Helpful Social Work Podcast

Recorded at the end of October 2024, this episode again features some of the core members of A.R.M talking about their individual and collective contributions to social activism over the past months.  This years theme for Black History Month is 'Reclaiming Narratives' and we reflect on the milestones and resilience that has shaped History and our ongoing fight for racial justice.  We also look ahead to the upcoming ICU or 'I See You' Conference and 2nd Anniversary Celebrations for the Anti-Racist Movement in an attempt in 'write our own story'.  Join us as we discuss how this event aims to challenge us, push the conversations forward, inspire change and build on the legacy of those that have gone before us.

In this episode - C-our-rage or See Our Rage - we focus on the interplay between courage and anger in light of the "Race Riots" of August 2024.   Courage is the 4th of 4 core values of A.R.M and  we explore how our collective anger against injustice becomes a source of strength, fueling our courage to confront racism head-on.  We'll examine the balance between rage, resilience and vulnerability, and how these emotions are essential to sustaining the fight for justice. Take a listen and leave a comment.

Welcome to ARM-OUR, the podcast from the Anti-Racist Movement (ARM).  In this episode, we continue to delve into our core values, with today's focus being 'Compassion as the Core'.  We explore how empathy and understanding are essential in the fight against racism and discuss how compassion shows up across the life span.  A key focus is on self-compassion, both inside and outside of social work.  Step into our world, and we'll meet you there and lets embark on this journey of compassion and action together.

In this episode, we delve into the heart of social work, focusing on the vital role of connection. We explore how taking the time to rest and rejuvenate can actually strengthen the bonds we build with those we work for and with.  We share practical strategies, powerful stories from the field, and discuss the intersection of rest, connection, and social justice.  Join us as we reflect on how rest not only nurtures us as individuals but also empowers us to forge stronger, more meaningful connections in our work. Let's discover together how embracing rest can be a radical act of resistance and a cornerstone of effective social work.

In this inaugural episode of ARM-OUR, you'll have the chance to meet the six powerful women who form the nucleus of our community.  Each of us bring a unique perspective, passion, and wealth of experience to our collective resistance. Focussing on one of the 4Cs that make up our values (Courage, Compassion, Connection and Community), we discuss our personal and professional journeys, reflecting on the role of self-awareness, intentionality, and supportive individuals in shaping our paths.

In our final podcast of series 8, we do our annual review of the year in social work. We are joined by Sylvia and Shantel from the Anti-Racism Movement, who are taking over as hosts. We reflect on the way social workers have responded to events over the last year and share our hopes for the future.

In this final episode about sustaining yourself as a social worker, we explore the need for recognition and respect for social work. This enables good working conditions and supports social workers to offer trusted expertise to children, adults and families.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by looking at how social workers can practise authentic self-care. We discuss how self-care is really a shared endeavour with peers, and the importance of seeing it as activism for good social work. We are excited to be joined by Shantel Thomas and Sylvia Smith, who will be taking over as hosts in April.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by looking at how organisations provide relational support to enable social workers to thrive. We discuss how everyone can work together with a shared purpose. And we consider the importance of building a sense of belonging and equity within the organisation.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by discussing how good managerial support can help social workers to thrive. We look at how to build relationships of trust, including through the use of intersectionality.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by discussing the vital topic of supervision. We talk about why it matters, and how to secure sound professional supervision to enable you to practice well and to thrive.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by discussing the importance of wider support from the social work profession. We talk about how being part of a national and global community of social workers inspires us, encourages us and makes us think about what we stand for.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by discussing the importance of peer support. We look at how this helps social workers to manage stress, develop practice and be inspired.

We continue our series on sustainable social work by exploring how professional development helps us to thrive as social workers. We talk about how learning can bring joy and growth, and how to get the most out of continual professional development.

Heute ist der Podcast auf Deutsch. Ich spreche über die Soziale Arbeit in Großbritannien. Ich erkläre, wie sie funktioniert, und rede über die Schwierigkeiten und das Potenzial für die Zukunft. Ich hoffe, dass deutschsprachige Zuhörer diesen Podcast interessant finden.

The second podcast in our series on sustainable social work explores how we can empower ourselves as social workers. We look at the importance of taking control and influencing our working environment, and how we can ally with others in our profession to call for the support we need to be able to practise well.

In our first podcast of Series 8, we give an overview of how we look after ourselves, keep going and thrive in this vital work. We explore evidence of the pressures on social workers and consider a framework to help us maintain ourselves in this tricky context.

At the end of each series, we do a review of the year. We look back at the events and themes, and take stock of what is happening in social work.

Series 8 runs from 2023 to 2024. In this series we explore how we can keep doing social work in tricky contexts. In each podcast, we look at a difference aspect of the evidence about what helps social workers to thrive.

In this podcast we talk to Paul Bridgewater about the experience of being a social worker in a range of communities, including on small islands. Paul talks about how a social worker can get to know a context and people, and build a relationship that offers a way to help someone make sense of their experiences and uphold their rights.