Reflections on Social Work Careers: University of Melbourne Social Work Alumni 1945-2000

To conclude our 80 Years of Social Work series, we were delighted to hold the Reflections on Social Work Careers: University of Melbourne Social Work Alumni 1945-2000 webinar on Thursday 25^th November 2021 from 10am to 11.30am.

Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the success of our webinar. If you wish to watch a recording of this webinar, please find it below:

The launch

Hosted by Professor Louise Harms (Chair and Head of Social Work at The University of Melbourne) and Janet Farrow OAM, President of the University of Melbourne Social Work Alumni Association (UMSWAA), a panel of discussants who have made critical contributions to the project outlined their reflections on the project. Emeritus Professor Dorothy Scott AM and Dr Jane Miller AM discussed the methodology and significance of the project. Associate Professor Ralph Hampson, Miriam Suss OAM and Robyne Schwarz AM outlined the implementation of the project as a student placement experience. Selected Master of Social Work students discussed their placement experiences in this first year of the project.

Background

As part of celebrating 80 years of Social Work education at The University of Melbourne, the Department of Social Work and UMSWAA established an oral history project. This project involves the collection of images and the stories of older alumni with established careers in social work. Once collected, these stories will comprise a digital library that will be stored on the UMSWAA webpage with links to, and from, the Department of Social Work’s website. The project provides a welcome field education placement opportunity in a pandemic-compromised environment for Master of Social Work students who, with other alumni, have conducted the interviews, and will continue to do so in the years ahead.