Organizers: Ilse Julkunen & Lynette Joubert

This thematic group focuses on the complexities of making an impact through the direct translation of research findings on practice and policy. The Practice Collaborative offers an open and collegial discussion space for members to share their experiences, their challenges, successes, as well as failures. The group has organised online seminars and interesting presentations since the Melbourne conference.  We welcome new members. We hope with this Pre-conference program to attract debate and discussion on the experience of developing ‘new knowledge’ in social work practice research, including increased understanding of what ‘impact’ and the translation of practice research findings back into practice really involves.  We will start with a short introduction and open discussion and move on to presentations to inspire further knowledge development in the field.  

Preliminary Program

09.00-10.00  Introduction to the complexities of Impact and Influence

• A dialogue with Ilse and Lynette
• Group exercise on impact and implementation in practice research

10.00-10.30  Navigating Complexities in Practice results to Practice by Christa Fouché

10.30-11.00  Pod cast discussions on Impact and Influence by Martin Webber

11.00-11.30  A conversation on Practice Research and Outcomes in PhD studies

11.30-12.00  Where do we go from here?

In the first workshop of Systemic Lens we explore different hypotheses: 

Our hypotheses: 

• WHAT? Systemic practices, including relational practice, and group critical reflection may create resilience for communities and individuals – agency and meaningfulness – as well for the service users. It is the goal of practice research (PR) to show how to carry out systemic practices.
• HOW? PR should be carried out in a way which creates resilience in the practice and research context. PR should therefore include shared processes of learning, meaning making (knowledge creation) and identity building.
• WHY? Resilience is an important goal in child welfare services. Workers commonly experience a high emotional load because the context of the work and the lives of children and families are very complex and constantly changing.
• WHERE? We think that PR builds resilience by working closely with the practitioners and children and families together by strengthening polyphony and multiperspective understanding.
• ME? We argue that all stakeholders (researchers, practitioners and service users) should try to put themselves into the picture/system.

There will be four papers presented in the seminar and discussions.

Program

09.00–09.30  Welcome! Dr. Laura Yliruka, THL

09.30-10.00  Dr. Erica Russ, Southern Cross University, Australia: A relational-reflective framework for resilience in social work practice  

10.00-10.30  Doctoral project researcher, Natalie Joubert, UEF: Resilience and the shift to cultural competence - early intervention with migrant families in Finland

10.30-11.00  Dr. Liz Reimer, Southern Cross University: Transforming classroom culture to transform self: a co-operative inquiry into overcoming restrictive personal discomfort and interpersonal power dynamics when teaching and learning critical reflection

11.00-11.15  Break

11.15-11.45  Dr. Laura Yliruka & Dr. Kaarina Mönkkönen & Dr. Päivi Petrelius: Towards collaborative, resilience building implementation of systemic practices in Finland

11.45-12.00 Discussion followed by lunch (from 12:00)

This seminar provides a space for practice researchers to (a) reflect upon evolving definitions of organizational supports for practice research and (b) engage in critical dialogue about opportunities and challenges when engaging in practice research studies with key frontline, management and organizational partners. It focuses upon the following key questions:

• How are “organizational supports” for practice research understood?
• Which organizational supports are most important for supporting collaborative projects involving diverse stakeholders?
• What are some examples of practice research projects that feature the importance of organizational supports?  

The first component of the seminar explores a set of working definitions of organizational supports for practice research. The second component provides space for a comparative international perspective (Asia and the Nordic countries). The third component invites participants to engage in a “workshop” by sharing their experiences with organizational supports for conducting practice research.

Program

Component # 1: 9-10 am

• Welcome and Introductions (Mike Austin, USA)
• Session Theme: How do we build a definition of “organizational support” for practice research that features the key stakeholders of practitioners, service users, and researchers?
  • Discussion for clarifying and suggesting basic aspects of “organizational support” using illustrative definitions (handout), especially with service users

Component #2: 10-11am (Bowen McBeath, USA & Heidi Muurinen, Finland)

•  Session Theme: How can we build an archive of cases based upon organizational storytelling that features the launching of practice research projects with organizational supports?
  • Using a modified fishbowl technique where two practice researchers share their experiences in launching practice research collaborations
    • Researcher-initiated practice research (China)
    • Practitioner-initiated practice research (Finland)
  • Engage in follow-up questions on organizational supports and key stakeholder involvement that compares/contrasts their respective experiences 

Component #3: 11am-12pm (Sidsel Natland, Norway)

• Session Theme: How do we support each other in developing research that advances the basic theme of organizational supports for practice research based on ideas generated in previous sessions, especially the involvement of service users?
  • Using a peer consultation approach, conference attendees will be divided into small discussion groups to share their current experiences with practice research
  • The facilitator of each group will then briefly share highlights of the group discussions in the closing session of this pre-conference Practice Research Collaborative
  • Future publication strategies will also be shared 

This collaborative has just been launched and focus will be on discussing the description below together with the future possibilities and activities in the collaborative.

This collaborative promotes social work practice research on diversity with families at micro, meso, exo- and macro-levels, both locally and internationally.

Embracing diversity in working with families is essential. Issues related to race, sexuality, religion and spirituality, class, abilities and many more dimensions impact the processes and outcomes of working with families in different contexts. This collaborative focuses on the impact of diversity from the person of the social workers, client characteristics and lived experiences, and organizational and governmental policies in different milieu.

Families that are considered diverse in relation to their ethnicity, nationality, religiosity, sexuality and so on are often under-served or misappropriately served by mainstream social work professionals who may not appreciate their diverse backgrounds and experiences. Moreover, these families may be marginalized due to national or organizational policies, and social workers may be constrained by these policies and procedures. This collaborative will begin by appraising relevant research and/or policies related to diversity in social work, particularly with a focus on working with families that are diverse. For a start, the collaborative will focus on selected areas of diversity (e.g., ethnicity or sexuality) given the wide spectrum of diversity over a period of 12 months (after the 6^th ICPR) and may develop practice research questions for further exploration.  

This collaborative is initiated by Dr. Timothy SIM, Associate Professor at Singapore University of Social Sciences. After about two decades of focusing on disaster management internationally, Tim returned to Singapore in 2021 and his passion of working with families, particularly those who experience addictions, incarceration and violence, which are often over-represented by ethnic minority groups and those living with multi-challenges in life.    

The discussions will be led by DR. Timothy SIM, Associate Professor at Singapore University of Social Sciences

13:00-13:30 Opening address by conference chair and prof. Lars Uggerhøj, Aalborg University

13:30-13:40 Musical performance by Luka Dgebuadze and Mads Houe

13:40-14:00 Round-off and introducing the first keynote speaker by Lars Uggerhøj

We meet outside the main entrance at 18:10 and walk together the 400 m to the reception venue.

The student assistants will lead the way and make sure that everyone gets to the museum on time.  

Welcome speech by Ms. Helle Frederiksen, Acting Mayor of Aalborg.

Food and beverages will be served at the welcome reception after the welcome speech.

For representatives from the practice research collaboratives (max. 15 pax.)

This panel discussion will present different concepts of practice research network or ways of organizing practice research activities. The four concepts presented are not exhaustive, but important examples of how practice research can be organized in different sustainable ways.

The four concepts are:

• Mack Center on Nonprofit and Public Sector Management in the Human Service Organizations /Bowen McBeath, Professor, Portland State University
• The Helsinki Practice Research Centre /Maija Jäppinen, D. Soc. Sc., Assistant Professor, Docent, Licensed Social Worker, University of Helsinki
• The Mrs. Lee Choon Guan Endowed Research Fund Model /Rosaleen Ow, Dr., National University of Singapore
• The Five Plus One Model /Lynette Joubert, Professor, University of Melbourne

Colleagues representing the concepts will each give a 10-minute presentation of the concept/network/organization. After the presentations there is room for a discussion including both the presenters and the audience.

The bar is open if you would like a mocktail/drink (at your own expense).

If you haven't registered for the dinner yet, it is still possible to buy a dinner ticket or two (you are welcome to bring a guest to the conference dinner).