PRETORIA - The University of Pretoria (UP) proudly celebrates the graduation of Dr Elmien Claassens, a lecturer in Social Work, who was awarded her PhD in the discipline. Her research, which explores the integration of technology into social work practice, is ground-breaking in its vision to equip practitioners for a digital age while staying true to the profession’s core values of care, dignity, and justice.

For Dr Claassens, the journey was both deeply personal and profoundly professional. Juggling the dual role of lecturerand doctoral candidate meant navigating shifting dynamics: “My colleagues saw me as both a peer and a student.Balancing those roles, along with family and friendships, was one of the hardest parts,” she reflects. Yet it was thisbalancing act that sharpened her resilience and broadened her empathy — qualities she now brings to both teaching and research. 

Central to her motivation was the desire to make her work meaningful for the profession. “I didn’t want to do a study justfor the sake of it. I wanted my PhD to be significant for social work practice in South Africa,” she explains. After a long “wrestling match” with possible research directions, she found her focus: developing guidelines to help social workers ethically and effectively integrate technology into practice.

The study revealed both promise and challenge. While technology can strengthen service delivery — from using mobiletools to locate families, to saving social workers hours of travel in rural areas — it also exposes ethical gaps and inequalities. Many practitioners, especially in resource-poor settings, lack reliable internet, devices, or institutionalsupport, often relying on their own phones and data to reach clients. “It was sobering to realise that social justice is not always realised within our own profession,” she notes. “The digital divide affects not only communities but social workers themselves.”

Her guidelines, already tested in practice, have been warmly received by practitioners eager for clarity and confidence. By demystifying technology, Dr Claassens’ work has challenged the fear that has long kept social workers from embracing digital tools. “Technology and social work are often seen as opposites — but they don’t have to be. If usedresponsibly, technology can help us reach more people and deliver services more effectively,” she says.

As a lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities, Dr Claassens is passionate about preparing the next generation of social workers for this reality. “My biggest passion is shaping our students to be confident and ethically sound in their use of technology. By the time they leave UP, I want them to know how to integrate technology into practice without fear.”

Beyond her academic and professional achievements, Dr Claassens is quick to acknowledge the people who carried herthrough the most demanding moments of her journey. She is deeply grateful to her husband and her sons for theirselfless support, describing them as her source of momentum and strength. “Without them, I could not have completed this PhD,” she shares. “They made the load bearable.”

She also warmly acknowledges the mentorship of Prof Antoinette Lombard, Emeritus Professor in Social Work at UP, who supervised her doctoral research. Prof Lombard’s guidance, grounded in decades of scholarship and professional leadership, provided both academic rigor and encouragement throughout the process.

Looking ahead, Dr Claassens hopes to see policy shifts and training initiatives that empower social workers across South Africa to use technology responsibly, bridging divides rather than deepening them. She also dreams of convening national conversations — including short courses and conferences — to bring together practitioners, policymakers, and technologists to co-create solutions.

Her PhD is more than an academic milestone: it is a call to action for the profession. By situating technology firmly withinthe realm of social work, Dr Claassens has reinforced the Faculty of Humanities’ commitment to producing graduates and research that respond directly to society’s evolving challenges.

“Social work is about building bridges,” she reflects. “In the digital age, that means making sure no one is left behind. If technology can be used for social good, then it is our responsibility as social workers to be part of that change.”