What can social work learn from asset-based community development?
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About this event
What can social work and social care learn from asset-based community development?
Presented by: Prof. Fiona Verity, Swansea University, Dr Oliver Davis, Cardiff University and David Horton, ACE Caerau Ely.
Social work and community development have always been uneasy bedfellows not least in terms of where power and ‘experts’ are located (Walker 2016). Two decades of neo-liberal influences on social work have increasingly pushed the profession toward managerialist, detached ‘professionalism’, rather than kinship, solidarity and activism.
The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 has set the stage for a reuniting of social work and community development with a focus on relational rather than procedural ways of working and re-engagement with communities. However, there is a danger that this could become an opportunist and exploitative venture, that focuses on the transfer of responsibility rather than resources and power to local communities.
This seminar will outline a particular approach to community development in a particular area of Cardiff, that is asset-based and people-led. It will provide a narrative of community development that illustrates its complex, relational, creative and emergent nature. Such an approach does not sit well with traditional approaches to planning and evaluation in social care, which often try to control and predict rather than go with the flow.
The fruits of asset-based community development will be illustrated by the example of a heritage project involving archaeologists from Cardiff University. The seminar will conclude with an outline of a storytelling approach to evaluating such work that is focused on learning, rather than performance.
Participants will then be invited to engage in dialogue about what they have heard. They will explore the opportunities and obstacles to community development and social care becoming more easy bedfellows.
Beth gall gwaith cymdeithasol a gofal cymdeithasol ei ddysgu gan ddatblygu cymunedau ar sail asedau?
Cyflwynir gan: Dr Nick Andrews, Prifysgol Abertawe, Dr Oliver Davis, Prifysgol Caerdydd a David Horton, ACE Caerau Trelái.
Nid yw gwaith cymdeithasol a datblygu cymunedol yn cydweddu bob amser, yn enwedig o ran lle ceir pŵer ac ‘arbenigwyr’ (Walker 2016). Mae dau ddegawd o ddylanwadau neo-ryddfrydol ar waith cymdeithasol wedi gwthio’r proffesiwn fwyfwy tuag at ‘broffesiynoldeb’ rheolwriaethol, ar wahân, yn hytrach nag undod ac actifiaeth.
Mae Deddf Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) 2014 wedi paratoi’r ffordd at ailuno gwaith cymdeithasol a datblygu cymunedol gyda ffocws ar ffyrdd perthnasol yn hytrach na gweithdrefnol o weithio ac ail-ymgysylltu â chymunedau. Fodd bynnag, mae perygl y gallai hon droi’n fenter i bobl fachu a chamfanteisio arni, un sy’n canolbwyntio ar drosglwyddo cyfrifoldeb yn hytrach nag adnoddau a phŵer i gymunedau lleol.
Bydd y seminar hwn yn amlinellu agwedd benodol at ddatblygu cymunedol yn un o ardaloedd Caerdydd, sy’n seiliedig ar asedau a than arweiniad y bobl. Bydd yn cynnig naratif o ddatblygu cymunedol sy’n darlunio ei natur gymhleth, berthynol, greadigol a chynyddol. Nid yw’r fath agwedd yn cydweddu’n dda ag agweddau traddodiadol at gynllunio a gwerthuso mewn gofal cymdeithasol, sy’n yn aml yn ceisio rheoli a rhagweld yn hytrach na chanlyn y llif.
Caiff ffrwythau datblygu cymunedol ar sail asedau eu darlunio drwy’r enghraifft o brosiect treftadaeth sy’n cynnwys archaeolegwyr o Brifysgol Caerdydd. Bydd y seminar yn dod i ben gydag amlinelliad o agwedd adrodd straeon at werthuso’r fath waith sy’n canolbwyntio ar ddysgu yn hytrach na pherfformiad.
Yna, caiff y cyfranogwyr eu gwahodd i gymryd rhan mewn dialog am yr hyn y maent wedi’i ddysgu. Byddant yn ystyried y cyfleoedd a’r rhwystrau ynghylch gwneud i ddatblygu cymunedol a gofal cymunedol gyd-fynd yn well.
Organiser ExChange Wales
Organiser of What can social work learn from asset-based community development?
ExChange is an all-Wales network that brings together workers, researchers and those who use services to share experiences and expertise and learn from one another. Our aim is to improve social work and social care services by creating dialogue and ongoing relationships between people with different types of expertise.
We believe that research has most impact when it is part of an ongoing dialogue between researchers, practitioners and those with direct experiences of services. As such our focus is on bringing leading researchers into direct contact with workers, managers and those who use services so that we can learn from one another. In our first year we are running a programme of more than 20 events across Wales, from large national conferences to small seminars with leading experts.
ExChange was set up by the Cascade Centre at Cardiff University, but we are working closely with Swansea, Bangor and we hope other universities across Wales. Almost every local authority in Wales is a member, as well as key charities and other organisations. We hope this will allow us to provide a range of opportunities for discussion and collaboration with an ongoing focus on ensuring that our research makes a difference. If you would like more information or to be involved then do email us: contact@exchangewales.org.
Rhwydwaith Cymru gyfan yw ExChange, a'i nod yw dod â gweithwyr, ymchwilwyr a'r rheini sy'n defnyddio gwasanaethau ynghyd i rannu profiadau ac arbenigedd, ac i ddysgu o'i gilydd. Ein nod yw gwella gwaith cymdeithasol a gwasanaethau gofal cymdeithasol drwy sbarduno trafodaeth a meithrin perthnasau parhaus rhwng pobl â gwahanol mathau o arbenigedd.
Ein cred yw bod gwaith ymchwil yn cael mwy o effaith pan fo'n rhan o drafodaeth barhaus rhwng ymchwilwyr, ymarferwyr, a'r rhai sydd â phrofiadau uniongyrchol o ddefnyddio gwasanaethau. Rydym felly yn canolbwyntio ar ddod ag ymchwilwyr blaenllaw i gysylltiad uniongyrchol â gweithwyr, rheolwyr, a'r rhai sy'n defnyddio gwasanaethau, er mwyn i ni allu dysgu o'n gilydd. Yn ystod ein blwyddyn gyntaf, rydym yn rhedeg rhaglen o fwy na 20 o ddigwyddiadau ledled Cymru, a hynny'n cynnwys cynadleddau mawr a seminarau bach gydag arbenigwyr blaenllaw.
Sefydlwyd ExChange gan y Ganolfan Cascade ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, ond rydym yn cydweithio'n agos â phrifysgolion Abertawe a Bangor, a gobeithiwn wneud hynny â phrifysgolion eraill ledled Cymru hefyd. Mae bron pob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru yn aelod, yn ogystal ag elusennau allweddol a sefydliadau eraill. Gobeithiwn y bydd hyn yn ein galluogi i roi amrywiaeth o gyfleoedd i drafod a chydweithio, a hynny gan ganolbwyntio'n barhaus ar sicrhau bod ein gwaith ymchwil yn gwneud gwahaniaeth. Os hoffech ragor o wybodaeth, neu i gymryd rhan, cysylltwch â ni drwy ebost: contact@exchangewales.org.
