SWU and Campaign Collective to support member led campaigns

Newly created campaign fund will be available for SWU members to set campaign priorities and engage in activism through 2021/2022

The Social Workers Union (SWU) is excited about this opportunity to work in partnership with Campaign Collective again.

SWU General Secretary John McGowan said:

“This is a terrific way for SWU to support member led campaigns. Our members are passionate about their union being actively involved in campaigning, and this rekindled partnership with Campaign Collective will help us be even more engaged in activism and continue to make a positive impact. This also builds on our present funding of the Austerity Action Group.”

Throughout the year SWU receives regular requests to campaign on behalf of members and we are often approached by additional organisations to support campaigns. This has led to SWU collaborations with a range of organisations and this additional funding will provide an opportunity to lead on more local and national campaigns.

Taking on board our member feedback, we wanted to find a way to increase our capacity to support more campaigns. This has led to SWU establishing a ‘campaign’ fund for our members to call on to ensure campaigns throughout 2021/22 can be responsive to changing priorities, quick to deliver and high impact. The SWU Campaign Group shall be formed soon to review and approve campaign proposals and Campaign Collective will manage this fund.

Simon Francis, who is a Campaign Collective founding member and will continue to lead activity with SWU for future campaigns, said:

“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the Social Workers Union. The challenges facing social workers and the people they work with are urgent and pressing. Yet too often the media and politicians fail to recognise the issues social workers face on the frontline. We hope this campaign fund will start to address this imbalance and ensure the voices of the vulnerable and of social workers are better heard.”

Members who are looking to become more involved with their union are invited to become a SWU Union Contact in their workplace, organisation, or university.