“We are a social animal; we survive on connection, collaboration, and compassion.”
1. What does the theme, “co-Building Hope and Harmony”, mean to you as a Social Work Student?
Humans are a social being who thrives on meaningful connections. We yearn for love, affection, hope, and harmony. Hope is not just a feeling; it is a journey that provides a sense of belonging. Hopelessness is a loss of faith in one’s own belief, which impacts a person’s sense of harmony. A social worker reconnects a person’s faith that was lost. Once found, it can strengthen the bonds of resilience and harmony that form the sense of belonging. Since the beginning of time, the need for harmony can be found among people. Harmony is an invisible bond, yet one can feel it very strongly.
2. Why is this theme important in today’s society?
There is no denying that today’s world is developing rapidly. AI is gradually taking over many daily activities, leading to increased social isolation. This generation faces significant mental health challenges such as anxiety disorders, depression, BPD, PTSD, and others. Mental health is as important as physical health, yet it remains overlooked and misunderstood, requiring evidence-based practices for effective coping mechanisms. However, the most crucial first step in managing loneliness and fostering connection is hope. Hope is like a ray of sunshine; it guides us to reduce conflicts, enhance community bonds, and support social justice.
3. How can a student contribute to “co-building hope and harmony”?
As a social work student, besides having pure humanity, we can integrate our skills, knowledge, evidence-based practices and hence build a recovery-based plan for our clients. We as students can comprehend the safety, needs and conditions of the client using critical thinking to promote their social and overall wellbeing.
4. What inspires you to pursue social work?
I aspire to be in Australia with a purpose, and I was inspired to achieve my goal while in Australia. When I arrived, I was on a nursing visa, and during those years, I had observed people on the street, racial discrimination, as well as the ongoing discrimination towards Aboriginal Torres Strait Islanders since 1900 and before. This observation changed my way of thinking, a change of heart. This has led me to pursue my career as a social work student.
5. What message would you share on World Social Work Day?
Mother Teresa once said, “Peace starts with a smile”. In today’s fast-paced life, many of us have forgotten about inner peace, our inner child. On the auspicious day of Social Work Day, I would wholeheartedly request, if life is in a loop – let go of any burdens that weigh you down and need relief to reconcile and acknowledge that inner peace can be found with hope and give you the sense of harmony that is yearning to fly freely. Greet everyone with a smile where humanity resides within. We are a social animal; we survive on connection, collaboration, and compassion. Learn to laugh with strangers; those strangers could be a future connection. Be comfortable grieving with those who are sad. Let us all leave the nonchalance for a moment and live life as it is meant to be lived with love, compassion, hope and harmony. Let us help the world to be greater by engaging in the community with an open mindset, advocacy and reflecting on our own actions and attitudes.