Orientation on Unionising the Unorganised sector workers – Possible fieldwork interventions

A two-day orientation programme titled ‘Unionising the Unorganised sector workers – Possible fieldwork interventions’, was organsied by the Department of Social Work for students of second year BSW and first year MSW students of the Department of Social Work. (21^st – 22^nd November, 2019). The students were oriented on the problems faced by the workers in the unorganised sector. The department invited several experts and trade union leaders to provide their input based on their field experience. The Speakers included: Mr. Clifton Rosario, Advocate and CPI (ML), AICCTU, Mr. Vijayabhaskar, AITUC Gen Secretary (oldest union & affiliated to World Trade Union, Mr. R Manohar, Human rights activist, CARE, Ms. Parijatha, union activist and Domestic Workers Union Leaders, Ms. Varalakshmi, President, Karnataka CITU, Mr. Shujathulla, Research Assistant, Indian Social Institute and Khalimullha Swaraj Abhiyan, Fr. Martin, Coordinator, Labour unit, Indian Social Institute, Bengaluru,  Mr. Ishwar Gowda, Patil, Union Activist, construction workers union, APSA, and Ms. Rini Martin, Skill Development Corporation, GOK. The students were sensitised on the ground realities with regard to unorganised workers and possible strategies to deal with prominent issues were also chalked out through discussion. The feedback from the students on the usefulness of the programme was positive. 

Workshop on the Plight of Street Children by Rainbow Homes

A one-day workshop was organised by the Department of Social Work in collaboration with Rainbow Homes that works with street children. They are working in nine cities in partnership with the government and have comprehensive care homes for children inside government school buildings. The aim of the workshop was to help the students of second year MSW to gain an in-depth understanding of the plight of street children in India and to provide them with an insight on how street children can be helped. The workshop began at 9:30 AM with a group activity. This was followed by an open discussion on the problems faced by children on the streets. The students opened up and shared what they had observed in their daily lives with respect to street children. The representatives from Rainbow Homes, Ms. Preeti Mathew and Ms. Subhada, based on their experience highlighted the problems faced by street children who are homeless such as hunger, lack of shelter, vulnerability to physical and sexual abuse, lack of access to medical support, to name a few. Post lunch, students were given an opportunity to examine the available data on street children in some of the major cities in India. The workshop concluded at 4:15 PM with a quiz on street children in India. On the whole, the workshop proved to be a useful and insightful one for the students.