Service Users & Carers Influencing Social Work Education In Scotland

The new Board of Scottish Voices had their first meeting on 31st January 2007 and voted in key office bearers to take the work of the group forward. At this exciting time it was recognised that all board members are of equal importance in making sure the voice of service users and carers are heard.

Scottish Voices is made up of groups and networks of people who use social work services or care for someone who does. All of the people in Scottish Voices work with the universities who teach social workers or with the new Learning Networks in Scotland. Group members are involved with these organisations because they want to make a difference to social work education at both local and national level.

By working with the universities, service users and carers can positively influence how social workers are trained which in turn should improve the way they do their job.

By working with the Learning Networks, service users and carers can begin to work more closely together and with professionals to help improve how all social services workers do their jobs.

The next meeting of the board is on March 20th 2007 when decisions will be made about how best to communicate with service users and carers across Scotland and about the work areas the group want to concentrate on in their first year’s work-plan.

Find out more about Scottish Voices by visiting this area of the Institute website which will be expanding over the next few weeks and months providing real opportunities for you to have your say and really begin to influence how and what staff in the social services sector learn.

For more information please contact John Dow: [email protected]