Our Story

The LLC is an intelligent knowledge repository where all questions about social work are answered. Social workers are encouraged to participate in training exercises and watch tutorials and videos recorded of seasoned social workers providing possible scenarios and solutions to their work. 

Background

It also offers new and updated standard operating procedures, job aids, and skill-building courses on social work. It explores issues such as how to handle cases of Violence against Children (VAC), child protection concerns such as Sexual, Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), child marriage, child labour, mental health, substance abuse, children with disabilities (CAWD), and child protection in emergencies (CPiE) cases. This content was designed by social workers at the DSD together with BZ and packaged as modules. Users can access the LLC from their computer, cell phone and/or any digital system. The information can be downloaded and stored for review at a later stage.

Why LLC?

Bantwana Zimbabwe (BZ) with support from the UNICEF-funded Child Protection Program is working with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare’s (MoPSLSW) Department of Social Development (DSD) to strengthen the functionality of the National Case Management System (NCMS). This will be achieved through strengthening the social service workforce and child protection service provision in 20 high case load districts across the 10 provinces in the country. BZ has been implementing various interventions to build the capacity of social workers including trainings, support supervision, and strengthening coordination with other child protection actors. Within this scope, BZ is working on a Live Learning Centre (LLC) to strengthen the social service workforce. The LLC is designed as a vibrant and comprehensive repository of digital materials and resources housed on an accessible, low-maintenance online platform.

How does it work?

The rationale for developing the LLC is in response to challenges noted within the social service workforce. These challenges include capacity gaps with a limited number of social workers able to respond to all social and child protection cases. High staff turnover as social workers leaving for opportunities abroad and outside of the system leading to a loss in experienced personnel. And new social workers filling positions without adequate orientation, supervision, and skills to properly discharge their mandate. The LLC aims to address these gaps, acting as a library of knowledge and information that can be accessed from a social workers computer, cell phone and any digital system. The information can be downloaded and stored for review at a later stage.
The LLC is an intelligent knowledge repository where all the questions about social work are answered. The social worker can participate in training exercises and watch tutorials and videos from seasoned social workers providing possible scenarios and solutions to their work. The LLC is designed to offer training modules in the form of audios, videos, images, and PDF documents. It also offers new and updated standard operating procedures, job aids, and skill-building courses. It explores issues such as how to handle cases of Violence against Children (VAC), child protection concerns such as Sexual, Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), child marriage, child labour, mental health, substance abuse, children with disabilities (CAWD), and especially child protection in emergencies (CPiE) cases. BZ together with the DSD will design content to be uploaded on the LLC in a phased approach and uploaded as modules.

What modules are on the LLC?

In the first phase of the design of the LLC, BZ is focusing on two modules, that is, probation work and CPiE. Probation work was selected to ensure an understanding of child protection systems. Probation work is also the cornerstone of the national case management system and guides the social worker on how to handle cases. CPiE was selected due to rolling humanitarian crises such as cyclone Idai, COVID-19, drought and economic instability, and the need for an up-to-date response to them.

In the long run, the LLC will mature into an interactive chat board that offers mental health and technical support to the social worker. All in the aim of enhancing their skills and building their effectiveness to respond to child protection issues.

Kudzidza

In Shona language means to Learn. Its loosely translated to mean the acquisition of knowledge or skills through knowledge, learning, or training.

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