Master of Arts in Social Work (Livelihoods and Social Entrepreneurship)

Description

Conventional definitions and approaches to enhance livelihood opportunities and capacities of the poor to combat poverty have been found to be too narrow and often do not consider vulnerabilities, marginalities and social exclusion as vital determinants of poverty. However, today, there is a growing recognition, particularly within the profession of Social Work that attention must be paid to diverse factors and processes, which either constrain or enhance poor people's ability to make a living in an economically, ecologically, socially and culturally sustainable manner. The proposed MA Social Work in Livelihoods and Social Entrepreneurship is an attempt in this direction.

The poor face several struggles while interfacing with diverse actors for scarce and competitive resources or running their own enterprises for their daily survival. However, with the advent of globalisation and more powerful market forces acting on them, they are at risk of being pushed further to the margins. Mainstream development approaches aimed at enhancing livelihoods or eradicating poverty also fail to recognise the daily struggles of poor people or the structural determinants of their deprivation. Though there has been considerable investment to enhance livelihoods and eradicate poverty, these efforts have only shown marginal improvements.

The dominant approaches towards enhancing livelihoods have primarily focused on solutions within the mainstream market hierarchy, where the economic sphere is often distanced from poor people's daily struggle and adaptation strategies. Accordingly, societal functions are also largely seen to be served by the profit maximisation motive. An alternative development path should  recognise that obstacles, uncertainties, priorities, choices and opportunities form the basis of a roadmap for the poor to fight and succeed in negotiating their well-being. The three pillars that would help in shaping such a development framework will be empowerment, security and opportunity. Focusing on empowerment could sensitise state institutions to be pro-poor as well as in lowering social barriers. The emphasis on security would throw light on the institutions, capacities and processes by which poor people manage risks and uncertainties in their every day lives. The thrust on opportunity provides the scope to enhance the social and economic opportunities of the poor by expanding their asset base through a set of market and non-market actions.

The proposed curriculum is positioned within the above-mentioned context, whereby an alternative development framework to enhance the livelihoods of the poor and marginalized through collectives and social enterprises is envisaged keeping in mind the daily struggles and capabilities of the poor. Social Work as a profession can help the poor in enhancing their access, capacities and opportunities to livelihood resources via diverse political and market strategies. It recognises that while economic growth may be essential for poverty reduction, it does not imply that there is a direct relationship between the two. For, it depends on the capabilities of the poor to access the opportunities. It recognises that poverty is a comprehensive, complex phenomenon and is not just a question of low income, but also includes other dimensions such as poor health, illiteracy, lack of social services, etc., as well as a state of vulnerability and feeling of powerlessness in general. Social Entrepreneurship can thus be one major medium for social workers to facilitate social transformation by enabling the poor to have greater access to livelihood resources and opportunities and higher negotiating power with the prominent political and market forces. Social work education, thus could provide for developing competency on critical and creative thinking, knowledge building and a set of practice skills in the area of conceiving, designing and managing social enterprises with a view to create wealth and enhance livelihoods for the poor.

To capture the complexities and dynamics of poor people's livelihoods, it is very important that professionals in the field should develop certain crucial and necessary perspectives and skills in analysing institutional processes and organisation structures that add to people's vulnerabilities and access to resources. A unique feature of this postgraduate programme in Social Work is that it not only employs a holistic perspective in the analysis of livelihoods to identify those issues where an intervention could be strategically important for enhancing access to resources and opportunities, but it also aims at equipping the students to work with individuals, groups or vulnerable communities to develop or strengthen their livelihoods through meaningful social enterprises and innovative approaches. In addition, the proposed programme is grounded on the understanding that social entrepreneurship takes place in the institutional context of co-production or co-construction, which implies that social workers not only interface with volunteers and community groups, but also with policy makers, civil servants and corporates. The participation of all these stakeholders is thus an important component of the learning process.

This programme envisages that people's capacity towards poverty reduction and sustaining livelihoods can be enhanced through social innovation and social value creation. Further, social entrepreneurship for social workers is not exclusively about starting a new business or becoming more commercial. It is also about entrepreneurship and institutional innovation in existing organisations, be it public, private or community-based. This programme thus aims at not only developing perspectives and building capacity to run social enterprises but also in  initiating social innovation and critical thinking in existing organizations that are dedicated to work with a mix of resources based upon income generation, volunteering, donations and public subsidies.

Programme Objectives

1. To develop students' understanding of the context and dynamics of livelihoods and livelihood approaches of the poor, vulnerable and marginalised communities.
2. To enhance analytical skills as well as to strengthen professional competence of social work students in managing individual or community-based social enterprises and governance, which have implications for livelihoods, resilience and sustainabilty.
3. To enhance students' capabilities in developing a meaningful and holistic understanding of people's assets and strengths in dealing with ecological, livelihood and knowledge uncertainties.
4. To help students in comprehending the social work principles and framework which govern the management of social enterprises and analysing their linkages with rights-based approaches, empowerment and enhancement of livelihoods.
5. To prepare professionals in managing social enterprises engaged in creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for the poor and disadvantaged.

Programme Outcomes

• The programme will equip the  students to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the context and dynamics of livelihoods, including the challenges and opportunities faced by poor, vulnerable, and marginalized communities. They will be able to critically analyze and apply livelihood approaches tailored to context specific people centred livelihood interventions.
• They will develop advanced analytical skills and professional competence in managing people centred livelihood interventions. They will be equipped to design, implement, and evaluate social enterprise initiatives with a focus on enhancing livelihoods, resilience, and sustainability.
• The programme will make the students capable of developing a nuanced and holistic understanding of people’s assets and strengths. They will be skilled in addressing ecological, livelihood, and knowledge uncertainties by leveraging these assets to foster sustainable and resilient communities.
• The students will develop a deep comprehension of social work principles and frameworks, and how these relate to sustainable livelihoods. They will be able to effectively link these principles with rights-based approaches and empowerment strategies to enhance livelihoods.
• They will also be well-prepared to manage social enterprises that create and sustain livelihood opportunities for the poor and disadvantaged. They will be proficient in developing and implementing strategies that promote long-term economic stability and social empowerment.

Semesterwise Courses:

Note:The curriculum structure is tentative and subject to change.

Fee Structure:

*Institute reserves the rights to revise the Fees Structure of programme if necessary.

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