Written by Dr Kamsiah Ali
The FSSH CARE Project: Community Wellbeing and Crime Prevention is a core component of the CARE Assessment under the Deviance and Rehabilitation Services course, designed to immerse students in real-world community engagement. As part of this initiative, students spend three days working closely with a target community, followed by one day dedicated to post-assessment and project reporting. This immersive approach enables students to gain direct insights into the social conditions affecting community well-being and the dynamics of crime prevention.
More than just a learning activity, the CARE Project allows students to understand the underlying factors that threaten community safety, such as drug abuse, depression, and mental and emotional health issues. These social issues are often precursors to criminal involvement, especially among vulnerable and at-risk populations. Through hands-on engagement, students are exposed to the lived realities of these communities and the multifaceted nature of crime prevention.
Importantly, the project offers students a first-hand understanding of the vital roles played by correctional services, social workers, government agencies, and non-governmental organisations in addressing crime and delinquency. It bridges classroom theory with community-based practice by allowing students to witness how collaborative efforts between institutions and the public contribute to maintaining safety and social cohesion.
The project specifically focuses on drug-related crime, a pressing and complex issue within many communities. Drug abuse is not only a criminal concern but also a public health issue, often leading to broader social consequences such as emotional distress, family breakdown, and increased vulnerability to other forms of crime. By zeroing in on this category, students are better able to understand its ripple effects on individuals, family structures, and society as a whole.
Throughout the project, students are introduced to existing rehabilitation services in Malaysia and are encouraged to explore both institutional and alternative methods of drug rehabilitation. Sessions with key stakeholders, including the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), Cure & Care Centres, the Royal Malaysia Police, medical professionals, and NGOs, offer valuable perspectives on treatment, recovery, and community-based interventions.
Ultimately, the CARE Project is more than a university assignment. It is a platform for transformative learning. Students in the Year 3 Social Work Programme not only enhance their academic knowledge but also deepen their understanding of social work values, ethics, and intervention strategies when working with at-risk populations. In turn, the communities they engage with benefit from awareness-building activities and exposure to available resources and support systems. By cultivating empathy, critical thinking, and professional readiness, the CARE Project stands as a model for experiential learning that contributes to both student development and community empowerment.
The project targets individuals, families, and communities vulnerable to drug-related crime, recognizing that these groups are deeply affected by the social, emotional, and economic consequences of substance abuse. The initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16): Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
By focusing on drug-related crime, the project addresses one of the most pressing issues impacting community safety and cohesion, while also contributing to the broader goals of justice reform, institutional accountability, and inclusive community development.
This program is in line with the aspirations of the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) under the KPT Inspiration Focus 3 Program: Knowledge Transfer and Sharing, as outlined in the Higher Education Roadmap 2025 (HTPT 2025) – Sejahtera MADANI, and supports the ‘1 IPT: 1 District’ initiative which emphasizes the role of higher education institutions in community development, in line with the UNIMAS UniversCities agenda. This initiative also directly contributes to SDG16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels, as well as strengthen collaborative networks between academia, industry and society.
Director of the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) of Sarawak
Students’ Reflection (by Friday Shift Group)
Involvement in the CARE project “Drug-Free Communities: Prevention Education” has provided significant opportunities for students to apply the theories and concepts learned in the SSF3263: Deviant and Rehabilitation Services course, particularly related to drug abuse issues. This project allows students to directly examine the influence of social, economic and environmental factors on the occurrence of deviant behavior in the community. Through this experience, students’ understanding of the concept of primary prevention and the importance of early intervention through education and community support has been strengthened. In addition, students also realize that the role of prospective social workers is not only limited to post-deviant recovery efforts, but also includes the responsibility of implementing prevention initiatives and empowering the community on an ongoing basis. Overall, this project has broadened students’ understanding of the real challenges in a complex social context and prepared them to become change agents with integrity, ethics and commitment in addressing deviant issues at the community level.
FSSH – A Partner for Social Change!