Canopi 82 Tanner Street London SE1 3GN Charitable Incorporated Organisation: 1204861
Trustees Report 2025
1. Background
The Charity was established on 21[st] September 2023. It was preceded by the Joint University Council – Charity Number 313573 and inherited its first funds following the closure of the JUC on 13 November 2024. The new charity started with three founding trustees Professor Janet Melville-Wiseman (Chair), Professor Joanne Westwood, and Professor George Palattyil. This was to ensure a smooth transition from the JUC and to make decision making as agile as possible. The trustees were then joined by Amanda Fitchett as Acting Honorary Treasurer. Two further trustees, Professor Wilson Muleya and Professor Kish Bhatti-Sinclair will be joining the charity shortly. Professor Charles Sutcliffe will also shortly become our new treasurer, and they will also become a trustee as part of that role. We plan to have a maximum of twelve trustees for the new charity and this will include the chair of each subcommittee. Significant work was needed to ensure that the aims of the charity would be compliant with Charity Commission guidelines but also stay true to the original purpose of the JUC established in 1918. The charitable objectives are:
The advancement of education for the public benefit in the subject of social work education, research, policy and practice and to inform public understanding and debate in those fields in the uk and in particular by supporting university based academics and scholars to further such education and by making available to the public, through a process of objective, impartial research and rigorous factual analysis, full, accurate and relevant information to assist such public understanding and to inform and improve the quality of public debate in those fields. Such purposes shall in all respects and at all times be construed and promoted in an impartial, objective, balanced, and independent manner observing strict political neutrality.
2. Activities
The first year has been challenging in terms of the volume of work needed to close the JUC but also to set up a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation. However, during this time we have been able to maintain most of our work including our conferences, committee work and representing the sector with regulators and government departments.
Following closure of the JUC the chairs of our Research Committee and International Committee were coming to the end of their period of office and indicated a wish to step down. We are very pleased that Amanda Fitchett and Dr Pat Cartney continue to lead our Teaching and Learning Committee now known as our Education Committee. I am also very pleased to
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announce that Professor Kish Bhatti-Sinclair is our new chair of the International Committee and will become a trustee. We will appoint a new Chair of our Research Committee in due course but in the meantime Professor Wilson Muleya has convened an initial meeting. Dr Sally Paul continues to represent the Scotland Committee, and we look forward to continuing our role working alongside the Scottish Heads of Social Work group.
Our next conference will be hosted by the University of Lancashire on 25[th] -27[th] June. The conference will start with a research student workshop on the 25[th] and the full conference will start on 26[th] June. As always, we will be providing a small number of bursaries for Experts by Experience, Carers, Practitioners and Students who may not have access to funding to attend. The theme this year is ‘Shaping the Future’ and I am very grateful to Dr Mary Shannon, Debbie Brown and Professor Aiden Worsley for their hard work in planning to host JUSWAC2025. We will be putting out a call to host JUSWAC 2026 shortly and this will follow our strategy to take the conference to each region and nation of the UK.
Recent conferences have been:
2024 – Kingston University - Grand Challenges for Social Work: Strengthening social solidarity and connectedness
2023 – University of Strathclyde - Social Work Education, Research and Practice in Turbulent Times
Alongside setting up the charity we have continued to work hard to represent our membership in national fora and to advocate for the future sustainability of our work and our key role influencing the future direction of social work, social work education and research. I am currently involved with different workforce development strands and Amanda Fitchett is Vice Chair of the Social Work England Education Advisory Forum. Amanda and I continue our regular bi-monthly meetings with DfE and DHSC and we think there may be progress on our long campaign to seek a review of mainstream student bursaries. I represented the sector on the National Workforce Action Group and the Review of the Professional Capabilities Framework with BASW. I am also an invited member of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services Workforce Group.
3. Governance
Our new website has recently gone live, and we now have essential administrative processes in place. We are registered with the National Council of Voluntary Organisations as a small charity and will join the Academy of Social Sciences. We have also obtained a permanent business address for the charity, renewed our insurance policy and are looking to appoint permanent secretarial support. The trustees will continue to build up our portfolio of policies to underpin our work including the investment of non-operational funds. We have in place polices relating to:
Finances Expenses GDPR/DPA Risk and Insurance Trustee Recruitment
Conference Memorandum of Agreement with the host university
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The charity continues to serve its main purpose across a diverse range of activities and remains financially secure for the foreseeable future.
Professor Janet Melville-Wiseman Chair of JUSWA 29.5.25
Current Trustees: Amanda Fitchett Professor Janet Melville-Wiseman Professor George Palattyil Professor Joanne Woodward
Incoming Trustees: Professor Kish Bhatti-Sinclair Professor Wilson Muleya Charles Sutcliffe
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JUSWA: Receipts and Payments for the period from 23[rd] September 2023 to 31 December 2024
Receipts Subscriptions (33) £14,850.00 Transfers from JUC (incl. 4 subscriptions) £153,240.38 Total £168,090.38 Payments Expenses £2,384.88 Website and email £3,240.00 Administration £1,500.00 Insurance £96.00 Total £7,220.88 Net Cash Received £160,869.50
JUSWA: Assets as at 31[st] December 2024
Assets
| Opening bank balance on 1stMarch 2024 | £0.00 |
|---|---|
| Closing bank balance on 31stDecember 2024 | £160,869.50 |
NOTES. The cost of the website and email is only a part payment, and the outstanding amount is £3,888. 36 institutions have paid their subscription for 2024, with one institution paying twice. 27 subscriptions for 2024 are outstanding. All these subscriptions relate to 2024, with no prepayments for 2025.
Treasurer: Amanda Fitchett Advisor: Charles Sutcliffe
25.2.25
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