Shillong, Feb 8: The 2nd North East Social Work Conclave 2026 was held at Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University (KKHSOU) in Guwahati bringing together over 300 participants, including social work students, academics, NGOs, CSR professionals, development practitioners and government representatives from across the North East and other parts of the country.
Organised by Indian Awaz Foundation, the conclave served as an important regional platform to promote collaboration, dialogue and professional pathways within the social development sector. One of the key highlights of the event was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between KKHSOU and Indian Awaz Foundation, aimed at strengthening long-term cooperation in social work education, research, internships and community-based initiatives.
In his opening remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of KKHSOU emphasised the university’s commitment to community engagement and practice-oriented education, highlighting the importance of partnerships between academic institutions and development organisations.
The conclave featured two major panel discussions – ‘Career Pathways for Professional Social Workers in Child Protection, Law and Social Justice Systems’ and ‘New-Age NGOs & CSR Partnerships: Building Sustainable and Scalable Social Impact’. The panels brought together senior professionals from UNICEF, Assam Startup – The Nest, legal and child rights institutions and corporate social responsibility leaders from national organisations, including experts who travelled from Mumbai to share their experiences.
In addition, the programme included youth engagement activities, internship and networking sessions, NGO showcases and discussions on social action plans.
Speaking at the event, Md Nazim Ahmed of Indian Awaz Foundation shared that the conclave is part of a broader Vision 2030 to build a strong network of professional social workers across the North East through state-wise chapters and sustained collaborative initiatives.
Following the Assam edition, the conclave plans to expand to Meghalaya later this year.
