by Emma MaierThere was a time when former prime minister Tony Blair could easily summon an interview with almost any leading media outlet around the world. Yet there was one vitally important publication that remained aloof: Take a Break. Now, the weekly real-life magazine is offering the social work profession an opportunity it denied the former PM.
Editor John Dale, who once boasted that he'd only printed one picture
of Blair, has this week launched the Thank God for Social Workers
campaign. It includes articles on demystifying the profession and
sharing its successes, a mention on the magazine's cover and even
give-away slogan badges for readers.
The first article is out today. But to fulfil the promise of more articles, Dale and his team need to talk to social workers about their successes and the difference they make daily to service users.
As Tony Blair recognised, this is a rare opportunity that must not be underestimated. Take a Break sells almost a million copies a week, which are shared between friends, taking readership sky-high.
For three months our Stand Up Now for Social Work campaign has worked to achieve more balanced media media coverage of social work. During that time, social workers and directors have consistently talked of the need for more positive stories. Now the time has come to act: to contact Take a Break with your stories, write away for your badge and wear it with pride.
The first article is out today. But to fulfil the promise of more articles, Dale and his team need to talk to social workers about their successes and the difference they make daily to service users.
As Tony Blair recognised, this is a rare opportunity that must not be underestimated. Take a Break sells almost a million copies a week, which are shared between friends, taking readership sky-high.
For three months our Stand Up Now for Social Work campaign has worked to achieve more balanced media media coverage of social work. During that time, social workers and directors have consistently talked of the need for more positive stories. Now the time has come to act: to contact Take a Break with your stories, write away for your badge and wear it with pride.
I'm really heartened by this as it is exactly what is needed - and I'm off to buy my copy today!
Hopefully this article will encourage more social workers to step forward. Social workers need recognition for the challenging and complex work they do. I hope that more stories like this will change the publics perspectives and social work will be celebrated in the media as well as society. I'll be buying my copy tomorrow! :)
Oh and you can make yourself up to a nice £1000 on takeabreak! :)
'Thank God' for Take a Break! I am a student Social Worker about to qualify and it is easy to become disheartened by the persistent negative media attention the profession receives. I have chosen to enter the profession because I care passionately about social justice and about the quality of life experienced by my service-users. In reality Social Workers support people through circumstances that most people would find too challenging or too traumatic to even contemplate. It is an extremely demanding job with little public recognition. It is ironic that we spend much of our working lives helping people who are marginalised, oppressed and discriminated against, as this reflects the profession's status in society at present.
I also feel frustrated that BASW and the GSCC appear too quiet/ passive on this issue. I welcome someone with media influence taking a more responsible and more balanced approach in drawing attention to the many thousands of times a Social Worker changes someone's life for the better, and also in promoting understanding of what Social Workers actually do (other than child protection!). Thank you John Dale, Take a Break and Community Care for renewing my hope that things might change.
PS. I never buy any magazines but I am starting as of this week in support of the campaign!
this is a great way to promote and demistify social work as we may all need one at some time in our lives, perhaps take a break should have included the badge with the mag then everyone could get one easily.
If Local authorities such as Stockport find through experience that things have gone wrong and then find out why.How is it the last thing on their agenda is to learn lessons. Stockport MBC acts not to remedy failings but instead closes ranks to protect there professional reputations and salaries. It must be recognised that the management,namely the Directors of children's services must be held accountable for failings in their staff and ensure reasonable and legal complaints systems are in place to identify and act on failings brought to light through legitimate complaints. A some what conflicting role when said Director also chairs the local SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN'S BOARD. [ There will sadly always be tragic situations which slip through but social workers and indeed their managers need support and understanding not criticism] Support and understanding for the children first. None for managers or social workers who fail to adhere to their employment codes of practice or those of the GSCC. FACTS; Stockport Director of Children's Services funded by central government to set up electronic social care record before it was rolled out nationally. Team manager children's social care trained by escr designers as a super user of the system. Result:STOCKPORT MBC STATES THAT IT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH DATA PROTECTION LAW FOR OVER TWO YEARS TO ALLOW ACCESS TO ESCR BY SERVICE USERS. Could that really be true or was their a more sinister reason for claiming they couldn't make it work? Student social workers should not be put off by the failings at Stockport I feel sure the management structure will change soon. It has to