A perspective from a social work researcher and practitioner
Sentsuthung Odyuo
Nagaland is widely known for its strong sense of community, collective responsibility, and close-knit social life. Across villages, colonies, churches, student bodies, and civil society organisations, people routinely come together to clean public spaces, repair roads, or clear drainage systems. These collective efforts are often referred to locally as “social work” or “mass social work,” intended to mean mass participation in community service. While such practices reflect commendable civic spirit, an important conceptual confusion has taken root. The term “social work” is increasingly being used to describe voluntary cleanliness drives and community labour, leading to a misunderstanding of what social work actually means as a professional and academic discipline.
This article seeks to clarify that distinction. It does not aim to undermine community service; on the contrary, it recognises its immense social value. However, as a social work researcher and practitioner, it is necessary to address how the misapplication of this term affects public understanding, professional identity, and the development of social welfare interventions in the state.
The Professional Definition
At the most basic level, social work is not defined by physical labour or public cleaning. It is a professional discipline grounded in theory, ethics, and systematic practice. It is concerned with addressing social problems, enhancing human well-being, promoting social justice, and empowering individuals and communities. Professional social work involves trained practitioners who apply scientific knowledge, research methods, and ethical frameworks to work with vulnerable populations and complex social systems.
In contrast, the activities commonly labelled as “mass social work” in Nagaland are better understood as community service or voluntary social service. These activities often lead to immediate physical or social improvement, such as cleaner surroundings or improved public hygiene. They are driven by goodwill and tradition. Social work, however, aims at long-term systemic change. Its methods include case work, counselling, group work, and policy advocacy. Its foundation lies in scientific knowledge and a formal ethical code that governs professional conduct.
The Cultural Context and Its Consequences
The confusion between social work and social service is not unique to Nagaland, but local social structures have intensified it. In many Naga communities, collective labour has long been embedded in customary practices. Historically, villages relied on communal effort for agriculture and public maintenance. These traditions continue today through student unions, village or colony councils. When such practices are labelled as “social work,” the term becomes detached from its disciplinary meaning and reduced to a general expression for doing something socially beneficial.
This mislabelling has several serious consequences. First, it obscures the role and expertise of trained social workers. Social work requires formal education and supervised training. A central component of this education is the practicum or fieldwork. Social work students spend hundreds of hours in supervised field placements within hospitals, schools, correctional institutions, and rehabilitation centres. They are trained to work with individuals experiencing trauma, violence, and mental health challenges. They learn professional ethics, confidentiality, and responsible intervention, not merely acts of charity. When the public equates social work solely with cleaning drives, this intellectual and emotional labour becomes invisible.
Second, this misunderstanding affects how social problems are perceived. Issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse, child protection, and poverty cannot be addressed through short-term voluntary activities. They require sustained engagement, careful assessment, and evidence-based interventions. Without this understanding, there is a risk of oversimplifying deeply rooted social problems, assuming they can be solved through physical effort rather than specialized knowledge.
Third, the confusion has implications for students. In Nagaland, an increasing number of students are enrolling in social work programmes. However, many enter these courses assuming they primarily involve community service. When students encounter the rigorous academic content and demanding fieldwork requirements, the gap between expectation and reality can lead to disillusionment. Clear public understanding is therefore essential, both for the integrity of the discipline and for those considering social work as a career.
Institutionalized Misconceptions and Governance
What makes this confusion particularly significant is that it is not limited to casual speech; it has become institutionalized. Official communications, including administrative reports and newspaper coverage, regularly describe organized cleanliness drives as “mass social work.” When terminology is repeatedly used in formal contexts, it reinforces the misconception and lends it legitimacy. This also raises a concern related to governance. When government agencies describe activities such as road repair or drainage clearing as “social work,” essential public services risk being framed as acts of citizen goodwill rather than duties of the state. This blurring of language can unintentionally shift responsibility from governance to voluntarism. Professional social work is meant to function within policy and welfare frameworks through planned interventions and institutional accountability. Treating civic maintenance as “social work” weakens clarity around the roles of both the state and the citizen.
The Need for Accurate Language
This distinction matters because Nagaland faces complex social challenges such as migration, urbanisation, unemployment, and changing family structures, which require professional responses. A clearer understanding of social work allows communities, voluntary organisations, and professionals to collaborate more effectively. As this is largely a matter of language and public understanding, one practical step forward lies in adopting more accurate terminology. Activities involving collective voluntary labour for cleanliness and maintenance can be described using terms such as “mass community service drive,” “civic cleanliness drive,” “voluntary public sanitation initiative,” or “community-led cleanliness programme.” Other appropriate terms include “public service campaign,” “community maintenance drive,” or “collective civic action.” Consistent use of such language preserves the integrity of professional social work while continuing to honour traditions of collective responsibility.
Conclusion
Nagaland’s tradition of community participation is a social strength that deserves recognition. At the same time, social work must be understood as a distinct professional discipline with specific methods, goals, and ethical commitments. Social service addresses immediate needs and physical conditions, while social work focuses on long-term change, empowerment, and social justice. Recognising this distinction will strengthen both practices and enable a more informed and effective response to the social realities of contemporary Nagaland.
Terminology at a Glance(For readers):
- Community Service / Civic Work: Voluntary collective activities such as cleaning public spaces, repairing roads, or maintaining community areas. These actions bring immediate physical or social improvement and are rooted in goodwill and tradition.
- Social Work: A professional discipline requiring formal education(BSW/MSW), supervised fieldwork, and adherence to ethical standards. Social work focuses on long-term change through counselling, case work, community organisation, policy advocacy, and human rights-based practice.
The writer can be reached at sentsuthung.odyuo@res.christuniversity.in
.jpg)
.jpg)
