Photo courtesy of DSWD Academy
Twenty-eight Social Welfare Assistants (SWAs) from various Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) field offices completed a five-day Level 2 Advanced Training Course last 07 to 11 July 2025. Held at the DSWD Academy, Taguig City, the training focused on strengthening core competencies in client communication, ethical decision-making, and project management.
This ladderized training was facilitated by faculty members from the Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU): Associate Professor Finaflor F. Taylan, FMDS Dean and Diploma in/Master of Social Work (D/MSW) Program Chair; Assistant Professor Lloyd Lyndel D. Symporios, FMDS Secretary to the Faculty and D/MSW faculty member; and Assistant Professor Maria Lourdes T. Jarabe, UPOU Office of Gender Concerns Director and Diploma in Women and Development (DWD) Program Chair. It also aligns with UPOU’s microcredentialing initiative, offering credit toward the Diploma in/ Master of Social Work programs. This structure enables more flexible and accessible education pathways for frontline workers in social welfare.
Communication Skills and Ethics in Client Engagement
The training opened with an orientation, pre-test, and leveling of expectations. Assistant Professor Jarabe led the discussion on communication strategies, professional ethics, and proper documentation. She discussed the basic principles and concepts of communication related to social welfare and development programs and services. Throughout the sessions, participants engaged in role-playing, scenario analysis, and reflection activities to simulate real client situations and explore how to uphold dignity and professional boundaries, particularly in emotionally charged or ethically complex environments.
Project Management in the Social Welfare and Development Context
In the latter part of the training, Assistant Professor Symporios facilitated the project management discussion in the context of social welfare. Through real-world scenarios like implementing a feeding program in a low-income barangay, groups were tasked to plan interventions, map project timelines, assess risks, and identify stakeholders.
Associate Professor Taylan introduced applied project management tools like stakeholder mapping, problem-objective trees, and monitoring frameworks. The course culminated in the presentation and critiquing of community-based project proposals, showcasing the participants’ ability to turn classroom learning into actionable plans.
This Level 2 Advanced Course aligns with and contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequality), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). By investing in the professional development of Social Welfare Assistants, the DSWD and UPOU reaffirm their commitment to enhancing the delivery of responsive, ethical, and community-based services, and with the University’s commitment to its microcredentialing program. The Level 2 training not only upgrades technical competencies but also uplifts the role of paraprofessionals in nation-building and social transformation.
Written by Clarenz Rendell Ocampo • Edited by Larry N. Cruz
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