Green Social Work and the Uptake by the Nepal School of Social Work: Building Resilience in Disaster-Stricken Communities

Citation

Dominelli L (2018) Green Social Work and the Uptake by the Nepal School of Social Work: Building Resilience in Disaster-Stricken Communities. In: Bracken L, Ruszczyk HA & Robinson T (eds.) Evolving Narratives of Hazard and Risk: The Gorkha Earthquake, Nepal, 2015. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 141-158. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65211-5_9

Abstract
Green social work (GSW), a holistic, transdisciplinary model of social work disaster intervention, is applied throughout the disaster cycle from immediate relief to reconstruction. GSW develops locality specific, culturally relevant practice through empowering, participative and inclusive values that promote environmental and social justice in disaster-prone countries. This chapter considers the Nepal School of Social Work’s (NSSW’s) use of GSW at all stages of a disaster following the 2015 Gorkha earthquakes in Nepal’s Sindhupalchowk area. NSSW, new to GSW, has utilised the Earthquake Virtual Helpline developed by Lena Dominelli, to support capacity building in GSW among NSSW staff, students and local residents in disaster-affected communities, particularly those in Semjong village where current income generation initiatives to build long-term, sustainable resilient communities and individuals are being co-enacted.

Keywords
Green social work; Environmental justice; Locality specific; Culturally relevant practice