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News March 2009 March 2009 News BASW Scotland Awards... BASW Scotland Awards... BASW Scotland Awards... BASW Scotland Awards Social workers urged to Social work veteran honoured After a lifetime working for better services for deaf people Willie Macfadyen wins the top prize at the BASW Scotland Social reflect on their successes Worker of the Year Awards, with six other leading practitioners also honoured for their practice successes

Prominent MSP joins BASW leaders in celebrating the positive impact of social work, during Edinburgh awards evening A man who has been at the social work Former minister led the frontline for over 40 years emerged as the tributes to the three major winners at the biggest winner of the night at the BASW BASW Scotland Social Worker of the Year Scotland Social Worker of the Year Awards, Awards in Edinburgh last month, telling hosted by BASW Scotland Convenor Matt social workers to take the time to consider McGregor. Willie Macfadyen, who works the positive impact they often make to for -based charity Hayfield people’s lives. A former social worker and Support Services with Deaf People, landed now Shadow Cabinet Member for Health the overall Social Worker of the Year award and Wellbeing in Scotland, Ms Jamieson for his work and for his persistent lobbying opened the BASW awards evening at for better services for deaf people. Hayfield Holyrood parliament and argued for the Support Services provides a range of profession to be given greater status within residential and day care services for deaf society. “Many people who care about people with learning disabilities, mental social work will only hear about it when it health problems, challenging behaviour, goes wrong. They will not necessarily hear autism or visual impairment. about the day-to-day work that goes on Accepting the award Mr Macfadyen said right throughout Scotland in a whole range his work gave him enormous satisfaction, Willie Macfadyen is congratulated by friends crediting service users for teaching him and colleagues after landing the Social of settings, whether in local government or Cathy Jamieson (left) and Ronnie Barnes hand Stacey Thomson the Student Social Worker of the Year award voluntary sectors. They won’t hear about everything he now knows about effective Worker of the Year award social working. “Mainly it has been deaf the long term commitments social workers largely unnoticed and quite often against the way we might hope but we can leave here people who have taught me what I know. I years as a practice teacher,” Ms Schorstein make to individuals, to families and to kind of vilification we have seen, particularly with a sense of pride about what we do.” have learnt from deaf people about what said. “She worked in a quiet, unassuming communities over many many years.” south of the border, in recent months. This The event was held at the foot of the stairs they want and what they need,” he told the manner but with a great deal of gentle Ms Jamieson pointed to an incident in is a great opportunity for us to come leading up to the chamber of the Scottish audience at the . tenacity. She is hard working, resourceful Kilmarnock recently when she was together and talk about the wonderful work Parliament and was marked by the presence Judy Byrne, Director, Hayfield Support and thoughtful.” approached by a former service user who we do, what it means for the people at the of a number of MSPs, including Ian Grey, Services with Deaf People, pointed to Mr The winner of the Residential Social thanked her for the help she offered 20 years receiving end and how proud we are to be Leader of the Labour Party in Macfadyen’s passion and politeness as two of Worker of the Year award, Scott Hunter, was previously when she was employed as a part of people’s lives at times of challenge.” Scotland and MSP for East Lothian. the hallmarks of his success, but also told the described as having been in social work for social worker in the area. “I will never forget It was a point emphasised by BASW UK As well as Ms Jamieson, he was joined at event of his relentless campaigning efforts: 23 years – despite being just 29-years-old. what you did for us. You were the one Chair Ronnie Barnes, who concluded the the event by (Paisley South), “Willie campaigns for what he believes in Describing his work as House Manager of person at that time in our lives who came in evening reception by telling those in Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston), madly, for justice, particularly for deaf Leslie Street Children’s House in Motherwell, regularly and supported us as a family,” the attendance: “Unfortunately this event will Robin Harper (Lothians) and Kenneth people, particularly for deaf people who are Jim McCreanor, Service Manager, Children woman told her, before explaining about the not command the media’s attention in the Gibson (Cunninghame North). positive changes in her life since then. isolated, who don’t have access to resources and Families, North Lanarkshire Council, “I don't tell that story to say how great I that others have and are jargonised. He is explained that because Scott’s parents had was as a social worker but to highlight how WINNERS OF BASW SCOTLAND AWARDS right in there – he may be a normal frontline fostered since he was just six-years-old, he Scott Hunter after winning I, as a straightforward area team social social worker but he is right in there had a lifetime’s experience of dealing with Residential Care Worker of the Year worker, just going about my business, Social Worker of the Year Residential Care Worker campaigning up here in parliament for and supporting vulnerable young people. better services for deaf people.” Comparing his approach to Leonardo Da perhaps didn’t realise I was making that Willie Macfadyen , Social Worker, Hayfield of the Year department, who came close to winning the Stacey Thomson picked up the Student Vinci – for being willing to work at things much of an impact on someone who 20 Support Services with Deaf People Scott Hunter , House Manager, Leslie Street student category for her efforts on placement years later wanted to say thank-you for the Children’s House, Motherwell, Social Worker of the Year prize for her relentlessly for long periods of time – Mr while studying at the University of the West Runners up help I’d given,” Ms Jamieson said. North Lanarkshire Council outstanding work on a student placement McCreanor added: “Scott, quietly, in a of Scotland. In the Social Worker of the Year Rita Sutherland , Team Leader, Complex Care, BASW Chief Executive Ian Johnston Student Social Worker of the Year while studying at the University of the West determined way, gets on with things. It’s not category, there were two runners up: Rita East Lothian Council of Scotland. Her Practice Teacher, Christine in your face but he does achieve things and Sutherland, a Team Leader of Complex Care contrasted the success of the evening with Stacey Thomson , Social Worker, Children and Eilidh MacMillan , Manager, Younger Adults Care Schorstein from South Ayrshire Council, it’s outcomes for children and young people the public perception of the social work Families Team, Inverclyde Council – studied at at East Lothian Council, and Eilidh Team, Ross, Skye & Lochaber, Highland Council profession. Congratulating the winners he University of the West of Scotland explained how Stacey succeeded despite that are what count.” MacMillan, the Manager of the Younger Highly commended facing significant age-related prejudice in her The evening also saw a host of Adults Care Team, covering Highland told the audience of social workers, service Highly commended practice placement in a psychiatric hospital commendations for others who narrowly Council’s Ross, Skye & Lochaber area. Jack users and up to six MSPs: “I think we need Jack Blaik , Senior Social Worker, Funding Kirstin Meikle , Social Worker, Adult Services, working alongside “people with extremely missed out on the overall awards, including Blaik, Senior Social Worker, Funding to acknowledge the enormous contribution Independence Team, City of Edinburgh Council South Lanarkshire Council – Studied at complex needs”. Stacey proved to be Kirstin Meikle, a social worker in South Independence Team at City of Edinburgh people in our profession make in their day- University of the West of Scotland to-day work, largely behind the scenes, probably the best student I’ve had in 14 Lanarkshire Council’s Adult Services Council was Highly Commended.

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