SWU Executive Committee elects new Chair and Vice Chair
The new SWU Chair David Callow and Vice Chair Angi Naylor were elected from the SWU Executive at the formal UK Executive meeting held on 20th October 2022. They have been elected for a 2-year period and we are excited about the knowledge, experience, and zeal that they bring to the table.
David is a registered social worker and Senior Lecturer at Lincoln University. Angi has been a social worker for over 30 years in local government and is the Chair of the Austerity Action Group.
Below are a few words from David and Angi.
David Callow, SWU Chair
“..So what led me to my role as chair of SWU…. Like many of us, life takes us in directions we least expect or as someone once said, “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
The opportunity to work with you as SWU Chair is far removed from the young man who sought meaning and belonging in life all those years ago, the person also struggling with shyness. But I found that solidarity and belonging and confidence in 3 avenues:
Firstly, in trade unionism
Those formative years were very much influenced by the conversations I had with my dad, being aware of his role in strike action and how I learned there is such a thing as society. Union activity for me first began with Unite where I took part in the Durham Miners gala and Unite’s political school. I once again felt that belonging and was fortunate to be able to enrol on Unite’s future candidate development programme.
I knew then that trade unionism was always going to be part of my life… My allegiance from Unite to SWU was confirmed in 2018 following my registration as a social worker. I knew at this point, particularly in social work practice, that I needed the protection SWU offers but also wanted to do my bit to help the cause, to make a difference.
SWU union contact training was a privilege to be part of and further emphasised when I supported a SWU colleague earlier this year in a case with their employer. My union contact training and experience has given me a greater understanding and appreciation of the work the advice and representation team (A&R) do on a daily basis.
As a lecturer at the University of Lincoln I have also supported the University College Union (UCU) and currently work as social media officer in the UCU Lincoln branch. I have been a SWU exec committee member since 2020 and was again re-elected this year. It was also a pleasure to be part of the panel that marked the student assignment competition this year.
The internal moral compass of trade unions is a driving force for me, one in which I continually find myself drawn to being an active member - I have supported 3 motions to the SWU AGM in successive years, this has been in person and more recently online due to Covid19.
I recognise the relationship between BASW and SWU, the importance and differences that may occur and am planning to become involved in the recently re-established BASW Lincolnshire branch next month.
Secondly, the Labour Party
Like many, my membership of the labour party was galvanised in 2015. That same drive to want to make a difference and find belonging saw my election as Political Education Officer for Lincoln CLP, a role I was re-elected to for 4 consecutive years. This role strengthened my ability to work collaboratively with party members and Labour MPs of differing political positions within the party.
I held the role of branch secretary within the CLP during this time and was an active member for Karen Lee in her successful 2017 Karen Lee for Lincoln election campaign. These experiences developed an inner confidence that was again out of reach in my younger years, to be able to communicate with respect, empathy but also to ensure my voice was heard.
Thirdly, Social Work/Lecturer
I left social work practice last year having worked in child protection within Lincolnshire. I am very proud to have worked with families very often left behind by society and to have made a difference in some way. Prior to this, I worked in the third sector for Nacro working with children in a young person’s homelessness project. In this respect, I understand the stresses and pressures upon those that work within social care and those practising social workers.
In my current role as senior social work lecturer at the University of Lincoln I have been given the opportunity to work as the programme lead for the master’s in social work degree, the very same degree, and same university in which I completed my education what seems a few short years ago. In this role, I work with placement providers and local authorities through online meeting platforms to ensure the education of future social workers is relevant to the changing world of social work practice. In this respect, I feel confident our programme is reflective of contemporary social work practice in multiple sectors.
As I’m sure we all feel, once you take that journey towards social work, it is always a companion to us and one that never leaves us. I have found that my social work skills have evolved as a lecturer to where we have developed a supportive student environment at the university in which every voice is heard with empathy, understanding and guidance. Essentially an antidote to the “us and them” ethos. Our student focussed approach was credited in this year’s visit from Social Work England in which the masters programme received validation and significant positive student feedback.
All of the above is centred on values, values of solidarity and respect for each other. Essentially, I am also offering belonging, a close working relationship where you feel that same sense of the belonging that has guided me to where I am today.”
Angi Naylor, SWU Vice Chair
“With over thirty years’ service as a social worker (including managing residential homes) in local government, I have brought to the SWU Executive Committee knowledge of social policy, employment law and understanding of the tensions and competing needs of the employing organisation. On the one hand the employer needing to meet its own and government driven targets, and on the other (hand) the social workers’ rights of employment to work ethically and be given opportunities and encouragement to maintain their CPD and thereby meet the requirements of registration.
I am bringing the following to the Vice Chair role and look forward to working with the SWU General Secretary and the newly elected SWU Chair.
All of the above transferable skills alongside a previous 10 years on the BASW Special Interest Group On Ageing, including two periods as Chair, (the second sadly due to the untimely and sudden death of Gwen Swire who I had handed the role over to only the week before).
A good knowledge and working experience of the structure and workings of both BASW and SWU and of the cooperation agreement that binds the two together.
A good knowledge of and experience of campaigning on a number of issues, and specifically through my personal involvement and current chairing of the Austerity Action Group/Boot Out Austerity.
Experience of assisting in the SWU Complaint Procedure.
Ability to manage my role according to the needs of the group, a skill which I undertook in my former role as County Relief Officer in Charge and where I was expected to take over the running of any one of 34 homes at very short notice and equally, at a later date, hand it back.
I came to my current position as a member of the SWU Executive Committee from a chance conversation at the BASW AGM in 2014. ‘My role on the BASW Ethics Committee has come to an end. Would you suggest another role that I could consider?’ Their answer was ‘The SWU Executive is currently all male.’ This balance has changed significantly over the years and women are now the majority on SWU Executive.
I applied and here I am 8 years later with a further 2 years ahead of me. So, it is seems only natural that I applied for the Vice Chair role which as an Executive we have just created to make sure that there is always a gender balance amongst the Honorary Officers.”