CSJCA: International Symposium on Social Work Practitioner Research.

In the past years, social workers worldwide have been responding to COVID-19 with creativity and ethical commitment. We have seen innovative practice in social work being developed in the context of unprecedented public health threats, prolonged restrictions on people’s mobility as well as limited access to resources and services. Social workers’ experiences in COVID-19 have again demonstrated their continuous contribution to, not only improving the lives of individuals, families and communities, but also building new practice and theoretical knowledge that address human needs and tackle social inequalities. This symposium brings together social work practitioners, service users and academics to explore the potential and challenges for carrying out different kinds of collaborative research that address the issues facing social work profession at both local and international levels. Panel sessions will be co-led by social workers, service users and academics, covering the topics of 'evaluating innovation in practice', ' co-producing practice models', ‘capacity building and collaborative problem solving’, ‘theory application and development through networking’, 'theorising tacit knowing and practice wisdom' and 'participatory approaches to social work research'.

Conference theme: 'We Build Bridges Not Pipelines!'

Audience

• Users, professionals and researchers in social and health care
• 100 attendees

Proposed Date: 24.11.2021

Proposed time: 0900 – 1200 GMT (HK time: 1700 – 2000)

Programme

0900: Welcome

0910: The sound of practice research (music performance by Hattie Webb)

0920: Keynote by Ana Radulescu (International Federation of Social Workers, European President)

0945: Practice-focused sessions

1030: Break

1045: Theory-focused sessions

1130: Q & A panel Looking forward

1155: The sound of practice research (music performance by Hattie Webb)

Panel sessions

Practice focus:

Evaluating Innovation in Practice: Collaboration and Tensions (Martin Webber + Karen Machin, chaired by Sharon Evans)

Co-producing Practice Models (Stephen MacDonald + Shirley Wong and colleagues from the Hong Kong Salvation Army, chaired by Jane Shears)

Capacity building and collaborative problem solving with community organisations (Tina Jiwatram-Negron + Jessica Hoult, Coordinator Southwark peer mentoring network, and Kaylaa and Rashaun, Peer Mentors, chaired by Annie Ho)

Theory focus:

The value of developing and sharing theories in practice (Pearse McCusker + community partner, chaired by Shontay Cleo Angel)

Theorising tacit knowing and practice wisdom (Sui-Ting Kong + Wendy Roberts, chaired by Sharon Evans)

Participatory approaches to social work research : theories and methods (chaired by Jane Shears)

• Cooking as a method for empowering migrant women in Taiwan (Jeanette Yuen)
• Arts-based approach with children who cause harm (Nikki Rutter)

Music: Hattie is a singer-songwriter-harpist. Leonard Cohen called her first solo album 'To The Bone’ “Flawless, uplifting and utterly original”. Hattie has previously collaborated with Sting, Gotye, Glen Hansard, Steve Martin & Edie Brickel, Rick Rubin, The Avett Brothers & Natalie Maines and is featured on five of Leonard Cohen’s albums, also playing for HRH Queen Elizabeth II and The Spanish Royal Family at The Prince of Asturias Awards.

The event will be opened by project co-leads from Durham University (Dr Sui-Ting Kong) and the British Association of Social Workers (Dr Jane Shears). If you have questions, please contact Dr Sui-Ting Kong at sui.t.kong@durham.ac.uk .