Diaspora Dialogues Conference | Celebrating Social Workers on the Move

As the world continues to grapple with the unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of social workers became more crucial than ever. Yet, for many overseas qualified social workers like myself, navigating through this tumultuous period presented unique obstacles, exacerbated by the absence of supportive networks tailored to our cultural and migration needs. 

During the pandemic, we could not go to work and diaspora social workers were unable to return to our home countries and the familiar supports one might rely on were absent here, leaving many social workers like me feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and undervalued.    The lack of a diaspora peer network only served to compound these feelings, leaving many to navigate the complexities of the pandemic workplaces alone.

Many of my diaspora colleagues continue to face language barriers, cultural differences, having to navigate unfamiliar systems and employment practices.  Yet they bring a wealth of diverse experiences and perspectives to our practice and workplaces.  Their ability to empathize with clients from similar cultural backgrounds, respect for the elderly, expertise in community work and their understanding of cultural and linguistic nuances can serve to enrich our work with different communities. 

The hostile environment perpetuated by anti-migrant political rhetoric and sensationalist media narratives threatens to overshadow these contributions and creates a toxic environment that can seep into workplaces and communities, creating additional challenges for overseas social workers and legitimizes discrimination.  The constant barrage of negative stereotypes and scapegoating during this election year, not only undermines our sense of belonging but also perpetuates misconceptions about our capabilities and intentions which can in turn, can erode trust and cooperation within teams. 

The Diaspora Special Interest Group was formed during the pandemic in 2020 by members of the British Association of Social Workers, some of whom were qualified overseas. We wanted to offer a unique space for understanding and camaraderie that comes from connecting with peers who share similar cultural experiences and feelings of their migration and professional journeys and who wish to provide practical advice and support to others during these difficult times. 

The need to challenge and reframe this negative rhetoric must not go unheard the Diaspora Dialogues Conference will help to celebrate the contributions of diaspora social workers to the profession and our communities and to raise awareness of the challenges experienced by our social workers who have migrated from overseas to practice in the UK.

In particular, we recognise the invaluable contributions of diaspora social workers and by extension, the Global Majority, in promoting inclusion and a supportive work environment that fosters diversity and cultural understanding, providing opportunities for cross-cultural training and education for all staff.

The conference will be held on the 18th March World Social Work Day at Brunel University and will bring social workers, students, researchers, employers, and recruiters together to share our experiences, to celebrate our successes and foster resilience, solidarity and community in the face of the post-pandemic workplace.  The Social Workers Union (SWU) is sponsoring the conference through a contribution from the SWU Campaign Fund, along with Brunel University and BASW.

This is a hybrid conference, and the in-person registration includes a small fee of £20 which includes lunch and refreshments. The online registration is £10 for the whole day.  Register on the link below.

Diaspora Dialogues Conference: Celebrating Social Workers on the Move

One free session is available to register here.

If you are interested in knowing more about the Diaspora SIG, please contact us at diaspora@baswnetwork.co.uk