SWAN

The Social Work Action Network (SWAN) is a national network of social work practitioners, social welfare service users, educators and students united in their concern that social work activity is being undermined by managerialism and marketisation, by the stigmatisation of service users and by welfare cuts and restrictions. We believe that good social work is a worthwhile activity that can help people address the problems and difficulties in their lives. Many of these difficulties are rooted in the inequalities and oppressions of the contemporary world and good social work necessarily involves confronting the structural and public causes of private ills.

SWAN has a national website: http://www.socialworkfuture.org/ where there is more information about the network.

SWAN is holding its next annual conference at the University of Birmingham on Friday 15th & Saturday 16th April 2011... flyer here . The main theme of the conference will be building alliances in the struggle to defend services and challenge austerity measures and cuts. The conference will bring together practitioners, service users, students and educators to share experiences and further develop our networks to resist these measures.

We would welcome involvement from Suresearch members and allies, either in terms of proposing a workshop or seminar for the conference, or getting involved with the organisation of the event.

The next SWAN planning meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Tues 2nd November, 7th Floor Muirhead Tower at University of Birmingham (in the soft seating area outside rooms 714/715). All are welcome.

If you would like more information about SWAN please do not hesitate to contact Rich on rrm757@bham.ac.uk, and if you would like to be added to the SWAN West Midlands email list please send a message to swanwestmidlands@gmail.com

 

 

DAB-P (09/10/2010)