Senior Lecturer, School of Social Work
Mobile: +94 71 445 2783
Email: manjula@nisd.ac.lk
“I am Manjula Wijesekara, a dedicated professional passionate about education and quality assurance. With a background as a Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Sociology, as well as serving as the Director of Quality Assurance at the National Institute of Social Development, I bring a wealth of experience in academia and human services.
My journey in academia has been characterized by commitment to fostering dynamic learning environments and ensuring the highest standards of education. As a senior counselor and social work practitioner, I have actively contributed to the field of human services, particularly in areas such as child and family social work, rehabilitation social work, and general practice of counseling.
Currently, I am following my Ph.D. in Social Work at the University of Kelaniya, with a research focus on domestic violence against women and social work intervention. I am deeply invested in creating meaningful learning experiences and driving positive change in the academic landscape. My enthusiasm for empowering the next generation of leaders and upholding the overall quality of education shines through in my work. I take great pride in my contributions to both students and institutions alike and I am committed to advancing the field of social work through research, teaching, and practice.
Educational Qualifications
- Master of Social Work (MSW), National Institute of Social Development in collaboration with the Queens University- Kingston- Canada 2012
- Master of Social Sciences (MSSc.) Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka ,2004
- Bachelor of Arts (Special) Sociology Department of Sociology Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka ,1999
Completed Postgraduate Diplomas
- Higher Diploma in Counseling, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sri Jayawardhanapura, Sri Lanka ,2006
- Higher Diploma in Professional Social Work (Two years full time – 66 credits) National Institute of Social Development, Nawala, Rajagiriya ,2001
Current Position/s
- Director Quality Assurance CQA NISD, Senior Lecturer
Positions Held
- Designation: Community Development Officer
- Name of the Institute: Social Service Participatory Development Foundation
- Job responsibilities: Community Development, Community Social Work, Community Mobilizing
- Time Period: 1998-2000
- Designation: Community Facilitator
- Name of the Institute: Sri Lanka Association of Professional Social Workers
- Job responsibilities: Community mobilizing and Project Management
- Time Period: 2000-2001
- Designation: The Principal, Certified Girls School
- Name of the Institute: Department of Probation and child care services (W.P)
- Job responsibilities: Institutional Management and Rehabilitation Process (Case Conference, Social Case work Application and Involving legal issues related to Children)
- Time Period: 2001- 2005
- Designation: Program officer
- Name of the Institute: Ministry of Social services
- Job responsibilities: Coordinating National Counseling Program, Organizing Counseling Clinic, Counseling Training, control Quality of the counseling programs in Sri Lanka
- Time Period: 2005 – 2006 Lecturer II /Senior lecturer/ Director National Institute of Social Development (2006-2024) Visiting Academic: Open University of Sri Lanka, Department of Social Studies, Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
- Time Period: 2024
- Dissertation Supervisor: Master of Social Work PGIHS, University of Peradeniya 2023 -2024
- Resource person Save the Children Resource fool 2018-2020
Publications
Books
- Wijesekara, M.(2023) Social Work with Single parent families in Sri Lanka, Author publisher ; Wijesekara,,M.(2023) “Ape Daruwo” ,Author publisher
Journal articles
- Sabri, A. C. M; Wijesekara M.S.P (2023) Study on the Importance of Pre-Marital Counselling on Sustainable Family Life in the Context of Sri Lanka (With Special Reference to the Puttalam District) 7 (1) 11-19
- Wijesekara M.S.P (2022), Domestic violence against women in Sri Lanka during COVID-19 period and social work intervention 6 (1): 22-29
- Wijesekara,M.S.P (2020)””“Social Work and Social problem in Sri Lanka future directions for Social Work education 4 (2): 33-38
- Wijesekara, M.S.P. (2020) “Impact of single parenting on children and the role of social work in supporting them.,1-11
Abstracts
- Wijesekara, M.S.P. (2010) Social work with children and families, Helping children under Institutional care and their families NISD, Nawala, Rajagiriya.
- Wijesekara, M.S. P (2016) Service needs among Children in Single parent families in Sri Lanka, Social works implications for practice, ICSD conference, University of Peradeniya
- Wijesekara, M.S.P (2017) The importance of professional social work practice for sustainable disaster recovery in Sri Lanka, NCSW, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- Wijesekara, M.S.P (2017) Domestic violence against women in Sri Lanka: Social empowerment approach for prevention. FGS. University of Colombo
- Wijesekara, M.S.P (2018) Domestic violence against women in Sri Lanka: inter professional collaboration and practice. FGS. University of Colombo
- Wijesekara, M.S.P (2022) Attaining diversity from class room to practice, implications for social work education, Social Work Day conference, NISD
Editorial work
- Student Journal of Social Work,2023
Awards/Scholarships/Medals/Prizes
- Member of SLAPSW
- Member of APASWE
Memberships
- Member, International Consortium for Social Development 1998 to present
- Member of Association of Professional social workers, Sri Lanka. 2013 to 2017.
- Board Member- APASWE ( Asian Pacific Association for Social Work Education for 2013-2015 and 2015/2017 2013 to present
- A member, Professional Youth Workers Association
Teaching (Courses Conducted)
- Diploma in SW (Sinhala /English)
- Subjects: –
- social problems in Sri Lanka
- Social Environment
- Introduction to Social Work
- Case work and Case Management
- Social work with communities
- Social Group work
- Field Supervision and Conducting Orientation programs
- Subjects: –
- Higher Diploma in SW (Sinhala /English)
- Subjects: –
- Introduction to Social Work
- Social Environment
- Social Problems
- Working with individuals and families
- Social Welfare in Human service Organization
- Working with social groups General counseling
- Social Work Research and Project Management
- Working With Communities
- Service Delivery in Human Settlement
- Subjects: –
- Dip. In Counseling (English)
- Subject: –
- Basic Research Methods for Counseling
- Subject: –
- Dip.in. Child Protection (Sinhala)
- Subject: –
- Working with Children at Risk
- Subject: –
- Diploma.in Sign Language (Sinhala)
- Subject: –
- Working with Social Groups
- Subject: –
- Diploma in women Empowerment (Sinhala)
- Subject: –
- Women’s personality Skills practice
- Subject: –
- Certificate course in Counseling and Psychosocial Intervention for Police officers – Northern Province in Sri Lanka (Sinhala)
- Subject: –
- Child and women Desk
- Subject: –
- Under graduate Level (English /Sinhala)
- Subjects: –
- Introduction to Social Work
- Sociology for Social work
- Basic Methods and Techniques in Social Work
- Social Case work and case management
- Social Issues and Social Problems In Sri Lanka
- Applied Research Methods ,Social Work Management
- Counseling skills in Social Work I
- Counseling skills in Social Work II
- Service Delivery in Human Settlement, Community Health
- Medical and Mental Health Social Work
- Research coordinator 2017- 2021
- Subjects: –
- Post graduate Level (English / Sinhala)
- Subjects: –
- Sociology for social work
- Understanding Sri Lankan Society
- Social Welfare service provision in Sri Lanka
- Philosophy and principles of Social Work
- Social Work Management
- Methods and techniques in Social Work – I
- Methods and Techniques in Social Work -II
- Social Case work
- Case management
- Subjects: –
Research Interests
- Child care social work
- Child and family social work
- Rehabilitation social work
- Social empowerment practice
- Domestic violence and social work intervention
- Social policy
