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Voices of Social Work Through The Troubles

16 January 2020

The last event of this series of workshops will take place Tuesday, 28 January 2020 – 10:00am to 12:00pm at St Luke’s Hospital, Armagh.

This two-hour workshop will be led by Dr Joe Duffy-QUB, Professor Jim Campbell-UCD, Carolyn Ewart-BASW NI and Patricia Higgins-Northern Ireland Social Care Council. It will improve participants’ knowledge of the ground-breaking BASW commissioned research, Voices of Social Work Through The Troubles which looked into the experiences of social workers who practiced during the four decades of armed conflict in Northern Ireland. Attendees will learn from how practitioners supported each other and continued to deliver a client-centred, non-sectarian social work service despite the most extreme and violent of situations.

BASW members who participated in the research will share their personal accounts through videos and guided discussion. BASW will share its plans to host an oral history archive and outline how workshop participants will have the opportunity to get involved.

It is very important for us to reflect upon and learn from our recent history. To be able to learn directly from those involved in significant world events is rare, but we have such an opportunity now. The learning about resilience, professionalism, identity and the strength of holding onto social work values and ethics has relevance wherever one works or lives.

Social Workers can claim Profesional in Practice credits from attending this workshop.

Click here to book

What delegates have said about this workshop:

“Thank you! It was a valuable session which prompted reflection on how practice has been impacted by our unique context, and continues to be – in order to address the problems of today we need to be conscious of how they have been shaped by what went on in the past, and how that has affected the people we work with and ourselves.”

“Excellent opportunity for professionals to reflect on the challenges of working within the NI context and to share experiences in an open and supportive environment.”