“We discussed many creative solutions to improve user participation in social work educations, as well as the possibility of using creative methods to convey experiences of vulnerability and social exclusion. For example, Professor Alie Weerman from the Netherlands shared her experiences in how she in action research uses artistic methods in collaboration with people with mental illness”, says Cecilia Heule, international coordinator at PowerUs, and lecturer at the School of Social Work, Lund University.

Cecilia Heule has together with Arne Kristiansen, Marcus Knutagård and other recearchers at the School of Social Work, developed methods of mutual learning to change social work practice to be more effective in supporting the empowerment of marginalised and discriminated groups in society.

The conference also highlighted Gap-mending. The concept is used to create reflection, analyse, and prevent gaps that exist between different actors in social work. Gap-mending is used at the School of Social Work, Lund University and by Helen Casey at the Open University in England.

The conference was a collaboration between PowerUs that is an international network of teachers and researchers from schools of social work and representatives from different service user organisations, the School of Social Work, and the Open University in London.

Conference speakers on Youtube

• Vishanthie Sewpaul, professor of social work at the University of KwaZulu Natal , Durban, South Africa and at the University of Stavanger.
• Peter Beresford, professor of citizen participation at the University of Essex and emeritus professor of social policy at Brunel University, London.
• Alie Weerman, psychologist and professor of GGZ (Dutch mental health care) and Society at Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands.