September 2, 2024 by admin

Casework Solidarity Forum Recap

This summer we hosted the first Casework Solidarity Forum. This brought together organisations dedicated to migrant solidarity and frontline community support from across the UK. We gathered over 70 people, mostly frontline caseworkers, from 45 different organisations across the UK to foster connection, exchange best practice and draw strength from each other. The day emphasised the critical role of caseworkers in effecting systems change, the importance of centering lived experiences, and the need for solidarity across our work. We discussed campaigning efforts and co-production as well as challenges in areas like raids, legal aid, homelessness, and asylum support. Delicious lunch by Maame T’s Kitchen kept us nourished and smiling.

We are grateful to have had the brilliant Aleesha Nandhra from Migrants in Culture visually capturing the day, so you can get a snapshot of the rich and varied conversations and key insights from the day here:

And here are some highlights from participants:

• Really engaging group discussions with views and perspectives from a variety of orgs, conversations to be continued!
• The event itself – having a forum dedicated to caseworkers was very fruitful and gave me the opportunity for new connections and new ideas!
• The feeling of solidarity has been immense and has restored my faith in the sector and my career. Thank you <3 I needed this.
• The event was facilitated with a lot of care and intention. It has been a great experience to have a safe space to share with people experiencing similar challenges. I have taken away a lot and made great connections.
• It can often feel like we are fighting issues alone, but really felt the solidarity today.
• Understanding the centrality of casework to campaigning and systems change and the ways in which we can embed this approach/mindset organisationally
• Always a highlight to have a gathering of like-minded people who share the same values and/or are not hesitant to offer their insights – a lot of this is because the event offered safe space/environment for discussions/conversations
• It was amazing meeting other caseworkers and sharing experiences. It made me feel less isolated and that other professionals are coming across similar challenges and trends. The discussions also gave me the space to “zoom out” of my “zoomed in” way of working and gave a chance to reflect on other things that can be done. There was also a lot of knowledge shared that I was unaware of!