THE TRAJECTORY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL WORK IN BOTSWANA: IS IT A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE OR INCONVENIENCE?

Abstract

Youth work and social work in Botswana have a long-standing relationship which has seen some ups and downs along the journey. The first social welfare officer in Botswana was sent by the British government to deal with youth development issues. When the department of social and community development was formed, youth development unit was prominent. In the early 2000s when the ministry of youth and culture was formed, social workers were the pioneers in the ministry. The interventions and programmes were initiated by social workers. This shows that there has always been a symbiotic relationship between social work practice and youth development in Botswana. This paper tracks down the relationship and see if it is mutually beneficial to, social workers, youth, and the government. Literature has shown that social work practice has done a lot in the realm of youth development but, the biggest beneficiary of social workers efforts is the government than the youth, hence the metaphorical conclusion that the marriage between social work and youth development is a marriage of inconvenience to the youth and social workers but convenience to the government.