Social work at Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland

1. “Before going back to college, I knew I didn't
want to be an intellectual, spending my life in
books and libraries without knowing what the
hell is going on in the streets. Theory without
practice is just as incomplete as practice
without theory. The two have to go together.”
― Assata Shakur, Assata: An Autobiography

2. We don’t train people for social work practice.
And we don’t try to produce model professionals
who have a one-size fit all disposition

3. We are a university of free thinkers.
We aim to facilitate research minded
critical thinkers who understand social
work
We enjoy arguments, debates and
controversies. We thrive on uncertainty

4. Social work has been around in
Glasgow since 1830 (Thomas
Chalmers invented the concept
of social work home visiting)
Social work makes a vital
contribution to the “social good”

5. Social work values are central to the
mission. As professional social
workers we aspire to a more socially
just and equitable society. We
challenge forms of discrimination
and oppression.

6. The following elements were identified:(The CCETSW was the
statutory body which, prior to the formation of the GSCC,
regulated social work training in the UK. It ran from 1971-2001.)
- a faculty for critical reflection informed by knowledge and
research
- an ability to use research to inform practice which counters
unfair discrimination, racism, poverty, disadvantage and
injustice, consistent with core social work values
- an understanding of the process of research, and the use of
research to theorise from practice.

7. Finally, while the local context is important,
social work is a global and international
paradigm.
We learn from colleagues all over the world
about new models of intervention, different
perspectives on thinking about social problems.