UCL392 Social Work Newsletter_4:Layout 1 - University of Central ...

BETTER
futures
Summer Newsletter 2012
Social Work Graduates
Praised
Alumni from the School of Social Work were joined by
UCLan staff, foster carers and members of Foster Care
Associates (FCA) to celebrate their achievement in playing
a vital role in the North West’s social work service.
The eight graduates impressed the managers of
FCA while on placement and were offered jobs
after graduation. They are now in roles as Senior
Supervising Social Workers or Social Workers
and are based around the county in Clitheroe,
Carnforth and further afield in Liverpool.
Links between UCLan and FCA’s North West
division are continuing to thrive with the student
placement programme.
Aidan Worsley, Dean of the School, added: “The
hands-on experience our students get from working
with the FCA is vital to their development as social
workers. We are delighted graduates have landed
full-time employment and hope these can be the
inspiration for the next cohort of students.”
Where Fact and Fiction Converge
First year social work students are
learning from dramatised fiction to help
consolidate academic fact. ‘Studio 66’ is a
popular film club for first year students
studying on the BA(Hons) Social
Work organised by Dr Joanne
Westwood and supported
by her colleague Senior
Lecturer and First Year
Lead Amanda Taylor.
At a recent film club review
event the students assessed
the films watched during the
semester and discussed how
the initiative could be incorporated into
future teaching on a degree course.
First year student David Ozanne
joined the social work degree
having previously spent 22
years in the British Army. He
said he was able to watch
the films from a completely
fresh perspective. “On
some of the films we
gained an appreciation
of the old style of social
work and it made you
realise how much things have moved,”
he explained. “You start to identify
certain issues and although I’d seen
some of these films before I’ve been
watching them through completely
different eyes this time around.”
Another student, Wendy Smith, said
the content in the films had really
helped her to consolidate the learning
process. “Because of my dyslexia these
films have really helped to reinforce the
learning aspects of the course,” she
explained.
www.uclan.ac.uk/socialwork

The 1st Years had come to the end of
what had been an incredible year of
learning and professional development.
To acknowledge this and to illustrate the
importance of endings in Professional
Social Work Practice, their First Year Lead
(Amanda Taylor) arranged an Away Day
to UCLan’s outdoor centre Tyn Dwr.
The day was exciting from beginning to
end and began with a breakfast and send
off from the Dean and then onto the
coaches to make the journey to Wales.
Amanda was accompanied by
Dr Westwood, also from the School of
Social Work and had invited along some
of the Nursing students and colleagues
to also demonstrate the significance of
inter-agency working. The Twitter
hashtag #UCLanSocialWork saw lots of
activity with tweets coming in from Social
Work Academics, Professors in Social
Work and Social Work students from
MA Graduate Scoops
Annual Memorial Prize
This year’s Brian Corby prize was
awarded to Fiona Charnock (nee
Wilson), who graduated from the MA
Social Work in September 2011 with a
distinction. The Brian Corby prize is
awarded to the student on this course
who attains the highest mark for their
dissertation.
Course leader, Debbie Brown, said:
“Fiona was a very good student, with
an excellent academic record (gaining
distinction level marks in 6 out of 9
modules). She also did herself credit in
the professional practice element of the
course, gaining very good feedback on
both her practice placements. A mark of
her professional development is the fact
that, despite recent financial cuts in the
public sector (which have impacted on
employment prospects for social work
Celebrating the End of
a Fabulous 1st Year and
Acknowledging Endings
in Social Work Practice
across the UK; all wishing the group
well and sharing knowledge on the
importance of endings in social work.
Amanda explained the day as
‘exhilarating’. One that saw students
working together on team tasks,
communicating like true professionals.
Jumping off trees over 40ft in the air
demonstrated the depth of courage it
takes to work in contemporary social
work practice.
One of the students added: “I found
working together with my fellow
students in a more informal setting
beneficial as good teamwork was
essential to be successful. Through this
I definitely got to know everybody better
and had so much fun!
“My favourite activity was the high ropes
as I felt a great sense of achievement for
finalists); she was successful in gaining
employment with Dorset County
Council’s Adult Social Care Services.
Fiona commented: “I came to the MA
Social Work degree with a background
in supporting adults with mental health
and learning difficulties as a volunteer
and as a carer. My tutors challenged me
to reconsider my interests through the
lens of law, ethics, sociology and
psychology. I learned many vital lessons
during my training. Accountability, a
person-centred approach, improved
emotional intelligence, and the ability
to critically reflect on my practice
experiences, were probably the most
important for me personally.
“My dissertation was inspired by the
Fiona and Francecca Pilkington Serious
both myself and my fellow students. It
was brilliant to be able to share those
moments with all involved.”
Endings were explored and felt
throughout the day but a sense of
anticipation follows this student group
into their 2nd Year within the School of
Social Work at UCLan.
Case Review (2009), which hit the
national press as my training
commenced. I examined the nature of
learning disability hate crime from a
number of different legal, sociological
and historical standpoints. I used my
findings to critically appraise the
inconsistent uptake of No secrets (2000),
the current policy guidance for adult
safeguarding, in the absence of statutory
legislation for social workers to
investigate and protect. I finally
developed my personal vision of a
dynamic form of victim support with
the application of systems theory.
“I feel very privileged to have been
awarded the Brian Corby Prize for my
social work research. I regard tutor
Amanda Taylor's inspiring supervision
as integral to my success. I am enjoying
my first post immensely and feel well
supported. I cannot imagine a job as
satisfying or fulfilling. I would like to
thank everyone at UCLan for a
wonderful education. The staff support
I received was second to none.”

Extending Our
Green Credentials
Jodie Barwise, a first year MA Social Work
student, took up a 100-day placement at
Intact, a busy community centre in Ingol,
Preston earlier this year.
As a student she has been
given the opportunity to
take part in all sorts of
experiences – ranging from
knitting groups, networking
events and conferences,
cooking, Digital Champion
training, home visits, job
searching and planning and
implementing new services to name a few.
During February’s half-term holiday week
she also came up with the idea to build
an eco-friendly greenhouse to tie in with
Intact’s February Play scheme’s eco theme.
Jodie describes this event as ‘brilliant’.
She has been delighted with how the
community in Ingol has all worked
together to make this project a success.
Their efforts ranged from bottle donations
to bottle washing. No light task as the
project used 912 bottles to be exact!
This has been extended to
offers of plants and words
of advice on the frame
construction and vegetable
growing. Indeed there has
been so much valuable
input and interest in the
project which has combined
to be fun; a learning
opportunity and a great
resource for the local children that this
project has gained growing momentum
and recognition.
The greenhouse was officially opened by
Ian Wright from the Lancashire Wildlife
Trust, and the organic vegetables that
will be grown in it will be put to good
use with the imminent expansion of
Intact’s Community Café.
Service User/Carer
Congress Day 2012
This popular annual event, organised
by SUCAG, (the Service User and Carer
Advisory Group) within the School of
Social Work was held this year on
25th April. The theme of the day was
‘Challenging Prejudices: Issues in Health
and Social Care’ and we invited ten
diverse local community groups to help
us deliver workshops throughout the day.
These included topics such as Domestic
Violence, Young Carers, Drug & Alcohol
Therapy, Children’s Rights, and Peer
Mentoring for Young Offenders.
Over 230 1st year Social Work degree
students from Burnley, Kendal and
Preston came together for the day and
attended 3 workshops of their choice,
which enabled them to engage with the
workshop facilitators to gain valuable
insight into their specific areas of interest.
The Dean of the School of Social Work
introduced the day alongside the
vice-Chair of SUCAG, Angela Melling.
Some feedback about the day included
this student comment: ‘extremely
inspiring and a very valuable learning
experience to take with us throughout
our course and career’. Service users and
carers also enjoyed the day and were
impressed by the questions students
asked and were grateful for the welcome
they received from all.
SUCAG hope to deliver another
successful Congress event next year.
Children,
Young People
and Adults:
Extending the
Conversation
5th - 7th September 2012
UCLan, Preston campus,
PR1 2HE
UCLan is proud to host the second
international conference of the
International Childhood and Youth
Research Network
(http://www.icyrnet.net/).
The first conference was in Nicosia in
May 2008, on the theme ‘Child and
Youth Research in the 21st Century:
A Critical Appraisal’, and was attended
by delegates from all over the world.
The 2012 conference will take place in
Preston and will be on the theme
‘Children, Young People and Adults:
Extending the Conversation’.
The international research conference
is aimed at researchers (both new and
experienced), policy-makers and
practitioners from all around the world.
It will take place side by side with an
international gathering of children and
young people, currently being planned
around broad themes of participation
and citizenship. Shared plenary sessions,
and a series of smaller workshops, will
create spaces where children, young
people and adults can come together
and engage in dialogue.
Keynote Speakers
Confirmed plenary speakers are:
Libby Brooks (Columnist,
The Guardian, UK)
Jim Davis (Good Childhood Advisor,
The Children's Society, England, UK)
Allison James (Professor of Sociology,
University of Sheffield, UK)
Berry Mayall (Professor of Childhood
Studies, Institute of Education,
University of London, UK)
Kavita Ratna (Director -
Communications, Concerned for
Working Children, Bangalore, India)
Harry Shier (Education Adviser,
CESESMA, Matagalpa, Nicaragua)
To register your interest in this
conference please email Childhood
AndYouth@uclan.ac.uk

Courses Available in the School of Social Work
Undergraduate
Community and Social Care: Policy and Practice (Foundation
entry), BA (Hons)
Community and Social Care: Policy and Practice, BA (Hons)
Social Work, BA (Hons)
Postgraduate & CPD
Best Interest Assessor, Cert
Child Care Practice, PQ Specialist Award with Children,
Young People, their Families and Carers, PGCert
Child Health and Social Care, MA
Mental Health Practice (Including Approved Mental Health
Professional Training), MA/PGDip/PGCert
Researching Social Care, PGCert
Polish Contributions
Highlighted in New Book
A new book entitled ‘Polish Journeys: Through Social Welfare Institutions’ which
is edited by Dawn Judd and Bogusia Temple with Jerzy Krzyszkowski, has been
launched.
The book was published by Elipsa in 2011 and describes social welfare systems
in Poland and the contribution of Polish migrants to English welfare systems.
Its premise is that migrants’ perceptions, expectations and experiences of their
new country are influenced by their experience of systems in the country they
originate from.
Open Days
For any further information please contact us:
School of Social Work
Harrington 301, University of Central Lancashire,
Preston, PR1 2HE.
Safeguarding Children, PGCert
Social Policy, MA
Social Work (secondment), PGDip
Social Work Practice - Adults, PGDip/PGCert
Social Work, MA
For any further information please contact us:
School of Social Work, Harrington 301
University of Central Lancashire
Preston, PR1 2HE.
Tel: 01772 893452
Email: socialwork@uclan.ac.uk
www.uclan.ac.uk/socialwork
Tel: 01772 893452 or 895469
Email: socialwork@uclan.ac.uk
Web: www.uclan.ac.uk/socialwork
Copies of the book which costs
£10.50 can be obtained from
DBJudd1@uclan.ac.uk or
BTemple@uclan.ac.uk.
Please make cheques payable to
The University of Central Lancashire.
Whatever your study requirements, UCLan hosts a number of events throughout the year offering you the opportunity to visit
campus. We know from our feedback our visitors have a memorable experience and we welcome all to see for yourselves.
The next UCLan Open Days will be held on:
Sunday 30th September, Saturday 27th October and Saturday 24th November. All dates 9am – 3pm.
If you would like to talk to someone about an Open Day in the meantime, please call our Course Enquiries Team on
01772 892400 or email cenquiries@uclan.ac.uk. To pre-register for an Open Day book online at www.uclan.ac.uk
For details of our next Postgraduate Advice Event, or to speak to an advisor about postgraduate study, please call our Course
Enquiries Team on 01772 892400 or email pgenquiries@uclan.ac.uk.