The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on social workers across the world will be explored in a revealing new webinar series hosted by Liverpool Hope University.
The international event, sponsored by the Social Work Action Network (SWAN), will take place online and via weblinks on Thursday January 21st, from 10am onwards.
And Hope’s Professor Michael Lavalette, Associate Dean and Head of the School of Social Sciences, says the talks are open to any interested parties, whether you’re a student or you’re engaged in local community work.
Event co-organiser Professor Lavalette, who also edits the Critical and Radical Social Work Journal, says: “If we’re to have a truly global response to a terrible global pandemic, then social workers from across the world need to share their unique perspectives and strategies when it comes to combating the harms caused by this awful disease.
“And while we can’t meet in person, I hope this international event will provide the opportunity for guests to learn valuable lessons from the varied experiences of those engaged in vital community projects in places like Africa, Turkey and South Africa, as well as right here in the UK.
“These are open events and are available to Hope students, but also any interested parties in the local community and in our social work or youth and community development networks.”
Below you’ll find further details of the talks - and the link to hear the discussion:
Social Work and Covid-19: International Comparisons (Thurs 21st Jan, 10am-12 midday)
This webinar will bring together speakers from Greece (Dora Teloni), Turkey (Gonca Poloy), South Africa (Jess Turton and Linda Smith) and the UK (Andy Brammer, of the Yorks AMP network).
Dora will look, in particular, at the impact of Covid on refugee communities in Greece, while Jess and Linda will look, in particular, at the impact on impoverished communities in the townships of South Africa.
Andy, meanwhile, will focus on mental health issues in social work, whilst Gonca will concentrate on the Turkish state response to Covid-19.
Each country will be covered in a 12 minute presentation, leaving plenty of time for questions. Questions can be asked via the Q&A function during the webinar.
** The webinar can be accessed via the following link:
https://hope.zoom.us/j/86581274310?pwd=OExxWXlSbEU4OWJvRjVDdHVJYlJCUT09
Social work, Community Development and the Struggle for Justice for Palestine (Thurs 21st Jan, 2pm-4pm).
This webinar brings together researchers, activists and social/community workers to look at different aspects of community engagement and social work in the Occupied Territories of the West Bank.
The webinar will include the showing of two short films highlighting the experiences of social workers in the West Bank and on a child’s life-story. Tracy Ramsey and Steve Lucas will talk through the on-going Palestinian research in the School (and the on-line exhibition which you can find here). Dave Harrop, a British social worker who runs the The Palestine UK Social Work Network, will speak about his research on grassroots community-based social work in the West Bank and its roots in the mass social movement surrounding the First Intifada. In the Q&A we will be joined by Ziad Omar from Palestine
** The webinar can be accessed via the following link:
https://hope.zoom.us/j/89816221068?pwd=cUk5VmQvTHpPVmNJYU5uejhNWmtlUT09
** To find out more about the Social Work Action Network, head here.