Glass paperweight

 J O    L U C A S

My first social work job was in a residential psychiatric hostel in London and I remember feeling that I had been given a sticking plaster to try and heal huge wounds. I went on to train as a social worker at London Sschool of Economics and worked in a wide range of settings always with a mental health focus. I then spent 20 years working in Ukraine and Georgia helping establish university level social work education and the new profession. I now practice as a psychotherapist, having completed more training, as I feel that I can really see changes happen which then ripple out into peoples lives, families and their communities.

I chose Glass paperweight because …

… the swirl of different threads that make up the inner core reflects the role of social work in creating a whole strong rope for the person/group/community, with all sorts of different strands, all of which enable the person/group/community to make their way into whatever future they aspire to. The range of forms within the paperweight also reflect the different aspects of social work – from academic theorizing and policy to practical support for people in distress. The paperweight itself symbolizes the strength and solidity of the profession and its history, the fact that it is spherical reflecting its ability to roll with changes. I am aware as I write this that I am displaying a certain optimism, I know from people practising as social workers now that this might not seem to be a reflection of what they are currently engaged in. I entered the profession some 40 years ago with an aspiration to change the world, to redress some of the social injustices and unfairness I saw around me and still think that is an important aspect of the profession.