Success at COMPASS Jobs Fair, London

COMPASS Jobs Fair, London, returned 22 November for the first time since 2019 at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square.

We would like to thank all exhibitors, visitors, including this years' sponsor, Vigoroom UK, for making the event such a successful day.

Visitors at COMPASS Jobs Fair, London were able to discuss career opportunities and pathways with a range of social work employers, including: Vigoroom UK (event sponsor), Cellmark, Coventry City Council, Devon County Council, Hampshire County Council, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London Borough of Bexley, Richmond & Wandsworth Councils’ Adult Social Care, The Mulberry Bush, Torbay Children’s Services, Remedy and West Sussex County Council.

One social worker said: "It was great to speak to a variety of potential employers face to face. The interview rooms were helpful to speak to employers and find out more about roles in a private area."

Visitors enjoyed a diverse range of seminars which explored key social work topics and trends, as well as social work cinema films.

The event sponsor, Vigoroom UK – a wellbeing platform created to help employees and employers develop and sustain greater levels of health and wellbeing – hosted seminars ‘How to Survive in social work’ and ‘Stress: who has responsibility?’. These sessions were led by Dr Neil Thompson, social work expert and vice president at Vigoroom UK. The seminars provided wellbeing guidance and explored key issues about mental wellbeing in the workplace.

Visitors also had the opportunity to win Dr Neil Thompson and John McGowan’s book How to Survive in Social Work. We are pleased to announce winners of the book are: Shabnam Ahmed, Gloria Mader and Lucinda Okadigbo.

One social work student commented on the seminars: ‘The presenters were really engaging and thoughtful, and the information provided was really relevant to social workers.’

Seminars focusing on key issues in social care included ‘Promoting and prioritising diversity’ led by Darlington Ihenacho, Principal social worker; and Vivian Okeze-Tirado, Gold winner for the Social Justice Advocate Award at this year's Social Worker of the Year Awards and advanced social worker at West Sussex County Council. This seminar focused on what is needed for social workers, and the organisations they work in, to affect meaningful change and promote diversity and cultural competence.

Another social worker said that it was a great opportunity to listen and participate in a variety of seminars: “There was an excellent selection of seminar topics which were so interesting and key to new developments in social care”.

Other seminar sessions included, ‘Mental health and reoffending’ by Kwanele Shishane, Lecturer in Social Work at Brunel University and ‘Default rather than design: The rights of the rapist father’ by Janet Goddard, social work course leader at the university of west London.

Social worker and author, Deborah Barnett also led a seminar on the topic of ‘Self-neglect: “Understanding my story is what works” which explored the effects of trauma on people, what coping mechanisms they develop, such as hoarding, self-neglect, substance misuse and homelessness.

Visitors also gained access to career advice through the Career Planning Programme. Steve Stuart, provided first-hand guidance and advice about 'bossing it' in social work interviews and finding the 'perfect fit' on what to look for in a social work employer.

Guests were also able to watch a variety of films in the Social Work Cinema throughout the day including sessions about safeguarding adults, mental wellbeing of older people in care homes, lived experiences of dementia, and tackling modern slavery.

The COMPASS Jobs Fair, Birmingham, will return 14 March 2022 at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre. Get your free ticket now and visit www.compassjobsfair.com/Events/Birmingham/Book-Tickets.

Other key dates for COMPASS Jobs Fair include: