Global Agenda for Social Work and Social development
Global Agenda for Social Work and Social development
• Disscusion started in 2006 when the leadership of three global associations met in London to work on a joint project to articulate the Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development as a common strategy and action plan • GA was launched in 2010 on world conference in Hong Kong by IASSW, ICSW and IFSW to promote and strenghten the profile of social work and social development and make explicit links with global influences and the local community response • GA really started after the 2012 conference in Stockholm
• Serve as platform for debate on various socio-economical and political challenges • The GA was launced to contribute to the post 2015 Millenium development goals • Pathway to on-going open debate on themes relevant to people who are vulnerable and excluded
• Aims to recognise and respond to the „profoundly unjust, unfair and above all unsustainable social, economic and political system of contemporary world” (Tasse, 2014) • To reposition the global SW profession together with social development professionals • The GA was officialy submitted to the UNDP on March 26 th 2012 on World SW Day
• GA is connected with the goals of UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – „deep interconnections and many cross-cutting elements across the new goals and targets” • The GA commitments focus on both personal and political in addressing structural causes of injustices
Why the Agenda? • Increase SW and SD visibility • Strengthen and promote social work and social development • Increase self-confidence of workers • Challenge established ways of thinking • Support national and regional bodies • Increase SW and SD influence at all levels
Four topics Theme 2012 - 2014 Promoting Social and Economic Equalities How inequality impacts locally and on our practice? How do social work in our locality should respond to these issues? Theme 2014 -2016 Promoting the dignity and worth of peoples Can we think of specific practices that will promote the ‘Dignity and worth of the person’ and also those that might not promote this agenda? Theme 2016 -2018 To promote sustainable communities and environmentally sensitive development How social work engages with these issues at local level? What are the benefits for a local community and local service users of this approach? What social work skills are relevant to this area of practice? Theme 2018 -2020 To promote wellbeing through sustainable human relationships This theme addresses family and relationship issues across the life course and refers to the ‘needs’ of range of service user groups and people suffering from violence within domestic and intimate relationships
• 2013 Global Observatory launched • 2014 Melbourne – First Global Report • 2014 Open call for 5 Regional Observatory hosts • 2015 Regional Observatories operational – Africa, Asia Pacific, Europa, Latin America and Caribbean Region, North America and Caribbean Region • 2016 Seoul – Second Global Report • 2018 Dublin – Third Global Report
Observatory objectives • Collect evidence about the positive actions of social workers, educators and social development practitioners • Support implementation of the Global Agenda • Give visibility and credibility to practice and to • Promote further action and lobbying
European Observatory Hosted by ENSACT European Network for Social Action Partners: • European Association of Schools of Social Work EASSW – www. eassw. org • European association of training centres for socio-educational care work FESET – www. feset. org • International Federation of Educative Communities FICE Europe – www. fice-inter. net • International Council on Social Welfare ICSW Europe – www. icsw. org • International Federation of Social Workers IFSW Europe – www. ifsw. org • Power. Us, service users in social work learning partnership – www. powerus. info • Social Work and Health Inequalities Network SWHIN http: //www 2. warwick. ac. uk/study/cll/research/swhin/
European Observatory guidance • • • Written paper, video, audio, poster What is the problem being addressed – link to promoting dignity and worth of people? Which organisations are involved? How were service users involved? Which methods or interventions were used? What was the outcome or result?
The commitments of the Global Agenda are guided by and consistent with the core statements on the Definition of Social Work and the Ethics in Social Work: Statement of Principles (IASSW/IFSW 2004). It is planned to do this by: Developing common objectives by working with governments, policy makers, educators, communities, service users, and within our own organisations, so that social work and social development can contribute fully to creating a more socially just society that we can be proud to leave to future generations.
• Demonstrating how professional 'social knowledge' and expertise continues to inform international, national and local policy development across Europe and internationally in the social sphere to address the impact of inequality caused by economic and social policies.
• Promoting the role social work and social development plays in change for social justice, health equalities and implementation of human rights
Inspiring Practitioners and Educators by publicizing the work that social work and social development undertakes trans-nationally, and in the United Nations, to influence social and economic development and international responses to natural and civil disasters.
• Demonstrating Capability and value by recognising the benefits that social work expertise and knowledge brings in working together with communities, service users and other agencies, at all levels, for social change. Social workers see on a day to day basis the realities of personal, social and community challenges.
• Assuring excellence in skills and professional capabilities at all levels of social work education, practice, research and social development.
• 2020 TO 2030 GLOBAL AGENDA FOR SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK: ‘CO-BUILDING INCLUSIVE SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION’ • The remaining four themes covering the period 2022 to 2030 will be released in 2021 • As global bodies with active membership in all countries, we recognize and commit to celebrating the strengths of all people and promoting their active role in leading sustainable development. We commit to working together to co-design and co-build thriving communities and societies for people and the environment.
First theme, ´Ubuntu: Strengthening Social Solidarity and Global Connectedness´ will run from 2020 to 2022 • Ubuntu as a principle for enhancing social solidarity and recognizing global connectedness is central to shared and sustainable futures that highlight responsibility between all peoples and the environment. It lays the foundation for the promotion of an inclusive process of developing new social agreements between governments and the populations they serve. • Ubuntu has been popularised across the world by Nelson Mandela and is generally interpreted as meaning ‘I am because we are’. A word, concept and philosophy that resonates with the social work and social development perspectives of the interconnectedness of all peoples and their environments. Ubuntu also highlights indigenous knowledge and wisdom and we invite all nations and populations to use an equivalent word or concept that speaks to your culture in promoting this theme: ‘Ubuntu: I am because we are’.
GLOBAL STANDARDS FOR SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION AND TRAINING (2020) • Made and adopted by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW)
The main objectives of the Global Standards • Ensure consistency in the provision of social work education while appreciating and valuing diversity, equity and inclusion. • Ensure that Social Work education adheres to the values and policies of the profession as articulated by the IFSW and IASSW. • Support and safeguard staff, students and service users involved in the education process. • Ensure that the next generation of social workers have access to excellent quality learning, opportunities that also incorporate social work knowledge deriving from research, experience, policy and practice. • Nurture a spirit of collaboration and knowledge transfer between different social work schools and between social work education, practice and research. • Support social work schools to become thriving, well-resourced, inclusive and participatory teaching and learning environments.
• Diversity of historic, socio-cultural, economic and political contexts in which social work is practiced, both within countries and across the globe. • 1) practice setting (e. g. government, NGO, health, education, child and family services agencies, correctional institutions, other community-based organizations and private practice settings); • 2) field or area of practice (e. g. population served, type of personal and social, economic, political and environmental issues addressed); and • 3) practice theories, methods, techniques and skills representing practice at different levels – individual, couple/family, group, organization, community, broader societal and international (i. e. , micro, mezzo and macro levels).
• Social Work education has historically been delivered by a wide and diverse range of organisations, including Universities, Colleges, Tertiary, Further and Higher Education bodies- public, private and non -profit.
All Social Work Programmes must develop and share a core purpose statement or a mission statement that: • Is clearly articulated, accessible and reflects the values and the ethical principles of social work. • Is consistent with the global definition and purpose of social work • Respects the rights and interests of the people involved in all aspects of delivery of programmes and services (including the students, educators and service users).
• With regard to structure, administration, governance and resources, the school and/or body designated as the education provider must ensure the following: • Social work programmes are independent of other disciplines and should therefore be implemented through a distinct unit known as a Faculty, School, Department, Centre or Division, which has a clear identity within education institutions.
• With regard to standards regarding programme curricula, schools must consistently ensure the following: • The curricula and methods of instruction are consistent with the school’s programme objectives, its expected outcomes and its mission statement. • Clear mechanisms for the organisation’s implementation and evaluation of theory and field education components of the programme exist. • Specific attention to undertaking constant review and development of the curricula.
• Social work education programs vary by economic and political contexts, practice settings, population served, type of personal and social, economic, political, or environmental issues addressed, and practice theories and approaches used. Nevertheless, there are certain core curricula that are universally applicable
• Critical understanding of how socio-structural inadequacies, discrimination, oppression, and social, political, environmental and economic injustices impact human development at all levels, including the global must be considered
• Integrate theory, ethics, research/knowledge in practice. • Have sufficient practice skills in assessment, relationship building, empowerment and helping processes to achieve the identified goals of the programme and fulfil professional obligations to service users.
• Practice education is a critical component of professional social work education. Thus practice education should be well integrated into the curriculum in preparing students with knowledge, values and skills for ethical, competent and effective practice • All education providers should aspire to make a contribution to the development, critical understanding and generation of social work scholarship. This can be achieved, when and where possible, through the incorporation of research and scholarship strategies
• Social Work programmes comprise a dynamic intellectual, social and material community. This community brings together students, • educators, administrators and service users united in their effort to enhance opportunities for learning, professional and personal development
Social Work Profession • A shared understanding of the Profession • Ethics and Values • Equity and Diversity • Human rights and Social, Economic and Environmental Justice
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