The document summarizes a workshop for new MSW students that covered various topics to help them transition into their social work program and profession. Over the course of one day, the workshop included icebreakers, team building exercises, discussions, and activities to introduce concepts like empathy, social responsibility, time management, and healthy study habits. A variety of participatory methods like role-plays, games, and free-listing exercises were used across 10 sessions. Student feedback was gathered at the end to evaluate the workshop's effectiveness.

1. Essentials in
Professional
Social Work
WORKSHOP FOR SEMESTER I
MSW STUDENTS (BATCH 2011-13)
Department of
Social Work
AMRITAPURI CAMPUS

2. Facilitator
Essentials in Professional Social Work
Workshop for Semester I MSW Students
Dr. Renjth R. Pillai,
(Batch 2011-13)
In-charge,
Academics
The Dept. Team 
Dept. of Social Work
Mr. Rajeev M M, AMRITA
Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Mr. V S K Kurup, University
Mr. Anand P K, Amritapuri Campus
Ms. Surya Krishna, Kollam-690525
Mr. Sooraj P S 
Prepared by: Mr. Sooraj P S
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3. Essentials in Professional Social Work
Workshop for Semester I MSW Students
(Batch 2011-13)
Sl: No Contents Page no
1 Context of the workshop 3
2 Methodology 3
3 The ice-breaker 4
4 The balloon game 5
5 Trust fall game and free listing 6
6 Effective Communication 9
7 Healthy Study Habits 10
8 Time Management 11
9 Social Responsibility 12
10 Importance of Social Support and Stress Management 13
11 The mirror game 14
12 Meditation and breathing exercise 15
13 Outcome of the programme 16
14 Appendix 17
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4. Context of the workshop
Under the nurturing shade of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, one of the fastest growing
universities in India, the Department of Social Work at Amritapuri Campus has grown-up to
find a space among the most prominent centers of Social work learning in Southern India.
The enviable progress of the department owes greatly to its convergence with Mata
Amritanandamayi Math, the world renowned non-governmental organization. In the
meantime, the department has brought forth three batches of professional social workers
who spread over various national and international organizations and institutions of higher
learning. By now, the fourth batch (2010-12) has waved to the fresher candidates enrolled
for the 5th batch (2011-13) of MSW program at the department.
Master of Social Work (MSW) program at Amrita includes both theoretical and field level
trainings. The curricula of social work here, foresee the students to be socially sensitive,
responsible, empathetic and self-worthy. It is important to inculcate these elementary
qualities among the fresh aspirants right from the beginning of the course. Keeping in mind
this fact, an all-embracing induction program was organized in conjunction with the
welcoming ceremony of the batch MSW 2011-13. The program was held at the CIR room
(116) in the university building on 18th August 2011.Dr. Renjith R Pillai, Assistant Professor
& Academic in-charge facilitated the program with extensive backing from Mr. Rajeev MM,
Vice-Chairperson and Field Work in-charge, and other faculties; Mr. V S K Kurup (Lecturer),
Mr. Anand P K (Lecturer), Ms. Surya Krishna (Lecturer) and Mr. Sooraj P S (Field Work
Coordinator).
Methodology
Goal
To get the fresher students acquainted among themselves and with the basic themes of
social work profession.
Objectives
• To draw out the primary objectives of social work profession for the new
candidates.
• To highlight the significance of team work in professional social work.
• To introduce important concepts such as empathy, social responsibility, and social
support.
• To spotlight the importance of time management and healthy study habits for the
students.
The Process
The one-day workshop was comprised of 10 sessions each of them expected to cater
outcomes that are explicit and precise. The sessions included role-plays, games,
discussions, work chart preparations, free listing and ice-breakers. The program was based
on a participatory methodology with the facilitator frequently engaged in conversation with
the participants. The ice breaker session at the beginning provided a dynamic ambience for
the rest of the sessions. Periodic slots were given for intervals and revitalizing workouts.
Feed backs from the participants were gathered at the end of the day.
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5. Session 1: The ice-breaker
Aim
To get the group members introduced to each other thereby creating an active platform for
the workshop.
Process
Dr. Renjith initiated the session calling out for four volunteers from the 32 participants.
After much hesitation, 4 volunteers came forward with wobbly movements not knowing
what to do. Each of them was asked to throw colored soft balls at the fellow participants so
as to select their desired group members. Within no time, the volunteers started smashing
the balls and the audience burst into laugh. 4 groups each with 8 members were formed
with the volunteers as team leaders. The groups were asked to sit in circles and acquaint
with each other.
Later, the group
leaders disclosed
the names,
degrees and
favorite
pastimes of each
of the group
members.
Outcomes
The participants
could know the
names and
interests of their
classmates and
the strangeness
in their minds
was removed to
a certain extent.
A sense of
belongingness was developed among the group members. A lighthearted atmosphere,
perfect for the running of other sessions was created.
4

6. Session 2: The balloon game
Aim
To highlight the elementary objectives of the social work profession
Process
Students were made to
sit in a large semi-circle.
From one end of the
semicircle, students were
asked to count, not with
numbers, but by telling
elephant, goat, cat and
dog respectively. 4
subgroups were formed,
though it was not easy for
the members to find their
own counterparts. For
that, the students had to
make the sound of the
specified animals loudly
and locate the similar
sorts. In a little while, the
room became deafening with grunts, rumbles, meows and barks. Once the groups were set,
all the participants were given balloons to blow. After, they were told to strike the balloons
up in the air not allowing them to fall down. All the students keenly took care of their
balloons, though a few were unlucky to lose the game with fallen balloons.
Outcomes
After the exercise, a few questions were thrown at the students. They were;
• How many of you kept the balloons in the air till the end and how many could
not?
• How many of you helped the others in the exercise?
• How many of you were concentrated only in your own balloons?
Most of the students replied they were concerned about their own balloons only. This was
illustrative of the trend followed by the contemporary society, wherein the majority finds
no time to bother about the poor and the suffering. A few students tried helping others
also without being distracted from their own balloons. This precisely showed what is
expected from a trained professional social worker; to help others, to have care &
concern for the fellow citizens, to work towards the advancement of the downtrodden and
lending your hand for the fallen ones so as to retrace their lost lane of life. The primary
objective of social work, viz. helping the deprived and underprivileged ones without losing
ourselves was thus described to them with this demonstrative example
5

7. Session3: Trust fall game and free listing
Aim
To highlight the importance of team work among the students
Process
7 boys and 7 girls were called out. One volunteer each from boys and girls were put to
climb over two benches. The other 6 members of each group stood in a queue behind them
in two parallel rows. The persons in the queue were asked to clasp each other’s hands
firmly, more or less making a cradle. The remaining part was obvious for the onlookers and
they started cheering up the volunteers. The volunteers on the tables were asked to fall
freely to the “hand-cradle” behind them! Five tries were given to the group members.
Later, each of the participants were
asked to recall a person whom they
like the most and reminisce a few
good qualities in him/her. Then, they
were told to recall another person
whom they do not like at all along
with the wicked traits in him/her. All
the participants were told to pen
down the good and bad traits in the
chart sheets fixed on the platform.
Outcome
After the first exercise, the
volunteers were called for to share
their experiences after their five
heroic attempts of free wall. Both of
them told that they were scared to
fall in the first try. As they fell for the
second and third times, a sense of
trust was growing towards the
‘cradle-makers’. Once they felt that
the group members will hold them
up, it was just effortless to plunge
into the cradle. When in a team; we
experience a sense of confidence,
strength, belongingness and optimism, they added. The significance of team work and
mutual trust was conveyed candidly with this exercise. As the mood of laughter and glee
spread the air, the participants were getting closer to each other and they waited keenly for
the following sessions.
6

8. In the free listing exercise, students scribbled down the desirable as well as detrimental
qualities of the persons in their lives and the list went long. The facilitator added that it is
important for every persons,especially those in the field of social work,to establish firm and
effective interpersonal relationships. It is obvious that a person with generally agreeable
qualities can make friends easier, establish good affinity with people and work amidst
people in an acceptable way. Likewise, a person with unwelcome traits may fail to create
interpersonal relationships and go disappointed while working with people. Through this
exercise,the generally agreeable and inacceptable behaviors were listed down by the
students themselves as follows. This exercise worked as a means for self evaluation and
reform above and beyond cataloging the essential and disallowed qualities for a professional
social worker.
Desirable traits Undesirable traits
Supportive nature Short-temperedness
Tolerance Laziness
Affection Impatience
Empathy Telling lies
Humor sense Rough behavior
Helping nature Criticality
Practical thinking Selfishness
Determination Arrogance
Compassion Teasing behavior
Listening skills Disturbing nature
Patience Ruthlessness & killing
Truthfulness behavior
Trust Quarrelling
Loving nature Temper tantrums
Leadership skills Anger
Coordinating skills Cheating behavior
Positive regard Irritating nature
Calmness Over confidence
Good personality Sensitiveness
Rational nature Ego complexes
Confidence Shouting nature
Charismatic character Nail-biting
Being understanding Egoism
Responsible nature Possessiveness
Being passionate Over smartness
Ever smiling Autocratic nature
Hardworking nature
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9. 8

10. Session 4: Effective Communication
Aim
To demonstrate the importance of effective communication
Process
Three volunteers were asked to tell the names of actors of their choice. South sirens
Mohanlal, and Mammootty came up instantly along with Govinda, the actor-politician. The
class was split to three groups with these names respectively and each of the groups was
given separate themes to perform on stage. The themes were as follows:
• Group Mohanlal: Dilemma of a student who is being fantasized by his/her friends to
go for the chartbuster movie recently released in town; on the eve of exam.
• Group Mammootty: Plight of a youngster who is being forced by the peers to take a
drink.
• Group Govinda: the dilemma of a fresh graduate who yearn for joining MSW, but is
sandwiched against parent’s pressures to go for MBA or MCA.
Each of the groups had to play these themes in three different ways, viz. the aggressive
response, assertive response, passive response and their consequent impacts. After a
heated discussion for 5
minutes, the groups
turned up with their
role-plays ready!
Outcomes
After the role plays, a
discussion was carried
out by the facilitator on
the ideas conveyed by
each of the sets of
plays. The role plays
presented a scenic
representation of the
ambience created by
aggressive, assertive
and passive responses.
Aggressive reactions resulted in violent behavior, hostility, wretchedness and
embarrassment, while passive responses caused submission, remorse and unfavorable
consequences. Assertive and firm reactions yielded dignity, reconciliation, concord and
authority over the situation. Assertive responses foster healthier, long-lasting and trust
worthy relationships while other modes of reactions induce frail and unhealthy
relationships.
9

11. Session 5: Healthy Study Habits
Aim
To discuss the different ways to develop healthy learning habits
Process
The participants were
divided into three
groups and asked to sit as
three circles. Every group
was given a case vignette
containing two instances.
The first case was about
Krishna, a gifted boy who
happens to fail in his exam,
whereas the second case
was about Raji, a girl who
used to forget everything
that she learns by-heart. At
the end of the vignette, 10
questions were given for the
students to be discussed on
and presented. Chart papers
were provided to every
group to point out their vital
arguments and opinions.
Group leaders presented the nicely highlighted charts at the end of the exercise.
Outcomes
The participants pointed out that the given monograph discussed two situations that are
found so common among adolescents nowadays. In the first case, though Krishna was
brilliant in his studies, he got distracted due to his newly bought Walkman. He started
reading the books with headphones in his ears and thought that he had learned everything.
Parent’s supervision was also inadequate. While in the second case, Raji was not at all
interested in her studies. All she did was to replicate the notes and learn them by rote.
These two cases were proven ill-habits of students at Schools. The participants came out
with valuable strategies to modify unhealthy study habits. Some of the opinions evolved in
the discussion are given below:
• Prioritizing the stuffs to study and allotting ample time to each will reduce the work
load.
• Adequate parental supervision is essential.
• Developing a positive attitude towards learning is important.
• Setting small, specific and realistic goals will work.
• Study with your heart, not by heart.
• Balance work with fun, don’t mix them up.
10

12. Session 6: Time Management
Aim
To discuss the importance of effective time management
Process
The class was split to 4 groups with the names of animals of their own choice. They
grumbled, groaned and creaked to find the analogous pairs and formed their groups. Each
of the groups was given matrix sheets with day and time slots preset on it. The students
were told to classify their daily chores into social, familial, work-related and personal
spheres. The students had to color the matrix with 4 distinct colors so as to show the time
they distribute for each of the 4 spheres.(yellow=social;red=work-
related;green=familial;violet=personal).
Outcomes
The session provided a means for self-evaluation for all the students. They could analyze
and comprehend the time they devote for each of the 4 important realms in one’s daily
living. The facilitator told that a rule of one third is considered ideal by the behavioral
scientists in this respect.ie. 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work and the remaining 8 hours
equally devoted for familial, personal and social commitments.
11

13. Session 7: Social Responsibility
Aim
To introduce and discuss the concept of social responsibility
Process
The groups were given sheets with peculiar shapes drawn on it. The figures were marked
with numbers from 0 to 9. Then, the students were asked to visualize the most severe
health concerns in the region they live and rank their severity in a scale of 10. The health
issues should be written across the parallel lines in the diagram and should be joined each
other using a pencil resulting in a closed loop. They were also made to think of the efforts
they have put to reduce or exterminate it and rank the extent of their efforts in a scale of
10. The efforts-loop should be drawn below the distress-loop. Within a while, all the
participants came out with their distress and effort loops most of them matchlessly
contrasting in sizes.
Outcomes
The session was an eye opener for the participants. The diagram illustrated the extent of
the serious nature of the social issues whilst the efforts taken by the members of the
society towards resolving it. Firstly, It is the responsibility of the citizens to act against the
social issues rather than grumbling on the authorities or the governing system. The concept
of social responsibility was thus brought together.
12

14. Session 8: Importance of Social Support and Stress Management
Aim
To discuss regarding effective stress management and to highlight the relevance of social
support in stressful situations
Process
Two volunteers were called out for. One was told to play a starving lion and the other, a
tricky goat. The rest of the class stood in a circular wall safeguarding the goat from the lion.
The lion walked around the circle, often peeping through the weaker parts of the wall to
catch the goat. Then, all the group members powerfully resisted and the goat also hid on
safer sides of the wall. Later, the roles were interchanged for the goat as well as the lion.
Outcomes
After the exercise, both the lion and the goat were told to share their experiences on the
play. The ‘goat’ told that she felt safe while in the circle, as she knew that there are a
number of friends to protect her. However, as a lion, it was stressful to be alone and fight
against many. The lion also shared similar experience. He added that while he became the
goat, he was not quite sure about the safety of the wall, at first. Later, a sense of trust and
security was developed towards the wall-makers and the play became a fun for him. These
sharing literally revealed the relevance of social support in combating several stressors in
daily life. The primary, secondary and tertiary social support structures lessen the impacts
of stress and prevent maladaptive behaviors.
13

15. Session 9: The mirror game
Aim
To introduce the concept of empathy
Process
The class was divided into two groups. The groups stood in two parallel rows facing each
other. At first, each of the students on the right side was told to do some actions as they
like. Members of the other row facing them were told to imitate the actions, just like a
mirror does. The mirror roles were replaced by others later.
Outcomes
The concept of empathy was explained to the audience after the exercise. Empathy, an
important principle and quality for the social workers was more or less a new term for
them. Empathetic participation is similar to what a mirror does. It reflects the mood and
psychological environment of the person before us ie. the client. Empathy is all about
understanding a person by placing ourselves in his or her condition without losing
ourselves.
14

16. Session 10: Meditation and breathing exercise
Aim
To demonstrate stress relaxation techniques and highlighting its importance in social work
practice.
Process
Mr. V S K Kurup explained the significance of de-stressing the body, mind and intellect in
order for their smooth and relentless functioning. He prompted some of the basic steps in
‘pranayama’, a proven stress alleviation technique, for the students. He also demonstrated
some of the simple breathing exercises that could be easily practiced by the students
regularly. Later he discussed the role of stress relaxation techniques in the practice of
professional social work, with the students.
Outcomes
The students got a basic impression on meditation and its relevance in the realm of
professional social work.
15

17. Outcome of the programme
Opinions and feedbacks were collected from the participants at the end of the session.
Some of them are:
“The program could make us feel free and we-feeling was evoked within us”.
“I felt it was my stepping stone to the field of social work. To convey it in one word, it truly
was an
infotainment program”.
“The workshop made us come out of the shell we were in and made us do introspection on
ourselves”.
“An excellent kick start for my course in social work”
“The role play on types of communication was too good”
“Energizing and refreshing session, I felt that the faculties are extremely supportive”.
“What I liked the most was the friendly attitude of the teachers here”.
“The session on pranayama and meditation was quite useful”
“I felt like the clock ran so fast this day”
“Feeling proud to be a part of Amrita”
“I felt the session was so intensive and little bit exhausting”
“Thank you sir, for this wonderful day”
“I am so happy today, because I feel that I have made my choice right”
“After this day, I feel I have become a more socially responsible person”.
“I could understand myself through this programme”.
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18. APPENDIX I
*Adapted from the Stress Management Workbook, Dept. of Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS, Bangalore
17

19. APPENDIX II
*Adapted from: Psycho-social support for children in disasters Workbook, Dept. of Psychiatric Social Work,
NIMHANS, Bangalore
18

20. APPENDIX III
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CHART
COLLEGE
*Adapted from: Life-Skill Education Workbook, Dept. of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, Bangalore
19