Community Based Fieldwork during Covid 19 Pandemic

Abstract

Yashwantrao Chavan School of Social Work offers BSW and MSW programs and is affiliated to Shivaji University, Kolhapur, and Maharashtra. During MSW II year institute offers three specializations Human Resource Management, Urban and Rural Community development (URCD) and Medical and Psychiatric Social Work. During Covid 19 pandemic URCD specialization students carried out fieldwork in their native place, native place was considered as their fieldwork agency. Students carried out various learning activities by applying methods, techniques and tools of social work in their native communities and tried to learn about their community in depth with social work perspectives. It was observed that even though students were staying in their native since their birth but was not having in depth understanding and knowledge about their native place.11 students studying in URCD during semester III and IV were from Palghar district of Maharashtra State, it is one of a tribal district of Maharashtra State where Konkana, Varli, Thakar tribes are found, our students from Palghar district also belongs to these tribal communities, they were assigned fieldwork tasks to document the cultural practices followed by these tribes, types of unique vegetables especially found during rainy season, herbal medicines and traditional health practices followed by tribal communities, sources of employment throughout year, agricultural activities, government programs and schemes implemented for tribal development. Students made a good documentation of these components. Other students belonging to rural area were also assigned similar tasks. Since students were living 24/7 in their native during Covid 19 pandemic they could concentrate on all the components of fieldwork more sincerely.