Level 6 students on the BA (Hons) Social Work degree programme were involved in a Moving Social Work training session delivered by researchers from Durham University as part of a pilot study with Sport England and Disability Rights UK.
The course aims to improve knowledge, confidence and skills in holding conversations with disabled service users about physical activity. Topics covered included reasons why service users want to talk about physical activity with social workers, the benefits of physical activity and addressing perceptions that for some people there may be harms associated with participation in physical activity.
Students were given guidelines on physical activity for disabled people, along with an understanding of potential barriers to participation, including issues relating to disabilities, and how social workers play a vital role in addressing inequalities in physical activity.
Practical skills on how to hold conversations about physical activity in routine practice, and signposting physical activity opportunities, will help empower student to promote physical activity to service users in their professional practice.
The Moving Social Work programme creates resources and co-produced strategies tools to promote physical activity to and for disabled people for those in social work education as well as qualified social workers.
The session highlighted the importance of considering physical activity when supporting service users. It also highlighted techniques and language to use when exploring physical activty with service users.
The Moving Social Work training session was organised by Jackie Yaskey, Senior Lecturer for Social Work.
