Change Academy for Social Work In Scotland (CASWS)

Change Academy for Social Work in Scotland was launched in April 2007. This is a unique and specific Change Academy, dedicated to the enhancement of the new Honours Degree in Social Work and related post-graduate degrees. This is in the context of the expectations enshrined in the far-reaching 21st Century Review of Social Work, Changing Lives (Scottish Executive 2006).

Each of the nine Scottish universities who deliver the Social Work qualification will be participating, being represented by eight schools/departments. They will undertake projects derived from specific themes related to the degree(s), representing significant cross-university collaboration. The participating teams will include a range of stakeholders including employer-based practise-teachers, service users and students.

The CASWS has the support of the Scottish Government, QAA, Funding Council and Universities Scotland. The planning group comprises representation from the Scottish Government, the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, the Scottish Social Services Council, and the Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education, along with representatives of the Higher Education Academy.

For more information on the Change Academy, please visit the Change Academy page on the Higher Education Academy site.

Changing Lives Newsletter Spring/Summer 2008 Article - Change Academy for Social Work Scotland (CASWS)

BALLOONS LAUNCHED TO PASS GOODWISHES TO PARTICIPANTS AT THE END OF A STRENUOUS 4 DAY RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMMEWERE SYMBOLIC OF THE ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM RELEASED BY THE FIRST CHANGE ACADEMY FOR SOCIALWORK SCOTLAND [CASWS].

Changing Lives: the Report of the 21st Century Review of SocialWork recognised that universities have a vital role to play in policy delivery and the Scottish Government developed an innovative approach to utilising their involvement with the Change Academy for SocialWork Scotland (CASWS), one that has generated interest from a range of public sector bodies and agencies.

A Change Academy is more than a one off event. It is a highly facilitated process which extends over a year that includes a four day residential event. It aims to develop teams to lead, co-ordinate and facilitate complex change. Its outputs are not only institutional projects and implementation plans, but also a strongly developed sense of team capacity and capability to implement change.

Based on the model of Summer Academies developed by the American Association of Higher Education [AAHE], Change Academies have been running annually in the UK since September 2004 through the Leadership Foundation in Higher Education and the Higher Education Academy.

The Change Academy for SocialWork Scotland has broken new ground from this UK-wide model, both in application and context. In the traditional model the institution-wide projects on which teams work are matters for the institutions themselves and thus the resultant action plans are confidential to them and their organisations.

In the CASWS model the enhancement of the Scottish social work degree and its outcomes are a matter of public interest.

CASWS started in April 2007 with an introductory day for university heads of social work, and projects were submitted and agreed in the summer. Team Leaders were brought together for a more focused planning and development session in September and the four day residential event took place in January 2008, with all the universities delivering the social work degree participating.

During the process teams were supported to think creatively and to go beyond their project brief, challenging their own and others’ assumptions and seeking innovative, transformational change within their work.

As part of CASWS, and as a considerable departure from the UK-wide model of Change Academy, teams were encouraged not only to participate as cohesive groups, working on their specific projects, but also to mix across teams to explore wider, more strategic opportunities that both their projects and wider collaborations might offer. To this end they had the opportunity to engage with employers as well as other stakeholders including senior colleagues from the Scottish Funding Council and universities.

The achievements of CASWS might perhaps only be properly judged in the longer term.

However, there have been some immediate indications of success. Of prime importance is the universities’ engagement and commitment to this process.

As one team stated “Buying into this process was a risk due to many factors; time required, resources, energy. There was some suspicion and a sense of non-co-operation.” Yet by the end of the residential event that same team were “feeling prepared, energised and ready to meet the work ahead”.

Employers who facilitated discussions on cross cutting strategic themes were also energised and enthused. One senior colleague stated that “the opportunity to reflect and collaborate on ideas was unique: a model that had considerable development opportunities”.

CASWS has clearly brokered relationships across boundaries: teams reported that there was a new spirit and commitment of cooperation and collaboration across institutions. Conversations with some of the senior figures from across the social services sector were reported to be the start of some genuine engagement around key issues, which both parties are clearly keen to find ways to build on.

CASWS demonstrates an approach to change and policy delivery which fosters a shared sense of purpose across boundaries of individual interests, mutual trust and respect, and enthusiastic engagement in its creative processes. Early signs are that it appears to be a highly effective process, generating buy-in and ownership from its participants as well as wider stakeholders.