New Regional Social Policy Networks
The SPA is currently developing a series of Regional Social Policy Networks
to promote Social Policy, both as an area of teaching and as a field of
research. This initiative stems from a concern that many social policy
academics belong to small relatively isolated groups. Many are working as
service teachers on courses in which social policy is only part of the
whole degree. At the same time they may be in clusters in which it is
difficult to develop their own research interests.
Regional groups could perform many functions important for the protection
and promotion of the discipline, including:
• Providing a forum in which people could get together to explore
ways of developing undergraduate and post graduate courses that are shared
by two or more institutions, or of contributing teaching to each others’
courses.
• Offering opportunities to think about research collaboration,
something that may be particularly valuable for more isolated people who
have difficulty sustaining their interests or in putting together viable
bids from the resources of their own department.
• Exploring issues and problems that may be peculiar to the policy
agenda of their region.
• Developing links with “practitioners” in local government, the
health service, voluntary organisations etc, in the region, producing
benefits both for activities there and also for the visibility of the
activities of the SPA amongst this group of people.
Once established, the Regional Social Policy Networks will seek to organise
seminars, workshops and other activities that are of particular interest to
their members. For example, we are currently engaged in discussions with
the US based Policy Studies Organisation and the University of Plymouth
with a view to convening a South West seminar series on the governance of
local services.
Progress so far
During the September 2003 meeting of the SPA Executive, two Regional
Initiatives Officers were appointed: Mark Hyde, with overall responsibility
for coordinating the development of Regional Social Policy Networks
for “the South”, and Lisa O’Malley, with overall responsibility for “the
North”. SWAPltsn is providing support for the development of the regional
networks. Progress in the development of the Networks has been modest but
sustained.
• Pete Alcock and Dee Cook are currently developing, and will be
coordinating the West Midlands Regional Social Policy Network. They were
recently provided with financial assistance from the SPA to do this.
• Pat Young, Learning and Teaching Advisor for SWAPltsn, will co-
ordinate the South West Regional Social Policy Network, and support cross-
fertilisation across the UK.
The future
The SPA is currently seeking to ensure that all parts of the United Kingdom
are covered by Regional Social Policy Networks. It is anticipated that this
will be achieved towards the end of 2004. If readers of SPA News, and their
colleagues, wish to become involved in a Regional Social Policy Network for
their area, as a coordinator or a member, they should contact one of the
following persons, depending on their geographical location.
For the West Midlands:
Pete Alcock, Institute of Applied Social Sciences, University of
Birmingham, [log in to unmask]; Dee Cook, Regional Research Institute,
University of Wolverhampton, [log in to unmask]
For the South West:
Pat Young, SWAPltsn, School of Policy Studies, University of Bristol,
[log in to unmask]
For the South, but excluding the West Midlands and the South West:
Mark Hyde, School of Sociology Politics and Law, University of Plymouth,
[log in to unmask]
For the North:
Lisa O’Malley, Centre for Housing Policy, University of York,
[log in to unmask]
All Social Policy practitioners, teachers and researchers are welcome to
play a role in the Regional Networks.
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