Diaspora Dialogues: Celebrating Social Workers on the Move

We are pleased to present this one-day conference on Monday 18th of March as part of Social Work Month in 2024.

Dedicated to celebrating the contributions of overseas qualified social workers in the United Kingdom, this event aims to recognise and honor the vital role that international social workers play in enriching the social work profession and positively impacting the lives of individuals and communities across the UK.

This conference will be a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the invaluable contributions of overseas qualified social workers in the UK, giving time and space to:

• examine best practice in recruitment and retention

• encourage and support professional development

• enhance cultural awareness and competence

• promote inclusivity and diversity within the social work profession

• advocate for the recognition of overseas qualified social workers

• showcase the diversity of our social work community.

The programme for the day will include our keynote speakers (see below), panel discussions, workshops, networking opportunities, access to resources and publications, and an award ceremony.

The conference is a hybrid event, being held both in-person and online. In-person places are limited so if you intend to come along, please register for your place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Also, as in-person spaces are limited, we would respectfully ask to, please, only book in-person if you do fully intend to come along.

Details on how to join the event online, plus the programme, will be sent out nearer the time.

Key note speakers:

Meera Spillett : Pathway to Leadership for Diaspora Social Workers

Meera, a seasoned leader with 35+ years in social care, is a former Director of Children’s Services and HMI for the London Region. As co-lead for the 'Leadership in Colour' programme, she delivers Cultural Competence training and supports BALI initiatives. An author, advocate, and cancer survivor, Meera actively contributes to various advisory groups, emphasizing anti-racism and cultural competence. With qualifications including an MA in Business and Public Sector Strategy, Meera is also the Director of her company, Areem Limited.

Prospera Tedam

Prospera is Professor of Social Work in the School of Social Policy, Social Work & Social Justice at University College Dublin. Her research interests are in the areas of culturally sensitive social work, anti-oppression and anti-racism in social work, school social work, as well as decolonising social work research, education and practice.

Yohai Hakak: Challenges Encountered by Transnational Social Workers in Practice

Dr. Yohai Hakak is a senior lecturer in social work at Brunel University London. He was trained as a social worker in Israel and the USA, practiced as a mental health social worker and moved to the UK in 2007. Following a post-doctoral research fellowship at the LSE, he was appointed as a senior lecturer in social work at the University of Portsmouth. In 2014 he moved to Brunel University London. Yohai’s research interests include migration, parenting, mixed families, gender and more and he has published many journal articles and several books on these topics.