We had a brilliant online 2025 conference and hope everyone who attended had a great time, felt inspired and learned something new.
It was great to welcome social workers, students, educators and policymakers across Scotland to explore the role of activism in shaping the future of social work and reflect on how the profession can mobilise to affect meaningful change.
This was especially pertinent with the Scottish Parliamentary Elections just around the corner, and we were treated to a number of engaging presentations and panel discussions on how social work's voice and influence can be amplified in this important process.
Thank you to all our excellent keynote and workshop speakers. It was wonderful to hear from so many people who have used their role to drive strategic and structural change within their communities and organisations, and to consider how these ideas and experiences can support social work practice.
You can download a copy of the slides from the conference below.
| Welcome | Dr Jane Shears | National Director BASW NI & SASW Conference Chair | 10:00 |
| Can activism drive forward rights-based, inclusive, and equitable social work practice? | Charlie McMillan | Director, Human Rights Consortium Scotland, Chair, Dates’n’Mates Scotland, Co-Chair, Scottish National Action Plan for Human Rights, Chair, Global Leadership Exchange Advisory Group for Disability | 10:10 |
| The Power threat Meaning Framework – Implications for Social Work and for Activism | Phil Wiltshire | Social Worker, Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust | 10:30 |
| National developments in social work | Iona Colvin | Chief Social Work Adviser | 11:05 |
| Panel | Iona Colvin, Chief Social Work Adviser; Charlie McMillan, Humans Rights Consortium; Phil Wilshire, Social Worker; Caroline McDonald, Co-chair SASW National Committee | 11:25 | |
| Workshops x 6 | See workshop list | 13:00 | |
| Workshops x 6 | 14:00 | ||
| Prospects for the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election | Prof Sir John Curtis | Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde | 15:05 |
| Panel - Building Campaigns for Change | John Dickie, CPAG: Monica Lennon MSP; John McGowan, SWU; Alison McGrory, NHS Highland; and Pete White, Only Just | 15:30 | |
| Final Thoughts | Toyin Adenugba & Caroline McDonald | Co-Chairs SASW National Committee | 15:50 |
| Workshop A | Anne-Marie Monaghan & Linda Riley | What I wish my social worker had asked me? |
| Workshop B | Susanne Machin-Autenrieth & Susan Dobson | International Social Workers: thriving or surviving? |
| Workshop C | Dr. Neil Thompson | Social Work, Activism and Influencing Skills |
| Workshop D | Geraldine Graham | Climate Justice, Radical Practice and Social Work |
| Workshop E | Claire Longmuir | Making services fit for people: Inspiration for change |
| Workshop F | Alison McGrory | Managing Cats: Activism, Health and social work |