University News

Social Workers’ Intervention in Freshmen’s Education

Source: School of Sociology and Anthropology
Author: Zhang Qian

On April1st, the Summary Sharing Conference for the Phrase “Freshmen Impetus Camp” of School of Sociology and Anthropology was convened in Martin Hall. Deputy secretary of the Party Committee of SYSU Zhu Kong-Jun, secretary of the School of Sociology and Anthropology Zhou Daming, deputy director general of Graduate Management Office Zheng Ping and deputy secretary of the Youth League Committee of SYSU Liao Qinan have attended this session.

This conference was for the report on the designing process of the “Freshmen Impetus Camp” program, the means used to operate it, the activities carried out in it and the experience and deficiency in the work. Students who had worked in the Camp reported in groups on the activities conducted under the guide of supervisors. After that, teachers specialized in social work commented on these activities. At the end of the conference, Deputy Secretary Zhu Kongjun and Secretary Zhou Daming made the summary speeches. Deputy secretary Zhu pointed out in his speech that “Freshmen Impetus Camp” was an innovation in the students’ work by utilizing the conceptions and methods of social work and it was a beneficial try to bind the resources of professional teachers and the students’ work, combining the theory and the practice as well as integrating firmly the discipline and favorable resources of students’ affairs. He affirmed that the program had made some achievement; at the meantime he expressed his wishes that the program would achieve further systematized results, and have some influence on nationwide education in colleges and universities.

As it is reported, the program of “Social Workers Intervene in Coaching Freshmen” of School of Sociology and Anthropology commenced in September, 2009, which has been conducted for two years since. Through this program, the school provides a relatively specialized coach for freshmen, helping them adapt to new academic and living environment. At the meantime, it has also improved students’ senses of belonging to the collective, their identities to their majors and cohesion of their classes. This program is an initial practice of “professional social workers serve the school and the students’ mechanism”, a beneficial try to explore the service system of students’ affairs management work under the mode of “Social Workers’ Intervention”.