Opening Plenary
Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 7:00 pm (Eastern Time) (1.0 CE)
Saleem Ghubril, MDiv
“You are Loved, Empowered and Deployed“
How is it possible for social workers to imagine something new or different for our work when limited resources, staffing shortages and daily challenges dominate the images we see in our minds? This session will offer participants insights into the gifts of innovation and explore questions as to if these gifts could result in greater flourishing in our work with clients, organizations and communities. Together we’ll discuss the history of and approaches to successful innovation and consider if Christians in social work might be called to be leaders of innovation in their organizations. The session will offer experiential learning opportunities for participants to engage in practices which might allow for new avenues of innovation in our individual and shared work.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the session participants will:
- Become familiar with the history of innovation and approaches to successful innovation in social work and beyond.
- Recognize the need for social workers to engage in innovation in their work with clients, organizations and communities.
- Understand how Christians in social work, empowered through the gift of the Holy Spirit, might be called to lead innovative practices within their organizations and communities.
- Learn a set of spiritual practices which through daily repetition might open new avenues of innovation in our work.
Presenter Bio:
Saleem is a seasoned nonprofit executive with a passion for Pittsburgh, a devotion to serving and elevating vulnerable neighbors, and a commitment to building bridges and restoring breaches. His work has focused on child and youth development, educational access, housing security, and economic and workforce development. He has worked across private and public sectors to advance a vision for Pittsburgh as a good and just city. He has been the executive director of The Pittsburgh Promise since 2008, Before his position with The Pittsburgh Promise, was the founder and executive director of The Pittsburgh Project.
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Alan Keith-Lucas Lecture:
Friday, November 10th, 2023 at 11:30 am (ET)(1.0 CE)
Sandra Bauer, PhD, MSW, and Leslie Gregory,
“Building on the Practice Wisdom of Alan Keith-Lucas”
Abstract:
Many of the ideas and principles from the original text, So You Want to Be a Social Worker by Alan Keith-Lucas, have stood the test of time and enriched the social work practice and faith of students and practitioners. The presenters, who revised the text, will share their own grappling with what concepts and skills are particularly important to a social worker who is a Christian and encounters pain and suffering as well as hope and resilience in their practice.
Learning Objectives:
After completing this training, participants will be able to:
Objective 1: Identify and understand at least four social work practice guidelines developed by AKL that exemplify the connection between faith and practice
Objective 2: Identify insights from one’s own faith that shape their practice
Objective 3: Identify the need for social workers to develop wellness strategies as a part of social work practice
Bios:
Leslie Gregory, BSW, LSW, is a Senior Lecturer and Chair of the Social Work Program, and the BSW Field and Program Director at Eastern University. She has social work practice experience in child welfare and mental health and has a private practice.
Sandy Bauer, PhD, LSW is Professor Emerita at Eastern University. She has social work practice experience in child welfare and disaster relief. Her teaching and writing focus on the intersection of faith and resilience.
The current individuals have presented, individually and together on the topic of faith integration as well as grief and loss, forgiveness, use of self, family rituals, self-care, and trauma informed care.
Banquet Speaker:
Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 7 pm (ET) (1.0 CE)
Shane Claiborne
Following Jesus in our Neighborhoods and in Our World
Another Way of Doing Life (or Christian Troublemakers) Christians are meant to be radical non-conformists, interrupting the patterns of our world with prophetic imagination – a holy counterculture. Shane will share stories of contemporary communities who are living with beautiful creativity and sometimes getting in a little trouble for it. After all, the Kingdom of God is not just something we hope for when we die, but something that we are to bring on earth as it is in heaven. Let’s turn off our TVs, pick up our Bibles, and rethink the way we live. [This talk often includes stories of “holy mischief” and ways of thinking of Church as a contrast culture to the patterns of our world.] Scriptures may include: Luke 14: 12-14, Romans 12:2
Learning Objectives:
After completing this training, participants will be able to:
Objective 1: Articulate how to work comprehensively for the healing of hearts, communities and the world
Objective 2: Explain why it is critical to address both the immediate needs as well as the conditions that contribute to the needs
Presenter Bio:
Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist, and best-selling author. Shane worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, and founded The Simple Way in Philadelphia. He heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living “as if Jesus meant the things he said.” Shane is a champion for grace which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and to places like Iraq and Afghanistan to stand against war. Now grace fuels his passion to end the death penalty and help stop gun violence.
Shane’s books include Jesus for President, Red Letter Revolution, Common Prayer, Follow Me to Freedom, Jesus, Bombs and Ice Cream, Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers, Executing Grace, his classic The Irresistible Revolution, and his newest book, Beating Guns. He has been featured in a number of films including “Another World Is Possible” and “Ordinary Radicals.” His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Shane speaks over one hundred times a year, nationally and internationally. His work has appeared in Esquire, SPIN, Christianity Today, TIME, and The Wall Street Journal, and he has been on everything from Fox News and Al Jazeera to CNN and NPR. He’s given academic lectures at Harvard, Princeton, Liberty, Duke, and Notre Dame.
Shane speaks regularly at denominational gatherings, festivals, and conferences around the globe.
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Panel Presentation Information
Social Work and First Responders
Moderated by Lisa Hosack, Ph.D., LCSW
The embedding of social workers in police departments is an exciting emerging trend across the U.S. Recognizing the importance of appropriately responding to acute substance abuse and mental health needs and domestic conflicts, social workers in many cities are now accompanying police officers, providing expertise in crisis management and appropriate resources to those in crisis. Expectedly, however, there are challenges and lessons to be learned in this emerging practice including managing the physical risks to social workers and de-escalating conflict under highly stressful circumstances. This moderated panel focuses on both the nature of acute conflict management as well as the rewards and challenges of social work and police collaboration.