The Social Work Scotland year has traditionally run from June to end-May, with the member’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the Conference and Exhibition marking the end of one year and the start of the next. Appointments to the Convener roles (formerly known as the President and Vice-President) and other office bearers are confirmed at the AGM, and aspects of our corporate and Committee business planning is mapped over the twelve months between conferences.
With the onset of coronavirus, a decision was taken in March 2020 to postpone the annual Conference and Exhibition (for more information, see relevant section below). In May the Board of Directors subsequently took the decision to postpone the AGM and related activities also, to November 2020. Specifically the Board of Directors agreed:
- The Social Work Scotland 2019-20 Year will be extended by six months, to November 2020, at which time the association’s Annual General Meeting and conference will be held. The 2020-21 Year will start in late November 2020.
- The tenure of the existing Social Work Scotland Board of Directors, including all Office Bearers, will be extended by six months, up to the AGM in November. Kathryn Lindsay (Convener) and other Board members have kindly agreed to remain in their current roles till then.
- In anticipation of Alison Gordon assuming the Convener role at the November AGM, nominations for the Vice-Convener and other Office Bearer and Non-Executive Director roles will open in September 2020.
- Proposals for management of the 2020-21 Year will be developed over the summer and confirmed by the Board by September. These proposals will resolve whether the 2020-21 period is set at 6, 12 or 18 months.
The Board took these decisions after an evaluation of the various issues and options. Weighing heavily in the assessment was awareness of the increased pressures currently being experienced by many Social Work Scotland members, and concern that the association proceeding as normal would be both insensitive and self-defeating (as participation from members would likely be low). It was also noted by Board members that, while engagement with key partners over coronavirus continues, providing consistency in Social Work Scotland’s leadership was preferable.
