8th Ambedkar Memorial Lecture

The School of Social Work, St Joseph's University conducted its 8th Ambedkar Memorial Lecture on 20th December, 2022. The guest speaker of the day was Mr. Shivasunder, a notable journalist and social activist. Dr. Fr. Augustine Lourdu, Dean, School of Social Work gave the welcome address wherein he spoke about Dr. B R Ambedkar and his key role in framing the Indian Constitution. Mr. Y J Rajendra, addressed the gathering as well and welcomed Mr. Shivasunder. The guest speaker spoke extensively on democracy and its significance in Indian society. He provided the audience with an understanding  of democracy and stated that democracy was not just a political system but also a social and economic system. He explained the constitutional concepts of Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy. He also highlighted the need for inclusion of women in society and the importance of free and equal education for all. The lecture was followed by a Q&A session in which the students actively participated.

Anger Management Workshop

A workshop on anger management chaired by Dr Arthur J Frankel of UNCW was hosted by the School of Social Work, St. Joseph's University. This was organised in collaboration with the University of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW), USA, on 19th December 2022. Dr Arthur gave an extensive session about evidence-based approaches to deal with anger management. His knowledge on negative reinforcement, positive parenting, humanistic approach and Gestalt Therapy was an eye-opener for the audience. The workshop helped the audience to learn how to recognise, cope and express anger in fruitful ways. The event was followed by a very active Q&A participated by the majority of the audience. The session was rated “excellent” by most of the participants who attended the workshop.

TANDAV - Festival of Inclusion

December 18th, 2022 witnessed the School of Social Work, St. Joseph’s University host Tandav, a festival of inclusion in collaboration with the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, USA, Growth School, Oracle, and Smileys India. Over 800 participants including differently abled individuals of all ages across the nation took part in the event. Dance, music, and fun constituted the festival from the inaugural ceremony till the closing ceremony. Cultural performances of the participants were a joy to behold. The event also showcased a fun learning interactive game session which was absolutely incredible and provided an unforgettable experience for the participants. Food stalls, handicraft stalls and game stalls gave the audience a chance to be a  part of the mesmerising event. The tempting food and the entertaining games added to the grand success of the event.