International Federation of Social Workers: Social work symposium responding to the refugee crisis
15 March | Catamaran – River Box 1020 Vienna, Johann Böhm Platz 1
The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), in partnership with OBDS and Younion, is facilitating a meeting of social workers and refugees from the countries where people are escaping from (‘war countries’), social workers from the countries where the refuges are transferring through (‘transfer countries’) and where they find asylum (‘asylum countries’).
The symposium will be held on World Social Work Day – 15 March. In addition to the invited social work and refugee representatives the event will be live-streamed to enable international participation.
The symposium will bring together social workers and refugee representatives from the affected countries to:
- Create an overall working plan for social workers in each of the affected countries to coordinate information that provides a better understanding and response to refugee needs during their journey, transfer and integration in the asylum countries.
- Develop a focused strategy on particular vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied children and young people, older people, those with health issues and trafficked persons.
- Establish a comprehensive political advocacy strategy that reflects a ‘ground-up’ perspective on refugee needs, aspirations and solutions.
- Establish social work models that support refugees in isolated situations where other forms of assistance are not available.
- Utilise the skills of social workers constructively to develop inclusive and cohesive societies.
To register, please contact Mr Pascal Rudin, IFSW Administrator.
