community, Four Scholars have done Ph.D , Two Scholars are doing Ph.D because we
have created an impact by creating model village through the voluntarism of Ralegan Siddhi
people. We have developed watershed, livelihood sustainability, model schooling programs for
the development of my community.”
 Social Work trainees have visited model School and watershed project in the village which is
solely run by voluntarism and have achieved great success in all their efforts to create sustainable
livelihoods.

Social Work trainees gained exposure by visiting to pavwala street Jamuna and Krishnaand it
was definitely an eye opener , where they witnessed the real situation of sex workers. The Poona
Blind School for Girls helped the trainees develop an empathetic approach towards differently
abled. Ralegan Siddhi model village visit was inspiring which was made fruitful by the
interaction with Anna Hazareji, The trainees gained a good exposure by visiting pavwala street
Jamuna and Krishna was an eye opener where they witnessed the real situation of sex workers.
The Poona Blind School for Girls helped the trainees to develop an empathetic approach towards
differently abled. Ralegan Siddhi model village visit was inspired by the discussion with Anna
Hazareji, trainees got motivated to work to bring transformational changes nt in their respective
villages. To sum up, The study tour provided the trainees different vistas of social work
intervention. It made them to rethink that social work intervention which is need based and done
scientifically will definitely create a sustainable impact.