Social Service Workforce Week 2018
Social Services Workforce Week enters its fifth year, between September 24 – 28, with the aim of bringing more attention and support to the social service workforce, and to build awareness of various workforce strengthening activities happening throughout the world.
The week is organised by the Global Social Services Workforce Alliance (GSSWA), a Washington-based membership organisation. The Alliance has been pushing to strengthen the social services workforce through a number of initiatives, including adopting a wide definition to recognise the large numbers of people - from professionals to volunteers - involved in social services in every country across the world.
Throughout the week, there will be a number of online based activities including blog posts, webinars and other resources available to participants to engage with.
The focus of Social Services Workforce Week for 2018 is on the recently launched Call to Action, which organisations have signed to show a commitment both within their own countries and globally to strengthen the Social Service Workforce to better protect children and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
CELCIS has partnered with a group of 30 other organisations globally, including Save the Children, UNICEF and SOS Children’s Villages International, to sign the Call to Action with a collective agreement that:
‘We must work together to improve protection, health and well-being outcomes for children, youth, families and communities as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. These outcomes will only be achieved with a strong social service workforce backed by political, financial, technical and moral support. We, the undersigned, call on national and local governments, in coordination with national and global partners, to strengthen the social service workforce.’
CELCIS is committed to improving the care and outcomes for children across the world as well as within Scotland – where most of our work is focussed. These international connections also allow us to bring overseas perspectives into our work in Scotland, and many individuals and agencies have reported how beneficial it is when staff hear international speakers or when they host overseas visitors coming to look at how we do things in Scotland.
Early this year, Ian Milligan CELCIS International Advisor, was appointed to the Advisory group of the Global Social Services Workforce Alliance.