Enhancing Social Work Education: Integrating Social Entrepreneurship Training into the Curriculum

Abstract

Social enterprises and social entrepreneurs have garnered significant scholarly attention due to their potential for creating social, economic, and environmental impacts on communities. Despite their emergence, a disconnect exists between social work education and the training of social entrepreneurs. Social work education in India has evolved to address complex social issues such as poverty, inequality, and the welfare of marginalized communities, focusing on theoretical foundations and practical fieldwork. However, it often lacks emphasis on innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and sustainable impact creation, which are crucial for social entrepreneurship. This paper argues that to bridge this gap, social work education must integrate social entrepreneurship principles into its curriculum. By offering courses and practical experiences that combine social work’s compassionate, community-focused approach with the dynamic, solution-oriented strategies of social entrepreneurship, social work education can better prepare future professionals to address current social issues and become leaders in creating sustainable social change.