SWAN – Page 23 – Radical theory and practice

Reflections upon the 2015 SWAN conference

After a hugely successful 2015 conference attended by over 430 people, one of the conference speakers, adult mental health practitioner Raksha Sidhu, reflects upon the sense of hope engendered there despite the devastating changes being enacted upon the social and health care sector: "The western world we currently inhabit is changing at an alarming rate. 'Change' is the buzz word everywhere, in the media, in the corporate sector and now in the social and health care sector. In fact, the changes are so rapid there is no time to reflect on the impact of these changes, and who they are really benefitting. Social care polices are made and dismantled at a speed which beguiles reason. The Care Act 2014 has come out, promising even more services to greater numbers of people, with precious little resources to match these promises. Read More

Social Workers successful in halting “Cheap Labour” Scheme

Social Workers successful in halting “Cheap Labour” Scheme 21/04/2015 The Social Work Action Network Ireland is delighted to share the news that collective action works! Read More

AGM and motions carried at SWAN Conference 2015

SWAN Conference 2015 took place at the University of West Scotland in Paisley on 10th & 11th April. It was another strong and vibrant conference with over 400 delegates which was SWAN's 10th such event. The full minutes from the AGM are published below, with the motions carried available for download at the foot of the page. In the first motion, on Palestine and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) of Israel movement, SWAN members overwhelmingly voted in favour of supporting the BDS campaign, SWAN to explore formal affiliation to the Palestinian-UK Social Work Network and for SWAN to call upon the International Federation of Social Work (IFSW) and the British organisers of the IFSW conference to withdraw the invitation to participate to speakers from Israel in line with aims of BDS. In second motion, proposed by the SWAN National Steering Committee, a position of no confidence was passed in the English Chief Social Worker For Children & Families, Isabelle Trowler. This included SWAN supporting the statement made by the Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee on 25/3/15 who share the concern that money being distributed to the private sector for the outsourcing of the accreditation of qualified social workers. It also encouraged SWAN supporters to sign recent online change.org petition (http://chn.ge/1Ns4RSj) demanding a full and independent enquiry into the awarding of the tender for the new Social Work accreditation for the 'Approved Child and Family Practitioner status' to KPMG and Morning Lane Associates. Read More

Mental Health Charter: submission on inpatient adult psychiatric care

SWAN supporters will already be familiar with the SWAN endorsed Mental Health Charter which was launched in 2014. The Charter critiques the crisis in mental health services in the context of austerity and calls for an end to the cuts while proposing radical alternatives. Recently the Mental Health Charter responded to the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Independent Commission into the state of Inpatient Adult Psychiatric Care as part of its call for evidence. Read More

Events

Meeting on the Housing Crisis – Darndale, Dublin, Ireland

Meeting on the Housing Crisis Please share this widely and consider attending. Members of the community and grassroots groups will get together next week to discuss the housing crisis and how local communities can support each other in fighting for ... Read More

Events

REMINDER – March Against Racism in Dublin this weekend

********REMINDER******* Don’t forget that the #M21 March Against Racism is on in Dublin City Centre this Saturday, March 21st. Join us behind the SWAN Ireland banner! Read More

Final programme for SWAN Conference 2015

SWAN Conference 2015 organising committee are pleased to release the final programme for the event - please download this below. Speakers include Ana Lima Fernandez, President of Consejo General del Trabajo Social (General Council on Social Work), who was a leader of the 'Orange Tide' anti-austerity movement in Spain to stop cuts to social services. Read More

Award-Winning Spanish Social Work Leader will speak at SWAN Conference 2015

A leader of Spanish social workers who has won international awards for her role in challenging homelessness and austerity in Spain will be one of the main speakers at the SWAN national conference being held in Paisley, Scotland from 10-11 April. Ana Lima Fernandez, President of Consejo General del Trabajo Social (General Council on Social Work), was one of only three recipients of the International Federation of Social Work secretary general’s award for outstanding services to social work. Read More

Flyer for SWAN Conference 2015

SWAN has just released the final flyer for the 2015 conference at University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, 10-11 April.Please download a copy of the flyer below. You can book for the conference here. Read More

Speakers announced for SWAN Conference 2015

SWAN announced before Christmas that the 10th annual Social Work Action Network Conference will be entitled, The Politics of Hope: Fighting for the Future of Social Work. This will be held at the University of the West of Scotland (Paisley Campus), from Friday 10th - Saturday 11th April 2015. You can book online at the following link: https://eventbrite.com/event/2004729199/ We are pleased to announce two of the speakers at the event, Gerry Mooney of the Open University and Amal Azzudin of the Glasgow Girls. Read More

Campaigns

PsychoPolitics in the Twenty First Century: Peter Sedgwick and radical movements in mental health

SWAN is pleased to announce a conference at Liverpool Hope University on Wednesday 10th June 2015, entitled 'PsychoPolitics in the Twenty First Century: Peter Sedgwick and radical movements in mental health'.The conference is supported by SWAN and the Critical and Radical Social Work Journal. It will be a relatively low cost event and we are keen to encourage participation by SWAN and other activists. A flyer and call for papers are attached below. Read More

Resources from SWAN Dublin event “Do We know what Human Rights and Social Justice Mean in the Ireland of Today”?

The Social Work Action Network Dublin recently held a successful event in Dublin city centre. The topics of human rights and social justice in social work were discussed. A clear outcome from the discussion was that attendees felt that social work does not currently have a voice in Ireland, in terms of being able to speak out to defend more critical or radical practices in social work, not being able to speak out on behalf of (or with) service users, not being able to speak up for communities, Read More

‘Can Openers’ the debut novel by Mal Jones

SWAN are pleased to announce the publication of the debut novel, Can Openers, by SWAN activist and shop steward, Mal Jones. The novel contemplates a future in which there is a comprehensively residualised and privatised welfare system. Can Openers is published by Rowanvale books, describe the book as a 'futuristic thriller [which] gives stark warning of where society may be heading'. Read More