“Sexuality and Social Work Conference 2016”, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland.
The Sexuality and Social Work Interest Group is an international network of academics, students, practitioners and service users that seeks to develop knowledge and practice innovations in the field of sexuality studies and social work. It seeks to encourage connections between members and interested organizations to enable further research and practice development. Muhammad Umer Ehsan - the student of program "Population and Development" shares his experience of participating this conference.
The main theme of conference was “Transgressing Boundaries and the Intersection of Sexualities in Social Work” to explore sexuality within social work education, research and practice. (18-19 August 2016)
The social work profession has both a troubled and troubling history and role in contemporary societies. Multiple complexities and the intersectionality of these complexities can be seen in issues such as austerity and modern capitalism, neoliberalism, human rights, immigration, role of social workers, and the education and teaching of these complexities. The aim of conference was to explore the transgressing of the boundaries of these complexities by linking the intersectionalities of sexuality. It also has explored those issues and topics within sexualities that are of interest to social work academics, students, practitioners and service users.
The Key Note speakers included:
· Peter Aggleton, PhD Professor at (University of New South Wales UNSW, Australia) his topic was “Culture, Health and Sexuality: insights and perspectives from a rapidly developing field”.
· Tracey Sagar, PhD and Debbie Jones both with in the ( College of Law and Criminology, Swansea University, UK) their topic was “The Student Sex Work Project ( TSSWP ) – Bridging research and practice through innovation”.
· Nick Mule, PhD Associate Professor ( York University in Toronto, Ontario Canada) his topic was “ Queering Up Social Work: From Theory to Pedagogy to Practice”.
· Michael Hausermann, from ( French speaking Switzerland ) his topic was “ From HIV to global Health, from research to action, from Geneva to Switzerland: The Geneva Gay Men`s Health Project”.
Following topics were discussed during the conference: Sexuality and Health, Sexual Health needs and Services for People With Mental Disabilities, Sexual Justice and Social Work in US, LGBT experiencing Stigma, Sexuality and Religion, LGBT children young people and their caregivers, Research in Dynamics in Same sex Relationship, Growing up Trans, Online Sexual Health Outreach, Male Sex Workers, Sexuality and Specific Client Groups, Women and Sexuality, Ageing and Specific Care, Homonegative Attitudes/ Policies and the Remit of Social Work.
The Conference was all about the human right of sexuality and how social workers and sex therapists are working in developed countries for the rights and awareness of homo and hetro type of sexualities. LGBT community has a lot of issues which need further consulting and education from very beginning level to avoid the health issues. In Religious communities it is very difficult to touch such hot issues while population has lot of problems due to lack of sexual education at early stages. On the other hand developing countries are still fighting for basic human rights so they are far away from such issues.
Muhammad Umer Ehsan ( Master student Population and Development )
The main theme of conference was “Transgressing Boundaries and the Intersection of Sexualities in Social Work” to explore sexuality within social work education, research and practice.
The social work profession has both a troubled and troubling history and role in contemporary societies. Multiple complexities and the intersectionality of these complexities can be seen in issues such as austerity and modern capitalism, neoliberalism, human rights, immigration, role of social workers, and the education and teaching of these complexities. The aim of conference was to explore the transgressing of the boundaries of these complexities by linking the intersectionalities of sexuality. It also has explored those issues and topics within sexualities that are of interest to social work academics, students, practitioners and service users.
The Key Note speakers included:
Peter Aggleton, PhD Professor at (University of New South Wales UNSW, Australia) his topic was “Culture, Health and Sexuality: insights and perspectives from a rapidly developing field”.
Tracey Sagar, PhD and Debbie Jones both with in the ( College of Law and Criminology, Swansea University, UK) their topic was “The Student Sex Work Project ( TSSWP ) – Bridging research and practice through innovation”.
Nick Mule, PhD Associate Professor ( York University in Toronto, Ontario Canada) his topic was “ Queering Up Social Work: From Theory to Pedagogy to Practice”.
Michael Hausermann, from ( French speaking Switzerland ) his topic was “ From HIV to global Health, from research to action, from Geneva to Switzerland: The Geneva Gay Men`s Health Project”.
Following topics were discussed during the conference: Sexuality and Health, Sexual Health needs and Services for People With Mental Disabilities, Sexual Justice and Social Work in US, LGBT experiencing Stigma, Sexuality and Religion, LGBT children young people and their caregivers, Research in Dynamics in Same sex Relationship, Growing up Trans, Online Sexual Health Outreach, Male Sex Workers, Sexuality and Specific Client Groups, Women and Sexuality, Ageing and Specific Care, Homonegative Attitudes/ Policies and the Remit of Social Work.
The Conference was all about the human right of sexuality and how social workers and sex therapists are working in developed countries for the rights and awareness of homo and hetro type of sexualities. LGBT community has a lot of issues which need further consulting and education from very beginning level to avoid the health issues. In Religious communities it is very difficult to touch such hot issues while population has lot of problems due to lack of sexual education at early stages. On the other hand developing countries are still fighting for basic human rights so they are far away from such issues.
Muhamad Umer Ehsan ( Master student Population and Development )