CEO blog: Introducing World Social Work Month 2022!
BASW is proud to support and stand together with social workers around the world to celebrate World Social Work Day on Tuesday 15 March.
We are wrapping around this important day for our global profession a whole month of celebrations, explorations, inspirations and learning throughout March – our World Social Work Month.
Do take a look and join us in our activities - most of which are online and include country-specific, UK and internationally focused events.
I hope too you will mark and celebrate in your workplaces. Whether in a formal event or just talking together will colleagues about being part of a global profession, about practice, about the experience of being a social worker in the UK today, this is an important time of year.
'Co-building a New Eco-Social World – Leaving no one behind'
Every year, World Social Work Day has a ‘global agenda’ theme set by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW). For 2022, it is Co-building a New Eco-Social World – Leaving no one behind. Inspired by vital work supporting communities and promoting equalities throughout the pandemic, the theme promotes the value and power of global social work – one of the world’s most rapidly growing professions - in re/building a more just, secure and environmentally sustainable world.
There is a pull out of this year’s World Social Work Day poster in the March edition of PSW Magazine – so put it up in your office, make a backdrop for your videoconferences, tweet pictures of it with comments on social media – let's get it out there!
BASW’s events throughout March will explore a wide range of themes through the lens of social work - as well as exploring social work practice. It is all great CPD and the programme is full of expertise, knowledge, reflection, challenge and celebration.
There's a theme and activity for everyone, including: the role of social work in disasters and emergencies, climate justice, the impact of Brexit on social work and society across the island of Ireland, changing public and media perceptions of social work, improving social work through partnership with experts by experience, peer to peer reflection and ongoing learning, the heritage of social work in Wales, a very special edition of the ‘Let’s Talk Social Work’ podcast, a session from the Social Workers’ Union on working conditions and rights, the first findings from the recent BASW survey and Bath Spa survey into working conditions and actions for change….and much more!
As well as exploring themes and priorities in each country of the UK, these events present a unique opportunity to come together as a profession - across borders and languages and cultures - to shine a light on what unites us as social workers across the UK and globally.
Amazing Social Workers 2022
I am delighted we are once again running our Amazing Social Workers campaign. This is a unique opportunity for us all to recognise and share the accomplishments of social workers across the UK.
We want your nominations of social workers in any role – direct practice, leadership or management roles, education and more – that you would like to recognise and celebrate for any professional reason. We then follow up with them and create a final list to celebrate as many of your nominations as possible. We create a short profile for each Amazing Social Worker and put this on our website and social media, with their agreement.
Support World Social Work Month this March
I'm really looking forward to championing our profession this March. We need some celebration as well as time to reflect. We will be marking the anniversary of the first UK lockdown and will also be joining colleagues across the sector remembering those we have lost and those most affected by the pandemic.
I hope everyone will check out our programme, find something to suit your interests and passions - and join us this March at one of our many events.
We encourage you to talk to your colleagues, organise something in your workplace if you can (big or small), put up and promote the poster - and help us all celebrate and reflect on social work and social workers across the UK and around the world.
Dr. Ruth Allen, BASW UK CEO