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SPPA conference 2019: Creativity and Social Pedagogy - Towards transformative practice

Social pedagogy is inherently creative. Social pedagogy thrives not on rulebooks but principles and contingencies. Social pedagogues often respond to a situation by saying ‘it depends’, and draw on theory, experience and team work to help them decide what next. Creativity plays a crucial part in helping decide what next. Today, creative thinking is highly relevant to social work and social workers. Creativity is also invoked by the ‘common third’, a concept that values mutual curiosity and exploring an interest or phenomena jointly, building relationships along the way. Participating in creative arts activities supports wellbeing and recovery from mental health difficulties (Ander et al. 2013).

Creativity can be seen as both integrating creative methods into everyday practice of working with people, and creative ways of teaching and learning.

In 2009, Chambers and Petrie published the Learning Framework for Artist Pedagogues, drawing on insights from Danish social pedagogic approaches to working with the arts. The LFAP gives a theoretical grounding and a tool for reflection to help artists and social care practitioners and educators (of all kinds) think through the purpose and potential of working creatively with specific groups of people.

Providers of social pedagogy courses frequently use creativity as a theme for learning, whether through participatory approaches, games, yoga, music, exploring wild areas, among many other possibilities.

This conference, hosted by the Social Pedagogy Professional Association (SPPA), will be an invigorating, refreshing, and quirky opportunity to hear about all kinds of creative practices, approaches, theories and frameworks. SPPA invites members and non- members to hear from leading creative thinkers and practitioners about the contribution social pedagogy makes to quality of life when working with disadvantaged groups.

The International Journal of Social Pedagogy will be launching its special issue on Creativity at the SPPA conference.

SPPA is the professional home of social pedagogy in the UK. It is a membership based organisation that exists to support continuous professional development in social pedagogy in all areas of the UK. It holds standards for social pedagogy qualifications and endorses social pedagogy learning programmes. New members are always welcome.

Who should attend: all those interested in a social pedagogic approach to delivering care, education and health services, from practitioners to policy makers, and students to academics. You might be working in early childhood education and care, family support, youth work, foster care, social work, in day care services for older people, mental health services or residential child care. There is a place in social pedagogy for all of you. There is a special discounted rate for students and non-wage earners.

Session descriptions

Speakers

Kate McCoy
Chris Stevens
Helen Chambers
Alex Priver
Gabriel Eichsteller
Lowis Charfe
Ali Gardner
Elizabeth McCreadie
Nicole Chavaudra
Faith Walker
Cecile Remy
Thure Johansen
Melissa Desvignes
Rob Hunter
Cyndy Humphreys
Kay Redknap
Claire Parker 
Raquel Marta

Event Details

Date
04/10/2019

Time
09:00 - 16:30

Location
Friends Meeting House
6 Mount Street
Manchester
M2 5NS

Pricing
Early Bird SPPA member - £68.50
Standard SPPA member - £78.50
Early Bird non-member - £98.50
Standard non-member - £118.50
Early bird Group booking for 5 people - £314.00
Standard Group booking for 5 people - £434.00
SPPA member - students and concessions - £23.50
Non-member - students and concessions - £48.50

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