The New Social Worker Vol. 19, No. 3, Summer 2012 | Page 12

Social Work on the Silk Road
by Christine Tappan, MSW, CAGS

y introduction to social work
on the Silk Road started two
years ago with a ceremonial
toast of Bishkek Cognac and a slice of
apple. Although not much of a drinker,
as I partook of the cognac and fruit, a
real and metaphorical warmth came
over me as I imagined the vision to
which we had all just committed:
developing a more competent and
confident generation of social workers in Kyrgyzstan. That toast set a plan
in motion to train and educate social
workers in the “land of the Tien Shan,”
to move beyond theory toward cuttingedge technical skills for assessing and
working with children and families with
desperate needs. These social workers
would have more skills and knowledge
than their predecessors for dealing with
the increasing challenges facing Kyrgyz
society, and the burn-out that ends so

many careers after just a year or
two in the field.
Social work is a profession built
on hope—hope for change, hope
for a better life for abused and neglected children, the poor, the sick,
the disabled, and the elderly. The
sobering reality is that the values
of freedom, justice, social responsibility, and human dignity drive a
profession that often goes unrecognized and underappreciated,
even pitied. Because of this, social
workers worldwide face an uphill
battle, striving to educate and retain a workforce that grapples with
compassion fatigue while barely
squeaking out a livable wage.
An entry-level social worker
in Bishkek makes about $150 a
month; in a village, half that salary
is common. Even in the western
world, the average pay for a social
worker with a graduate degree is
significantly less than others with
a similar education. Most social
workers will confess that making money is not what motivates
them most. Helping to change the
lives of others, to see children and
families prosper—or just receiving a smile or words of thanks—is
enough to keep them going. As
Erkayim, a social work student at
Bishkek Humanities University
(BHU) said, “I want to be useful
for society.” His peer Nestyn added, “I
just want to be able to help people with
special needs solve their problems.”

As the world economy grows
increasingly complex, so do the needs
of vulnerable children and families. The
ever-expanding knowledge and technical skills a social worker must have to
effectively support individuals in need
is a global issue. However, in a budding
democracy such as Kyrgyzstan, it is even
more critical. And so I have come to
know this country, many of its towns and
villages, and a group of dreamers who
believe as I do that a framework of child
and family support is essential to every
community in the world—and where this
does not exist, it must be built.

Social work was founded as a
profession in Kyrgyzstan in 1994. Many
amazing individuals did “social work”

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prior to this time, but once the profession
was legally recognized, they began to formally build the path toward a structured
and credible educational system. Several
universities in Kyrgyzstan educate about
400 social workers per year. The limit
to this endeavor is that much of the curriculum in the typical five-year undergraduate program is theoretical in nature,
without a means to experience the work
firsthand.

To achieve proficiency in critical
technical skills—including assessment, investigation, interviewing, case planning,
and community development—training
and education must be both didactic and
practical in nature.

Social work takes place in highstress, complex environments, in homes,
hospitals, or on the streets. Workers are
often independently responsible for
assessing and addressing multi-faceted
safety, health, and well-being needs of
children, their parents, and the communities where they live. The ultimate
goal is to address issues such as drug and
alcohol abuse, domestic violence, mental
illness, and child abuse and neglect, all
while enhancing family functioning,
and improving child safety and family
independence. Stamina and diplomacy
are among the most important tools in
the social worker’s professional kit.

Because of training gaps, low pay,
and emotional stress, social workers—particularly those who work with high-risk
families in which abuse or neglect has
occurred—face high burn-out rates and
alarming professional turnover. Research
shows that this dilemma hits close to
home around the globe. The negative impact on families is felt in many
heart-wrenching scenarios, such as more
children being placed in foster care or
orphanages.

Recognizing these issues, the Kyrgyz Association of Social Workers and
department leadership and faculty at
BHU, in partnership with governmental
and non-governmental organizations in
Kyrgyzstan, began discussions more than
four years ago to develop a social work
specialization focused on children and
families. After researching international
program alternatives, BHU determined
that a consultative partnership with a
child protection specialist in the United