Partner Article

Social work co-op attracts national interest

A scheme launched in the North East aimed at reducing the country’s social work crisis has been so popular that national rollout plans are being brought forward.

The Social Work Co-Operative was launched in May, with the aim of supplying temporary staff to local authorities but at the same time offering an opportunity for social workers to become stakeholders in the organisation and benefit from better terms and conditions.

The initial plan behind the scheme was to test the water in the North East and then develop the co-op across the UK. But the amount of interest and positive feedback from other areas of the country has now led to the Social Work Co-Op looking at their future plans.

Co-founder Walter Young, a former director of the successful not-for-profit agency Team Fostering, said they have been overwhelmed by the response.

He said: “Although our initial plans are about concentrating on building up in the North East, we’ve had an incredible response from right across the country.

“Some of it has been from people who just want to express their support and say what a great idea they think the Co-op is while others have got in touch to register their interest when we extend the scheme.

“From what we’ve been hearing it’s the fact that working in an organisation where they aren’t lining someone else’s pockets, where they will feel empowered and will get the opportunity to develop specialisms in areas of particular interest is what seems to be most appealing.”

His partners in the business, development director Dr Guy Turnbull, who has worked across the UK as a social economy consultant, social/community and enterprise expert Carol Bell are now concentrating on explaining the benefits of the Social Work Co-Op to local authorities.

Any social worker wanting to find out further information is asked to call 0845 313 8452.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .