SWIRLS
Social Work Innovation Research Living Space
The world is a whirlpool of information, theories, opinions and facts. We take the spin out, concentrate on research that uses evidence and lived-experience, and create innovative solutions in and around social work.
Our game plan is to advance social work, policy and research. We're doing things differently.
We're using the 'living lab' approach. This means we bring progress researchers, practitioners, policy people, and anyone who engages with social work and related professions to co-design projects. It's not your typical academia. We're transgressing the lines drawn between us to bring a fresh perspective to complex problems and the solutions they need.
This way, we know what’s happening ‘on the ground.’ We know what social workers think will work, and what policies our governments might enact. We are adaptable and responsive. Our work is interdisciplinary.
Our research environment is informed by appreciative inquiry and participatory action research. We offer evidence that has the power to promote social justice values and shape our future workforce through knowledge, education, and professional development.
Across it all, we design better prevention, intervention and services. We change policy and practice. We educate and mentor the future of social workers. And we help to empower and uplift individuals, families and communities.
People don't live, work and think within the white walls of a laboratory or under microscopes. We're all different. There are a hundred different factors that influence our every decision. So, we take our social issue research into the community. It's research in real time, real places and real lives.
We are the space
We love our active research culture. Operating in real-life environments, we have a practice-driven space that facilitates collaboration and open innovation to tackle complex challenges.
SWIRLS is a place for us to co-create research. We make meaningful connections between research, social work and policy in the field and conduct our work in real-time in a rapidly changing world. Instead of academics driving research outcomes, we work with practitioners and policy experts to co-design projects that will have an impact.
SWIRLS is not a building. It is an ever-changing space. A space defined by the people who create it.
The College of Education, Psychology and Social Work has established SWIRLS, bringing together a group of social work academics to create a leading national social work research centre.
SWIRLS joins the Órama Institute, which focuses on multi-disciplinary research and discovery in mental health, wellbeing and neuroscience.
We tackle the big issues
We're developing a formidable reputation for producing theoretically driven research to examine social issues and social work practice in our ever-evolving world.
Our research tackles many of the challenges that social workers face, including:
- Child protection
- Closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
- Disability
- Domestic and family violence
- Imprisonment
- Health and human services
- Housing and homelessness
- Quality of life
Social workers seek out knowledge by understanding their clients' personal meanings and problems, as well as the social and institutional issues that cause and contribute to inequality and oppression.
We deal with complex problems that need nuanced, evidence-based responses. In doing so, we embrace innovation, creativity, risk-taking, collaboration, and fresh perspectives. The evidence we produce—when put into action—will help social workers to work more effectively with our communities.
We put you at the heart of creation. Our ethos is user-centred, open innovation ecosytstems of research. Together, we can solve the issues that tear communities, families and individuals apart.
Co-design
Co-design is a way of living, working and being in the world. At its heart, it is the shared goal of making the world a better place.
SWIRLS is formed around the goals of collaboration, partnerships, and open innovation to tackle complex social problems with social workers, human service workers, and governments.
Research in partnership with industry brings together applied research excellence, the practice wisdom and field-based knowledge of social workers, and the lived experiences and knowledge of individuals, families, groups and communities.
Some of our partners include the Department of Child Protection South Australia, Uniting Communities Adelaide, The Guardian for Children and Young People, Early Intervention Research Directorate, Women’s Safety Services South Australia, and Housing SA.
SWIRLS
Social Work Innovation Research Living Space
is a unique and innovative concept, driven by practice-led social work researchers based at Flinders University
Acknowledgement of country
The Social Work Innovation Research Living Space recognises that Flinders University operates on Indigenous peoples’ traditional lands and waters and acknowledge their continued responsibility to care for country at the University’s various teaching locations, including the lands and waters of the following peoples: Kaurna, Arrernte, Boandik, Bungarla, Gunditjmara, Jawoyn, Larrakia, Nauo, Ngarrindjeri, Peramangk, Wurundjeri, Yolgnu.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
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