SWAN has two groups in the Yorkshire area. See below for details.
West Yorkshire SWAN (Leeds area)
West Yorkshire SWAN is a loose grouping of social workers, users and carers. We are active in local anti-cuts and anti-fascist campaigns and have had recent meetings in solidarity with asylum seekers, gypsies and travellers and on the future of social work.
For further information on West Yorkshire SWAN: contact Sue or John by clicking here.
South Yorkshire SWAN (Sheffield area)
Practitioners, students and academics hold SWAN meetings in Sheffield, and our eventual aim is to link up with Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster. The meetings so far have discussed taking motions in support of SWAN, including financial backing, to local trade union branches. We have members in Unison (Local Government and NHS branches), GMB & Unite (which have a number of Local Government Social Care staff in them), NAPO (National Association of Probation Officers), NUS (National Union of Students), and UCU (University and Colleges Union). We believe the role of the unions is crucial given the attacks that are looming in the public sector where no area of social work is likely to go unscathed.
The group aims to make sure that discussion to counter attacks on social work is as broad as possible linking up people in all fields, including service users, probation, mental health, children’s, disability and adult services. We encourage people from local government, the NHS, probation and the voluntary sector to attend our meetings. Students are also vital to this as they are engaged in a huge discussion about ideas at the start of their careers.
The group organised a meeting in March 2011 on the book ‘The spirit level: why equality is better for everyone’ with speaker Professor Richard Wilkinson.
For further information on South Yorkshire SWAN: contact Bea by clicking here.
