Food for our thoughts: the role of social pedagogy in sustainable wellbeing

The Social Pedagogy Professional Association [SPPA] is pleased to invite you to its annual conference which will take place on 20th October 2022, via a Live Broadcast from London (with in-person attendance optional). The SPPA annual conference is open to members and non-members.

About this year's topic: social pedagogy, wellbeing & mental health

This year’s conference will explore how social pedagogy can work holistically to sustain mental health, well-being, networks and localities in the broadest sense. We seek to look at what wellbeing and mental health mean openly and critically for different people in diverse contexts. From there, we will ask ourselves: How can we expand our views on what it is to be well and healthy and go beyond the individual medical model?

Beyond the medical and behaviourist models…

It’s the place, the smells and sounds, the people and habits we hold that are at the core of our sense of belonging and existence. When this experience is positive, we tend to care and want to sustain the environment that nourishes us. From this comfortable position, it seems easier to imagine the future and ourselves in it, we might even feel motivated to find ways to support causes and people in our networks.

Yet when we or someone is unwell or struggles emotionally, a different picture emerges. We start feeling that something is not right, and we want to find solutions. In our desire to remove pain and suffering, we might try to intervene and control and we could end up losing sight of the bigger picture: that human beings are more than an individual mind and a body that needs to be fixed.

Join us to explore, discuss, learn and co-create together!

Who is this conference for

All those interested in a social pedagogic approach to delivering care, education and health services, from practitioners to policy makers, students , academics and artists. You might be working in early childhood education and care, family support, youth work, foster care, social work, in day care services for older people, mental health services or residential childcare. There is a place in social pedagogy for all of you!

Come and joi us! There are special discounted rates for members, students, foster carers, and non-wage earners.

Confirmed keynote speakers

• Dr Rachel Rosen, Associate Professor in Sociology of Childhood in the Social Research Institute, UCL Institute of Education (IOE)
• Shumela Ahmed, Managing Director at Resilience Learning Partnership

Our call for abstracts remains open - Click here for more information

Do you have any questions or would like more information? Get in touch with us at conference@sppa-uk.org

Looking forward to seeing you!

Would you like to become a SPPA member and enjoy discounted tickets to attend our annual conference? Click here to register, then come back to the eventbrite page and choose the SPPA member ticket type.