Social Workers descend on Wgtn & Ak this week

Tuesday, 14 April 2009, 10:49 am
Press Release: Aotearoa NZ Association of Social Workers

14 April 2009: Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers

Social Workers descend on Wellington & Auckland this week

This week is a big week for the social work profession in New Zealand with a series of both national and international events taking place throughout the week.

The two major events taking place in Wellington are:

The inaugural national Fono of Pasifika Social Workers – an interest group of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers – being hosted by the Va’aomanu Pasifika (Victoria University’s Pacific Studies programme) at Victoria University on Thursday 16 April.

The theme of the Fono is “Shining the Light on Pasifika Innovations”. Key topics at the Fono include Pasifika academic success in Aotearoa and “Pasifika Life Stories” – strengthening social work identity and re-construction within community workplaces. Speakers include: Pale Sauni, Vaiolesi Passells, Kim Jewel Elliot, Reanter Kauvaka, Tautala Aiono-Faletou, Jayne Schwalger, Georgina Mahe and Uila Esara.

The annual national Congress of the Aotearoa New Zealand of Social Workers which takes place at Capital House in Melrose, Wellington on Friday & Saturday,
17-18 April.

Key topics at the Congress include:
>          Workplace bullying of social workers 
            – a research presentation by Dr Kate van Heugten,
            University of Canterbury
>       Social justice and Constitutional change 
         – a presentation by Moana Jackson, lawyer 

Meanwhile in Takapuna in Auckland, Massey University is hosting the Fourth International Social Work in Schools Conference, starting from Wednesday 15 April and running to Friday 17 April. This major international event has attracted social workers who specialise in social work in schools from more than 20 countries.

The next largest international event on the calendar for the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) is the Asia Pacific Social Work Conference which will also take place in Auckland from 10-13 November 2009. This combines, for the first time, the Asia Pacific Regional Conference of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the Asia Pacific Association for Social Work Education (APASWE). It is 13 years since ANZASW last hosted a major IFSW event.

Relevant websites:

Social Work in Schools Conference
– see http://4isswc.massey.ac.nz/index.html

Asia Pacific Social Work Conference
– see www.swinnz2009.co.nz

Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers
– see www.anzasw.org.nz

ENDS

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