exploring social pedagogy concepts in turbulent times

Our first session focussed on the Common Third and how we can develop relationships through purposeful shared activities at a time when lockdown restrictions on meeting face-to-face create huge challenges. We had a brilliant discussion with Jameel Hadi (Salford University), Danny Henderson (Common View) and Vasileios Tiliakos (Athirma) sharing their experiences and ideas.

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This session explored the Diamond Model, a reminder that every person is inherently rich and that we all benefit when we look for the best in people. We were delighted to be joined by Lowis Charfe (UCLan), Kara O’Neil (Social Pedagogy Association) and Robyn Kemp (Social Pedagogy Professional Association), as well as an inspiring group of participants who joined the conversation.

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In this session we examined how we can be professional AND personal whilst leaving the private self out of practice. We also focussed on how lockdown has changed this balance. Thanks to everyone who contributed with their thoughts and reflections, particularly Alicja Kabat-Pastwa (Coventry Council), Cath Barton (Community Circles), Cecile Remy (St Christopher’s Fellowship) and Ali Gardner (Head, Heart, Hands in Practice).

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This session focussed on the Relational Universe, given that the pandemic has highlighted how crucial it is to feel connected. As human beings we are all interdependent, and the Relational Universe expands our professional understanding of what relationship-centred practice is all about. We were delighted that Nicola Boyce (Lighthouse Children’s Home) and Krysta Parsons (Lincolnshire County Council) shared examples from their practice, which stimulated participants to bring in their thoughts and insights.

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Uncertainty and upheaval make it challenging to be in the learning zone when the panic zone feels just around the corner and the comfort zone feels like the only safe place. So how can the Learning Zone Model help us? Watch the recording of this session, with Elaine Hamilton (Nether Johnston House) and Krysta Parsons (Lincolnshire County Council) joining the fishbowl conversation.

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Our focus in this session was on critical reflection, which is never more needed than when things are turbulent, chaotic and messy. By using a structured process to examine more deeply what’s happening, how this is affecting us and others, what influences there are, and how we can critically analyse the situation to learn and act, we can feel better equipped to deal with uncertainty and complexity. We discussed the FEIALA model for critical reflection, which we developed together with Robyn Kemp, and heard how it can be used in practice, with contributions from Robyn herself, Chardelle Margerison (St Christopher’s Fellowship), Simon Johr (Coventry Council) and Diana Schmidt (Brent Council).

The new year started with our webinar on Nonviolent Communication and how we can connect to what’s alive in people. Marshall Rosenberg’s concept helps nurture kindness and compassion at a time when the challenges of the pandemic tear at the fabric of societies, and it was exciting to explore these tensions with Kara O’Neil (Social Pedagogy Association), Simon Taylor (Derbyshire County Council) and Maggie Bagley (MA Social Pedagogy Leadership graduate).

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In this session we discussed Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory and how we can create learning situations that bring out the best in people and recognise their potential. Thanks to Martin Schwarz (Camphill Community Glencraig), Nicola Boyce (Lighthouse Children’s Home), Lowis Charfe (University of Central Lancashire) and Dan Nester (Barnardo’s) for sharing their experiences and examining links with creativity.

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Axel Honneth’s theory of recognition provides a valuable framework for how we can create the conditions in which people feel validated as human beings. A focus on recognition offers a rich understanding of how we can build meaningful relationships with the people we support, strengthen the structural aspects that ensure they feel heard, and cultivate social inclusion. We had a fascinating discussion about why recognition is such a crucial concept, with contributions by Adam Pagett (Bradford Council), Lotte Harbo (VIA University College) and Daniela Reimer (Zurich University of Applied Sciences).

Often translated as ethos or stance, the German term Haltung refers to the way in which we bring our values and beliefs to life in our interactions with others. In this webinar we enjoyed an insightful discussion about how we can be authentic at a time when our Haltung is challenged. Ian Jones (Nottingham University), Cath Barton (Community Circles) and Mike Crowther (Empowerment) shared their practice experiences and why it’s important for us to be mindful and constantly reflective of our Haltung.

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The concept of lifespace highlights that much of the support we offer in social pedagogical practice happens in the space that people inhabit – in their homes, their community, their lives. Lifespace also emphasises the importance of everyday activities in developing meaningful relationships. We were joined by Alex Priver (ThemPra), Matthew McFadzean (Pebbles Care) and George Evans (Camphill Community Beannachar) to reflect on how conceptualisations of lifespace have evolved during the pandemic.

In our session on empowerment, we explored how we can flip the narrative about power and create the conditions in which the people we support feel a sense of ownership, control and empowerment. Re-watch the conversation with June McDonald and Joe Gibb (Renfrewshire Council), Georgina Evans (Empowerment) and Cecile Remy (UCL Institute of Education).

A radical alternative to New Public Management is beginning to rehumanise public service. To celebrate the launch of the free e-book ‘Human Learning Systems: Public Service for the Real World’, this webinar explored how HLS can strengthen social pedagogical practice in organisations. Watch this recorded conversation with contributions by Dawn Plimmer (Collaborate CIC), David Barr (Aberlour Child Care Trust) and Lowis Charfe (UCLan).

In many countries, social pedagogy is characterised as a human rights profession. In the UK, we haven’t talked much about that yet, so in this webinar it was time to explore what this means and why it is so important for practice. Taking a human rights approach has profound implications, and we explored these with Jameel Hadi and Seamus Martin, who have both been involved in some amazing creative community projects in Salford.

A powerful communication model developed by German communication theorist Friedemann Schulz von Thun, the 4 aspects of a message explains just how easily we can miscommunicate, how we can clear up misunderstandings – and how we can make healthier choices about what we read into other people’s messages. In this webinar we discussed the model’s practice applications with Nicole Ashworth (Middlesbrough Council) and Alex Priver (ThemPra).

Social pedagogical practice requires us to be highly reflective of our values and how we bring these into our interactions, especially when we work with people who may not share the same values. It’s therefore important to have a conceptual framework for balancing values that appear to be in conflict. Developed by Hartmann, Helwig and Schulz von Thun, the Values Square can guide us in achieving a greater sense of balance. In this webinar we explored the model’s potential with Alex Priver (ThemPra) and Robyn Kemp (SPPA).

In this webinar we focussed on co-production and social pedagogy. The central question we explored was how we can create the conditions for the people we support to enjoy meaningful involvement as genuine partners. We had fascinating contributions from Tara Bartlett at Arizona State University about her amazing work on participatory budgeting in schools. Faith Walker, who is part of Friends of Cymru Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, shared why co-production has been so essential on their journey from a support group to a social enterprise.

How can we better understand human diversity and draw on its strengths when we work with people who are different to us? Developed by Riemann and Thomann, this model suggests four fundamentally opposing human orientations along two dimensions: proximity and distance, and continuity and change. In this conversation with Sylvia Holthoff (ThemPra) and Robyn Kemp (SPPA), we explored how the Riemann-Thomann Model can guide social pedagogical practice and developmental reflection, both with individuals and within teams, to bring out the best in every person.

Lifeworld orientation is synonymous with how social pedagogues and social workers in Germany engage with the people they support, focussing on people’s lived experience and ensuring that any support is firmly grounded in their ‘lifeworld’. In this webinar we gained insights into how this can enhance social work and social care practice, with contributions from three German-born social workers in the UK: Bianka Lang (Essex County Council), Renny Amayo (Bradford Council) and Martin Schwarz (Camphill Community Glencraig).