Training Workshop held for University Lecturers in Ha Noi by RTCCD

On 13 August 2015, Research and Training Centre for Community Development (RTCCD), in cooperation with Faculty of Social Work – Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE), organized a training workshop for 35 university lecturers on Foster care and Cyber bullying

The workshop was facilitated by two senior experts from RTCCD: Mr. Luke Talikowski, social work advisor of HealthRight International, senior child protection officer of Department for Child Protection and Family Services, Western Australia; and Mr. Nguyen Trong An, senior specialist for child protection and care, RTCCD Deputy director.

The workshop involved the participation of Madam Vu Thi Kim Dung, PhD., Dean of Faculty of Social Work, HNUE and other leaders of the faculty management team. Participating trainees included 35 social work lecturers of HNUE, Vietnam Trade University, Thang Long University, Vietnam Youth Academy and several other faculties and universities.

During the workshop, RTCCD experts provided participants with situation of alternative care for children in needs of special protection in Vietnam and the draft 2016 Children Law with 9 articles on alternative care and foster care, which is scheduled to be ratified by the National Assembly by the end of this year. Mr. Luke Talikowski presented valuable experiences and lessons from Australia on the process of recruitment, assessment, approval and support for children and families involved in foster care services. Specially, participants had opportunities to discuss and consult the experts about the roles of social workers in case management and support in foster care. In addition, participants were equipped with knowledge of a new burning issue – cyber bullying against children and adolescents. The experts provided trainees with international experiences and essential skills in prevention, detection and intervention of cyber bullying as well as educating and counseling for young people in exploring and using Internet safely.

All participating lecturers highly appreciated the knowledge and expertise of RTCCD experts and the quality of information and applicable skills shared during the training workshop.

On behalf of the Faculty of Social Work and participating lecturers, Dr Vu Thi Kim Dung respectfully thanked RTCCD for the cooperation and support to organize the workshop. She insisted that “the workshop content is extremely important and helpful for social work lecturers in teaching and counseling for their students and young people”.

Following this training workshop, on 14 August, 2015, Mr. Luke Talikowski gave half day training for 70 final-year social work students of HNUE about these two topics. The training was delivered with full engagement, joy and discussion of the students throughout the morning.

Highly valuing the expertise ad cooperation of RTCCD, leaders of Faculty of Social Work, HNUE proposed for on-going support from RTCCD for the faculty to organize similar training workshops in the future. Specially, the Faculty leaders kindly requested RTCCD to consider supporting them in accomplishing a full training package for foster care, which would be put as a credited subject in their planned bachelor training program for school social work in 2016./.