WOMEN IN SOCIAL WORK EMPOWERED AT WELLNESS WORKSHOP

By Lwazi September

• A workshop held last Thursday at the Dr. Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Treatment Centre in Cullinan aimed to empower female Social Workers (SWs) and Social Auxiliary Workers (SAWs) by addressing their training needs and emphasising self-care.
• Organised by the Social Work and Social Auxiliary Work Learning and Support Forum, the workshop highlighted the critical importance of mental wellness for professionals in caregiving roles.
• The workshop provided motivational insights and practical advice to help these professionals manage the emotional and mental challenges of their work, reinforcing the necessity of maintaining personal well-being to effectively support others.

Last Thursday, a revitalising workshop for female Social Workers (SWs) and Social Auxiliary Workers (SAWs) was held at the Dr. Fabian and Florence Ribeiro Treatment Centre in Cullinan. Organised by the Social Work and Social Auxiliary Work Learning and Support Forum, the workshop was designed to address the training needs of SWs and SAWs, while emphasising the importance of self-care and mental health.

Forum Chairperson Patience Maimela stressed the necessity of self-care in caregiving professions, noting, “It is important that we fill ourselves up because you cannot pour from an empty cup.” The workshop’s central theme was mental wellness, highlighting the need for balanced emotional, psychological, and social well-being to function effectively in daily life.

Social Workers and Social Auxiliary Workers frequently deal with emotionally and mentally challenging cases, which can lead to burnout. The workshop aimed to remind these professionals of the importance of self-care, recognising that their roles involve both the rewarding aspect of positively impacting lives and the difficulties of facing resistance or being unable to provide the desired level of support.

Reflecting on her career, Maimela shared, “I love being a Social Worker. I became a Social Worker because I saw a gap that needed to be filled when I was a Child and Youth Care Worker for 15 years, and I love working with people.”

The workshop featured various speakers who encouraged participants to prioritise their mental health, reinforcing the message that self-care is crucial for sustaining their ability to help others. Maimela expressed hope that the workshop would inspire women to reclaim their health and recognise the importance of their mental well-being, advocating for a mindset where they put themselves first.