What we need for healthier working environments and building self-resilience

BASW England’s Greater Manchester branch are excited to invite you to our upcoming event, focusing on well-being for social workers and students, open to members and non members.

Engage in learning and discussions around what we need for better working conditions, as well as practical strategies for building resilience and maintaining well-being in the demanding field of social work. Our speakers, Calum Gallacher and Stephen Mordue will share their perspectives and experiences.

The event will wrap up with an open Q&A, and a guided meditation, offering a moment of reflection and relaxation.

Professional working conditions and wellbeing guest speaker Calum Gallacher

Over the past 25 years Calum has worked in multiple fields of health and social care services UK wide, for children and adults in voluntary and residential services, community and hospital teams.  As a teenager he was allocated to a social worker.  He has been a QSW since 2008.  Calum has a strong identity as a social worker and is dedicated to principles of equality, human rights, empowerment, advocacy, and social justice.  He is committed to supporting and safeguarding people who are disadvantaged by socio-economic-biological factors, and more likely to experience adversities.  He has been employed as Assistant General Secretary for SWU since March 2023 and wants to help improve working conditions for social workers.  Formerly he was a social work Team Leader in a generic team, providing social services for adults and children, in a remote and rural region.  He has experienced work-related burnout but recovered with support of a wellbeing pilot combining coaching and mindfulness, delivered by Klip Global for BASW members. 

Wellbeing and resilience guest speaker Stephen Mordue

Stephen has over 20 years of experience in social work, initially as a front-line practitioner, then as a team manager, and now as a senior lecturer in social work at University of Sunderland. He understands the demands of professional life and how they interact with the demands of personal life. Since leaving Social Work practice Stephen has devoted a great deal of time to exploring how we manage and maintain our physical and practical well-being to foster our resilience and emotional well-being, in order to enhance our productivity and our lives in general. He is the author of ‘How to Thrive at Work’ (aimed at everyone in the workplace) which is a reworking of the original book he co-wrote ‘How to Thrive in Professional Practice’ which was specifically aimed at Social Workers. His Three Pillars model of resilience explores how we can be effective pilots of our lives. He writes and speaks regularly on all manner of issues related to self-care, well-being, and productivity.

BASW members who are unable to view a personalised message above are encouraged to log-in prior to booking for this event to ensure professional development is recorded within your membership record & to ensure you are able to attend for free.

Taster session available for non-members of BASW.* Non-members of BASW keen to learn more on the benefits of membership and receive updates on the valuable work we do are welcome to sign-up to our communication updates here. When you sign-up, you’ll automatically receive a registration code that can be used to waive the admin fee. 

*Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.