Social Pedagogy Research Group

Membership

Members 
Dr Carla Solvason (Co-Lead)
Dr Angela Hodgkins (Co-Lead)
Genea Alexander
Suzanne Allies
Sue Baylis
Yvonne Cashmore
Dr Gilda Davis
Dr Mandy Duncan
Professor Geoffrey Elliott
Dr Madeleine Findon
Tracey France
Stuart Gallagher
Kim Harris
Rosemarie Hill
Jacqueline Hine
Kaytie Holdstock
Kate Howen
Sarah Hutchins
Melanie Jarman
David Jeffrey
Sophie Knight
Raquel Labella Jara
Bunty Lai-Boyd
Dr Emma Laurence
Shaun McInerney
Kate Morley
Caroline Nelson
Jane Owens
Dr Rachael Paige
Dr Alison Prowle
Isabelle Schäfer
Nicola Stobbs
Olivia Storey
Samantha Sutton-Tsang
Simon Taylor
Rebecca Thomas
Will Thomas
Alison Tugwell
Samantha Wallett
Dr Tracy Wallis
Dave Woodward

Postgraduate and Masters Students
Seriki Adebimpe
Jacqueline Ayom Nguumbur
Blessing Chukwudi (Alumni)
Cameron Clifford
Sarah Collinson
Emma Davis
Antionette Frearson
Sarah Grocutt
Samantha Hodgetts
Richard Holmes
Roja Kumari Kalynam
John Osuki (Alumni)
Jane Owen

Associate Members

We also have several associate members, including ex-staff and students, members of organisations we have worked with collaboratively and members of the wider community.

Publications

Books Co-Authored by Social Pedagogy Research Group

Solvason, C., Stobbs, N. and Elliott, G. (Eds) (2025) Social Pedagogy: Re-establishing Relationships at the Heart of Education, Routledge. DOI:10.4324/9781003533276  

This book, written by educators with a wealth of expertise across all age phases, provides an accessible, informative and thought-provoking exploration of how practitioners might place the human-centred values of social pedagogy at the heart of their own education and care practice to enrich and transform the learning experience.

A clear overview of why and how the underpinning principles of social pedagogy can benefit both the learner and the educator is provided, and answers to current educational challenges are offered. Chapters in the book cover topics including:

• supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities
• working with marginalised families and communities
• tackling bias in higher education
• alternative approaches to education leadership
• establishing relationships within an online environment

This book concludes by considering the value of social pedagogical approaches beyond the realm of education, in wider work with children and families. It discusses how this approach can build communities, offer hope and provide opportunities for all. Supplying a fresh and highly relevant perspective to help face the challenges in education today, this book will be key reading for policymakers, teachers and students in the field of education studies and beyond.

New book for 2026 currently in production

“Transformative Tales: The powerful potential of valuing human stories within education, health and social care practice” Eds: Angela Hodgkins, Carla Solvason and Emma Laurence

Overview: This book will explore the use of storytelling across a range of caring professionals, highlighting the role of listening and valuing the stories of those we work with. The book is split into 4 sections, the first introducing and exploring the notion of storytelling within social pedagogy. The second presenting ideas for using storytelling within education. The third section explores the varied uses of storytelling within Health and Social Care. In the final section, the significance of storytelling is considered within a social pedagogical approach to research. 

The book aims to: Provide inspirational ways of listening to the stories of others and valuing these as a central aspect of relational practice within caring professions. It seeks to promote the power of stories in helping individuals make sense of the world and in contributing to meaningful relationships between carers and cared for.  

Peer Reviewed Publications 2020-2025

2025

Adams, K., Thomas, D. and Paige, R. (2025) Beyond belief: Advancing death education through children’s experiences of non-corporeal continuation, Death Studies, pp.1-15. DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2025.2556113

Findon, M., Mahama, J., & Ojo, O. 2025. Share Your Voices: Capturing the perspectives of international students. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 7(1), 269–289. Retrieved from: https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1411

Hodgkins, A. (2025) Nurturing Compassionate Connections: A Guide to Practitioner Empathy in the Early Years, Speechmark, Routledge. DOI:10.4324/9781003464686

Hodgkins, A. and Solvason, C. (2025) A Relationship-Based Approach to Tackling Unemployment in disadvantaged communities, International Journal of Social Pedagogy – accepted 21st August 2025

Hodgkins, A. and Groom, J. (2025) The Cost of Caring: Empathic Relationships and Emotional Labour in Early Years Management, Journal of Early Childhood Research, 14(2), pp.195-222. DOI: 10.58955/jecer.148176

Laurence, E. and Malomo, M. (eds.) (2025) Embracing Change and Developing Leadership in the Early Years Sector. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781041055358

Laurence, E. (2025) People-powered leaders: A case study exploration of how collaborative leadership development programmes can support school leaders emotionally and professionally. PhD Thesis.

Prowle, A. and Stobbs, N. (2025) Therapeutic Approaches When Working with Children and Families, London: Routledge. DOI:10.4324/9781003459668

Solvason, C. (2025). Accountability, Scapegoating and Encouraging Rebellious Joys: Teaching in England, BritishJournal of Special Education, 52: 2, pp. 210-215. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.70013

Solvason, C., Stobbs, N. and Elliott, G. (Eds) (2025) Social Pedagogy: Re-establishing Relationships at the Heart of Education, Routledge. DOI:10.4324/9781003533276

Solvason, C., Sutton-Tsang, S., & Stobbs, N. (2025). Heading for burnout: The early years workforce in England post COVID-19. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 0(0). doi/10.1177/1476718X241308402

Watson, N, Lengthorn, E., Solvason, C. and Elliott, G. (2025) Sustainability Education for Children and Young People, London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003506850

2024

Cliffe, J. (2024) ‘(Re)imagining the social pedagogy within early childhood education and care: a (re)exploration of the power and importance of relationships and connections’, International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.ijsp.2024.v13.x.014

Frearson, A. & Duncan, M. (2024) An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Teachers’ Lived Experiences of Working with Traumatised Children in the Classroom. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 17(2), pp. 555-570. doi: 10.1007/s40653-024-00614-9

Gallagher, S. & Stobbs, N. (2023) Creating hope in dystopia: Utopia as Method as social pedagogy in early childhood studies, International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 12: 1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.ijsp.2023.v12.x.005

Hill, R. (2024) Enquiry-based teaching of History with young children: Mediating immersion, resources, and perspectives, TEAN journal Issue 15(1), pp. 149-161.

Hodgkins, A., Malomo, M. and Solvason, C. (2024) Teaching Assistants, respected enough to teach, but not enough to be paid accordingly. International Journal of Changes in Education. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE42024033

Solvason, C., Lyndon, S. and Webb, R. (2024), “Oh … that Mommy needs a bit of help as well”: why every school needs a health and wellbeing lead, Health Education, Vol.124: 5/6, pp.255-269. https://doi.org/10.1108/HE-06-2023-0072

Lyndon, S., Solvason, C., & Webb, R. (2024). ‘It’s a struggle’ – the role of the school Health and Well-being Lead in supporting families in poverty. Journal of Poverty and Social Justice https://doi.org/10.1332/17598273Y2024D000000014

Solvason, Carla, Sheehy, Amanda, Osuki, Amaechi and Winwood, J. (2024) ‘Small successes make it worthwhile’: The rewards and challenges of the SENCo role in a primary school in England. Support for Learning, 39 (3). pp. 104-115. ISSN 0268-2141 (print); 1467-9604 (web) https://nasenjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1467-9604.12473

Taylor, S. (2024) Creativity in the Early Years: Engaging children aged 0-5. London: SAGE. ISBN 1529743656

2023

Allies, Suzanne (2023) Practical ways to improve teacher wellbeing. Freedom to Teach. doi.org/10.4324/9780429330698

Duncan, Mandy (2023) How can early years practitioners support the care of young children living in poverty? International Journal of Birth and Parent Education. 10 (2): 3-7

Gallagher, Stuartand Stobbs, Nicola (2023) Creating hope in dystopia: Utopia as Method as social pedagogy in early childhood studies. International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 12 (1). ISSN 2051-5804 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444

Hodgkins, A. (2023) Exploring Early Childhood Practitioners’ Perceptions of Empathic Interactions with Children and Families. PhD thesis, University of Worcester. https://eprints.worc.ac.uk/id/eprint/13525

Hodgkins, Angelaand Prowle, Alison(2023) Strength-based Practice with Children and Families, Critical Publishing.

Hodgkins, Angela andBoddey, James(2023)Supporting parents with empathy and compassion, International journal of birth and parent education, 10 (2), pp. 29-33

Sheehy, Amandaand Solvason, Carla (2023) Teaching lads’ lads and girly-girls: why recognising and tackling gender stereotypes still matters in education. Education 3-13. ISSN Print: 0300-4279 Online: 1475-7575

Solvason, C. and Cliffe, J. (2023) Creating Authentic Relationships with Parents of Young Children. Abingdon: Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003191209

Solvason, Carla, Watson, Nicola, Tillsley, Jaimie Emily and Correia, Daniel Bizarro (2023) Taking a Collaborative Approach to Our Students’ Research in Education Settings. School Community Journal, 31 (1). pp. 191-210. ISSN 1059-308X

Solvason, Carla and Webb, R. (2023) Exploring and Celebrating the Early Childhood Practitioner: An Interrogation of Pedagogy, Professionalism and Practice. London: Routledge.

Solvason, Carlaand Elliott, Geoffrey (2023) Ethics in Education: Contemporary Perspectives on Research, Pedagogy and Leadership. Ethics International Press. ISBN: 978-1-871891-61-4

Solvason, C., Allies, S., Hodgkins, A., Weston, R. & Malomo, M. (2023) ‘Occasionally there are moments of light’: the challenges of primary school teaching in England, and the factors that motivate teachers to stay in the profession, Education 3-13. DOI. 10.1080/03004279.2023.2287547

Stobbs, Nicola, Solvason, Carla, Gallagher, Stuart and Baylis, Sue (2023) A human approach to restructuring the education system: why schools in England need social pedagogy. International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 12(1): 8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.ijsp.2023.v12.x.008

2022

Cliffe, Johanna and Solvason, Carla (2022) What is it that we still don’t get? – Relational pedagogy and why relationships and connections matter in early childhood. Power and Education. pp. 1-15. ISSN 1757-7438; Online ISSN: 1757-7438

Hodgkins, Angela (2022) Exploring early childhood practitioners’ perceptions of empathy with children and families: initial findings. Educational Review. ISSN Print: 0013-1911 Online: 1465-3397. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2021.2023471

Sheehy, Amanda (2022) Promoting gender equality in primary schools through teachers’ reflections upon their own constructions of gender and the implicit messages that they may convey to pupils. PhD thesis, University of Worcester.

Solvason, Carla and Winwood, Jo (2022) Exploring Drivers and Barriers: Working in Multi-professional Teams to Support Children and Families. School Community Journal, 32 (1). pp. 105-126. ISSN ISSN 1059-308X

2021

Allies, Suzanne (2021) A reflection on how a work-life balance can be achieved using professional development. Impact, 13. DOI:10.5074/impact.118744.

Cliffe, Johanna and Solvason, Carla (2021) The Messiness of Ethics in Education. Journal of Academic Ethics. ISSN Print: 1570-1727 Electronic: 1572-8544. DOI. 10.1007/s10805-021-09402-8

Solvason, Carla, Hodgkins, Angela and Watson, Nicola (2021) Preparing students for the ‘emotion work’ of early years practice. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 23 (1). pp. 14-23. ISSN 2537-7191.

Solvason, Carla, Webb, Rebecca and Sutton-Tsang, Samantha (2021) “What is left…?”: The Implications of Losing Maintained Nursery Schools for Vulnerable Children and Families in England. Children & Society, 35 (1). pp. 75-79. ISSN 951-0605 (print) 1099-0860 (eISSN). DOI: 10.1111/chso.12391

Solvason, Carla and Watson, Nicola (2021) Insights into Positive Approaches to Parent Partnership Working in UK Nursery Schools. Journal of Social Psychology Research, 1 (1). pp. 18-30.

Solvason, Carla, Elliott, Geoffrey and Cunliffe, Harriet (2021) Preparing university students for the moral responsibility of early years education. Journal of Education for Teaching. ISSN Print: 0260-7476 Online: 1360-0540. DOI: 10.1080/02607476.2021.1989982

Solvason, Carla and Proctor, Samuel (2021) 'You have to find the right words to be honest’: nurturing relationships between teachers and parents of children with Special Educational Needs. Support for Learning, 36 (3). pp. 470-485. ISSN 0268-2141. DOI: 10.1111/1467-9604.12373

2020

Allies, Suzanne (2020) Supporting Teacher Wellbeing: a practical guide for primary teachers and school leaders. Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 9780367353247

Cliffe, Johanna, and Solvason, Carla (2020) The role of emotions in building new knowledge and developing young children’s understanding, Power and Education, 12(2), pp.189-203. DOI: 10.1177/1757743820930724

Elliott, Geoffreyand Godfrey, Jonathan (2020) The implications of academisation for English Sixth Form Colleges. Journal of Further and Higher Education, (with Jonathan Godfrey) 45 (3) 363-376. DOI:10.1080/0309877X.2020.1762849

Solvason, C. and Kington, A. (2020) How subject leader collaborations across schools can act as a source of personal and curriculum development, Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 22(1-2), pp. 91–336. https://eprints.worc.ac.uk/id/eprint/9327

Solvason, C. and Kington, A. (2019), Collaborations: providing emotional support to senior leaders, Journal of Professional Capital and Community, 5(1), pp. 1-14. DOI: 10.1108/JPCC-05-2019-0010

Solvason, C., Webb, R. and Sutton-Tsang, S. (2020) Evidencing the effects of maintained nursery schools' roles in Early Years sector improvements. https://eprints.worc.ac.uk/id/eprint/9430 

Woodward, David, Earley, L.; Gunn, B. and Smallwood, E. (2020) What makes great physical education teaching? Application of evidence-based research to the training experience of ITE students. Physical Education Matters, 15 (3). pp. 77-79. ISSN 1751-0988

Current Opportunities

We welcome proposals from prospective students with interests in any areas aligned to our Research Group.  Please email Dr Carla Solvason to express an interest along with an outline of your research ideas.

Current opportunities currently offered by the Social Pedagogy Research Group

A Good Teacher Listens: Why Knowing Your Students and Teaching Your Students Go Hand in Hand.

What Drives Social Pedagogy?

If you are interested in these projects, please contact the lead supervisor to have a chat about your interests and the project idea. Please see the Research Degree pages for details on how to apply.  

Newsletters

In this section you will find our regular SPRG newsletter, which we began in the academic year 2024-2025. This celebrates the group’s projects and achievements and features short articles related to our work.

• Spring 2025
• Winter 2024

 

Highlighting Research - Dr Alison Prowle

'Thank you for asking me about my story': An exploration of the perspectives of forced migrant parents, practitioners and strategic actors in South Wales

Last year, I finally completed a doctoral study at Cardiff University, focusing upon the experiences of refugee and asylum seeking  families in Wales, and the practitioners who support them.  Here is a bit about the research.

The motivation

In 2016, I had the privilege of visiting the Dunkirk humanitarian camp.  In the Children’s Centre there, I met parents and listened to their accounts of homes destroyed, livelihoods lost, and relatives killed or displaced. They discussed fears for their own safety and for the futures of their children whilst reflecting on lengthy and perilous journeys, the details often hazy as the parents recalled the countries crossed. They told me of life in the camp, the hardships and tedium, and the challenges of parenting in such an adverse environment. The described their time in the camp as a liminal space; suspended between their past lives in the countries they called home, and their future home in the UK. 

The parents’ aspiration was to settle in the UK, which was perceived as a tolerant nation, with a legal system and welfare state that treated citizens well; a place where jobs were plentiful, education and health services were excellent, and where they could build positive futures.

 I gained a sense of the strength and resilience of these families, who had overcome incredible odds to leave their countries and reach Dunkirk.  However, past trauma and the harsh realities of life in the camp had left a discernible mark on the families. Some parents talked of depression, fatigue, and ill health. Others told me about their anxiety for their family’s future or their guilt at leaving loved ones behind in unsafe conditions. The children, living on the French coastal plain, painted pictures of national flags or the mountains of home, and acted out smuggling scenarios and police brutality within their play.  Practitioners discussed the need for practical and therapeutic intervention to support the families to make a successful transition into their new lives in Europe.

I returned to the UK in June 2016, in the fortnight leading up to the referendum on continued European Union (EU) membership.  The media was a frenzy of arguments and counterarguments. Different voices clamoured for attention; we should remain in the EU for fear of economic collapse; we should leave so that we could control our own borders and reduce levels of immigration.  Many commentators highlighted an undercurrent of xenophobic sentiment, with this view supported by a rise in reported hate crimes (Home Office 2017). The media circulated confused messages about immigration, asylum seeking and refugees, and raised concerns about the nation’s infrastructure and the continued pressures on public services that were already depleted by years of austerity policies (Fetzer 2020). 

The juxtaposition of the experience of the camp and my return to the UK led me to ponder what the future held for parents and children arriving in the UK.  In Dunkirk, I had witnessed incredible human resilience in the face of multiple difficulties and challenges.  Much of my professional life (as a manager of services for children and families) to this point had been concerned with supporting the needs of families challenged by multiple adversity. I thought that I had seen and witnessed most things that life could throw at a family. However, the stories from the camp challenged that assumption. I considered how the needs of families could be better understood and met and wondered how forced migrant families could be better supported to integrate within a society currently characterised by so much tension, misunderstanding, and conflicting values. Hence, this research journey began.

About the research

The research took the form of a multi-disciplinary, qualitative study of how the needs of refugee and asylum-seeking parents in Wales are supported. The study  adopted a stakeholder approach,  focusing on the perspectives  of  ten parents who had experienced migration,  along with 33 practitioners  and 15 strategic actors (Members of Parliament, Members of Senydd, Council Leaders and heads of Refugee organisations) .

I was keen for the research to explore the lived experiences of asylum-seeking parents in Wales, often characterised by constrained circumstances, uncertainty, lengthy waits for asylum judgements, alongside the challenges of integrating into a new society and grieving for what has been left behind. One of the biggest challenges for families and the practitioners that support them, was negotiating bureaucratic and often opaque Home Office procedures. These systems, all too often, stand in stark contrast to the Welsh Parliament’s vision of Wales as a Nation of Sanctuary. For things to improve significantly, Welsh Government would need an extension to existing devolved powers, to move their vision beyond rhetoric and into reality. However, the rhetoric of sanctuary does have some impact, and most parents in the study liked living in Wales and found it a welcoming host nation. Nonetheless, there was some evidence that the Brexit vote in 2016 had contributed to some parents feeling less welcome. There was significant scope for developing approaches that focused on fostering dignity, choice and autonomy, celebrating diversity and supporting wellbeing and belonging.

At the practice level, parents were supported by committed, passionate, empathetic, and culturally aware practitioners. However, high workloads, insecure funding and budget cuts were ever present challenges. At a strategic level, there was a strong recognition of the importance of providing a supportive welcome to forced migrant families. However, this was too often constrained by austerity policies, post-Brexit uncertainties, competing priorities and limitations of current devolved powers.  The study highlighted the potential for developing a strength–based and distinctly Welsh approach to hosting forced migrant families, focusing on agency, autonomy and reciprocity.

What next?

The parents and practitioners generously shared their stories and experiences with me, even though they were often painful, hard to listen to and even harder to tell. Ardita, a survivor of human trafficking and modern-day slavery, at the beginning of her  time with me said this:

“Thank you for asking me about my story. Where to start? It is not a happy story... so much happening and so much hurting…. but now we are here… maybe it is okay? If people listen to this story, maybe things will be better…...?”

 I now feel a compulsion to share  the messages from the research  in order to help make things just that little bit easier for  parents like Ardita.  Hence my next steps will involve developing articles and training sessions to  help raise awareness of the issues facing the families.

• Fetzer, T. 2020. Austerity and Brexit. Intereconomics. 55(1) pp27-33.
• Home Office.  2017. Hate Crime, England and Wales, 2016/17. Statistical Bulletin 17/17

Highlighting Research - Dr Amanda Sheehy

Dr Amanda Sheehy is a primary school teacher, researcher and trainer. She conducts academic research and works as an associate lecturer at the University of Worcester. Amanda also delivers professional training to educators in promoting gender equality in schools.

PhD Research: Promoting Gender Equality in Primary Schools Through Teachers’ Reflections

Focussing specifically on teachers’ reflections on their own attitudes to gender and how these can impact on their practice, this social constructionist study furthers understanding of how teachers’ promotion of gender equality in the classroom can be enhanced through seeking to explore and evaluate the attitudes of a sample of teachers.

Fourteen primary school teachers were interviewed about their gender construction, life experiences, influences, childhood and attitudes towards gender equality. They reflected on the implicit messages they may convey to their pupils concerning gender and how they could improve their practice in this area, considering language, learning environment, resources and curriculum content.

What emerged from the interviews was the power of the reflective process itself and the findings suggest that inviting teachers to reflect on their pedagogy in this way has potential to be a powerful tool in promoting gender equality when teaching children.  

Sheehy, Amanda (2022) Promoting gender equality in primary schools through teachers’ reflections upon their own constructions of gender and the implicit messages that they may convey to pupils. PhD thesis, University of Worcester.

Highlighting Research – Dr Angela Hodgkins and Dr Carla Solvason

In 2024, we were invited to conduct an independent evaluation of Worcester Community Trust’s Wellbeing Job Club project—an innovative and compassionate initiative designed to support unemployed individuals. This research aligned closely with our commitment as Social Pedagogues to amplifying the voices of marginalised communities.

The research, commissioned to assess the effectiveness of the initiative, found that the project, run by Worcester Community Trust and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, offers far more than traditional employment support. While job coaches assist with CV writing, interview preparation, and financial advice, the study revealed that their work significantly enhances clients’ wellbeing, confidence, and self-esteem, particularly for those with multiple and complex needs.

One job coach explained: “It’s not just jobs, jobs, jobs; it’s about reducing barriers and helping people believe in themselves again.”

The evaluation highlighted the personalised care and holistic support provided by the service, which has reached over 200 individuals since its launch in April 2023. Clients range from school leavers to those facing redundancy, and the research captured powerful stories of transformation, including one woman recovering from domestic abuse who, with support from the club, completed online courses and launched her own nutrition business.

Hodgkins and Solvason’s findings affirm the value of embedding wellbeing into employability services, and their work has been featured in the Worcester News, helping to raise awareness of the project’s impact.

The Wellbeing Job Clubs continue to offer weekly drop-ins, wellbeing activities, and one-to-one appointments, with plans to expand the service through to 2027.

What does social pedagogy have to offer a wide range of professions? (Networking Event - June 2023)

Introduction

Our University of Worcester led social pedagogy networking event brought together a vibrant group of people from a diverse range of professions; from adoption services, to play advocates to those lecturing in the field of business management. Everyone who attended was united in the core purpose of recognising the richness and potentiality of the individuals that they encounter daily, particularly the marginalised. This gathering was part of an international delegation, one of many taking place simultaneously in different locations across the UK and Europe, with each separate network event connecting with one another during the day to share ideas, tell stories and build community.

The event introduced and explored some core values that underpin social pedagogy. We listened as experts in their field discussed how they came to hold their beliefs about human beings and their potential to impact positively on one another, challenging our propensity to define individuals by their need.

The delegates then split into small groups and took part in a creative activity involving drawing a chalk outline of a child/person who may be considered marginalised. Inside the silhouette the groups wrote words associated with qualities that make people rich. After a short time, the groups then wrote words outside of the image that depicted society’s attitudes towards marginalised people. The delegates were given time to actively review and record their experience using Greenaway’s Four Fs (2015) as prompts, specifically,

1. Facts: what have you noticed based on your observations and what you’ve seen in other groups’ artwork?
2. Feelings: what emotions does this bring up in you
3. Findings: what learning are you taking from the activity?
4. Futures: how can you help draw out people’s inner richness and make this more visible?

Key take-away points from the day included:

Process of drawing- its significance for supporting understanding and engagement
The physical action of drawing the outline of the person and writing words inside to depict their inner richness seemed to enable participants to mentally inhabit the life-space of the imaginary, disadvantaged person. Several delegates noted that they had reflected on their own lived experiences as a way of making the activity more concrete for them. Words describing the inner richness of the marginalised person included, “playful”, “curious”, “loved” and “kind”, as well as “complex” and “unique”, evidence that delegates were avoiding thinking in two dimensions.

When the groups added the deficit words, such as “snowflake”, “disruptive”, “demanding” around the outside of their drawing, the impact was felt personally. Reflecting on this later using the Four Fs (Greenaway 2015) delegates’ feelings ranged from “sad” and “disappointed”; “anger” and “rage,” to “hope”, “empowerment” and “radicalism”. Although there was anger directed at society, some participants noted that we all have prejudices, and so should guard against the polarising action of labelling anyone, including those whose values and actions we might dislike. At the same time there was hope and a feeling of empowerment in joining forces with like-minded others to take a stand against such prejudice and injustice.

The importance of relationships
This related both to the delight of connecting with others who held similar values and hopes, as noted by the comment “We’ve found our tribe”, as well as the wider aspect of relationships. One observation about the importance of “community” reminds us of the power that comes when we feel we belong. Positive relationships enhance our confidence, boost resilience, development, and growth (Kyridis et.al., 2015: Vincent, 2016) and are at the heart of social pedagogy.

Challenging assumptions and the power of ‘pause’
Several of the groups noted the need to challenge assumptions and reflect on where our prejudices originate. They wrote that before thinking, speaking, or making judgements about people we should “pause”, and ask, “what is their lived reality?” Pausing is a powerful tool that creates a “deliberate gap” before impulsively reacting to an emotional trigger, allowing us to redirect our responses to ones that are more intentional (Segail, 2023, no page) and aligned to our Haltung.  During a pause we can take a breath and mindfully interrupt a cycle of learned behaviour, adjusting negative thoughts to be more empathetic and emotionally in-tune with others. The simple action of pausing can provide a space for us to have more authentic relationships with others.

Get to know the individual
Quite a few groups wrote that a way to find the richness in people was to get to know them as an individual before being tempted to make judgements. One group discussed how potential is often hidden, lying latent within a person, suggesting that it sometimes takes effort to discover it. Social pedagogy proposes that everyone possesses “inner richness and potential” (Eichsteller, nd, p.1), and creating the conditions for this to thrive is our role as social pedagogues.

Insight into how this might be achieved was addressed by several groups. One proposed that valuing diversity and celebrating differences, rather than merely accepting them was important.  This reminds us how language can influence attitudes in subtle ways; the word ‘accept’ implies politely enduring. It is a passive behaviour whereas when we ‘celebrate’ individuals’ differences we actively show support, love and admiration for them. A tight smile versus party poppers.

The active nature of fostering human richness through positive relationships was evidenced by groups who included comments such as “Dialogue,” “Active listening”, “Sharing”, “Respecting”, “Questioning”, “Having a genuine interest” and being “Open to learn” as future actions. These verbs suggest a need to invest something of our ‘self’, responding nimbly to how others are presenting in the moment. This can be both exhilarating and exhausting, and while relationship skills can be taught, (Barton 2014) it is the desire and courage to break down barriers and initiate relationships, particularly with the marginalised, that is perhaps the starting point for coming to know people as individuals. Engaging effectively requires a combination of both skills and disposition.

When we consider this, it is little wonder that another group included “Reflection” and “Self-awareness” as guiding principles for those seeking to “get to know the individual”. Using the Three Ps as a framework (Professional, Personal and Private selves) can help ensure that we bring genuine emotion to the relationship, using our personality and personability in a professional way, but judging when personal aspects of our lives would not enhance the marginalised person’s experience, and so should be kept private (Eichsteller and Holthoff, 2011).

Activism as future action, with a caution
Delegates in many groups identified a desire to challenge societal attitudes towards the marginalised and key to this was developing confidence. It was acknowledged that supporting marginalised people is easier said than done, and that once we see injustice, we need to look for strength both inwards and outwards from our support networks to rally our confidence, rather than quietly look away.

This take away for the future was extended by another group who saw the need for “tackling barriers- not just individual; structural issues,” highlighting that effective action requires lobbying those who are able to make policy changes on a macro level as well as providing support for the individual: “Political awareness and individual resourcefulness collectively and individual development”, agreed another group.

Delving deeper into the complexities of activism some delegates added that the stance of “saviour” should be avoided. This is a pertinent reminder of the need for continual self-reflection to ensure that we are ethical in our work with marginalised groups, honestly questioning our motives to establish if we are looking for a personal dopamine hit disguised as a worthy quest to “make a difference” (Cole, 2012. No page). In our first responsibility to “do no harm” we should enable the people we work with to feel empowered by including them in decisions that affect their lives, trusting their competence to be involved and ensuring that we “work with” others rather than “do to” them. When we encourage individuals to look to, and to utilise, their own community’s strengths, we can avoid creating a dependence that might be well-meaning, but ultimately becomes debilitating. Eichsteller and Bradt (2019, p.15) argue that although we may act as “the lifeline in crisis” on occasion, it is vital that we are also “strengthening people’s safety net and helping them recognise that they, in turn, can be part of other people’s safety net too”. It is important to remember that our ultimate aim is to make ourselves redundant, so that what is done together the first time is done independently the second time (Storo, 2013).

So, what does social pedagogy have to offer a range of professions?
The delegates at the event came from a broad range of professions and it was energising to feel the buzz as inspiration and insight into how social pedagogy might apply to each person’s context were sparked. There are few job roles that do not involve working with people, and feedback from delegates reflected the potential of social pedagogy to offer “an integrative and coherent perspective on supporting learning, well-being and social inclusion both through relationship-centred practice and structural efforts to address social inequality and promote social change.” (Eichsteller and Bradt, 2019, p.14).

If we were to create a metaphorical Pinterest board of life in the UK over the last seven years or so we would perhaps conclude that the local and global political situation has often divided people and exacerbated the difficulties in their lives (or life worlds). Social Pedagogy may not be a panacea to all these problems, but perhaps if we adopted social pedagogical values instead, our future might look a little different. Social pedagogy seeks ways to build common ground, bridging previous divides in an attempt to construct interdependent common futures. Adopting a collective and agreed Haltung across all professions and institutions, committing to enhancing financial, cultural and human capital in communities would surely be a positive start. Social Pedagogy offers huge potential to all professions and professionals who are invested in the betterment of our world. A potentiality that we will continue to explore here at the University of Worcester as part of our Social Pedagogy Research Group.

If you would like to find out more about our Social Pedagogy Research Group, then please contact Carla Solvason (Group Lead) at: c.solvason@worc.ac.uk

And look out for our book which is in production, Social Pedagogy: Possibilities in Education, edited by members of the research group.

References
Barton. E. (2014) The secret of nimble workplaces. BBC online. Available from: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20141215-do-you-need-a-fresh-start accessed 18.07.23

Cole, Teju. 2012. The White Savior Industrial Complex. The Atlantic Monthly Online 21: 1–2

Eichsteller, G. [nd] Social Pedagogy – Discovering Young People’s Potential. ThemPra Social Pedagogy CIC. Available from: www.thempra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Social-Pedagogy-briefing-paper.pdf accessed 18.07.23

Eichsteller, G. & Holthoff, S. (2011). Conceptual Foundations of Social Pedagogy: A Transnational Perspective from Germany, in Cameron, C. & Moss, P. (2011). Social Pedagogy and Working with Children and Young People. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Eichsteller, G. & Bradt, L. (2019). Social Pedagogy as a Meaningful Perspective for Education and Social Care. Anglesey: Thempra Social Pedagogy.

Kyridis, A., Christodoulou, A., Vamvakidou, I., Pavlis-Korres, M. (2015). ‘Fighting Corruption: Values Education and Social Pedagogy in Greece in the Middle of the Crisis.’ International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 4(1): 3, pp. 24–42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.ijsp.2015.v4.1.003.

Greenaway, R., Bogdan, V., & Calin, I. (2015). Active Reviewing: A Practical Guide for Trainers and Facilitators. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Segail, I. (2023). PAUSE: The EQ Key to Mindful Decision-Making. Available from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pause-eq-key-mindful-decision-making-ian-segail accessed 18.07.23

Storo, J. (2013). Practical Social Pedagogy. Theories, values and tools for working with children and young people. Bristol: Policy Press

Vincent, J. (2016). Perspectives on love as a component of professional practice. [Joint Special Issue, Love in Professional Practice] Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, 15(3) and International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 5(1), 6-21.