"Where care and education meet" - (Claire Cameron)
Social Pedagogy is colourful, diverse and international. Some things defy easy definition. We tell stories, paint pictures with words to get an understanding of an approach which is working with the complexity of life. That’s why I love to refer to the story of The elephant and the blind men as a metaphor when beginning to share what Social pedagogy is. It is a wonderful analogy for the challenge of defining Social Pedagogy in its academic, professional approach. In the story three men touching different parts of the elephant and each of them is convinced that is what an elephant is. During the exploration of Social Pedagogy in the UK over the last decade Social Pedagogy was attempted to locate in the compartments of various existing practices. It is like good quality social work. It is like therapeutic fostering. It is like pastoral support in education. It is good education. It is like common sense of caring for vulnerable people and groups. Just to name a few and as in the story with the elephant and the men, all hold an element of truth, an aspect of the whole.
The beauty is that Social Pedagogy is a combination of various disciplines and making them accessible for social interventions to empower people, to promote social justice and contribute to democratic society. Social Pedagogy is education in its’ broadest sense. Social Pedagogy is seeing individuals, groups, communities through a holistic lens and knows that to achieve change and growth diverse issues need to be looked at and worked with. Context is essential to consider and the interconnectedness of all being.
In my understanding Social Pedagogy it is the art and the science of empowering individuals or groups across all ages through unique learning opportunities.
There is a vast knowledge collected, co-created and gained which can be accessed via the following links if you would like to immerse yourself more into theory and practice of social pedagogy.
• www.thempra.org.uk
My offer of Social Pedagogy work is divers and ranges from individual work with families, one-to-one life coaching, over facilitating learning spaces for professionals to consultancy for organisation. I am working alongside people in this processes and with various creative methods I provide a safe space to discover ones inner resources, resilience and unique strengths.
Please feel free to get in touch so we can explore and co-construct what Social pedagogy can contribute to what is needed in your or your organisations specific context.
A special offer are my Wellbeing course for carers
This are tailored courses for those who are caring for others. In this course the focus is on strengthening and nurturing your own health, wellbeing and resilience. It is an opportunity of practically exploring ways to restore and recharge with methods from Yoga and Mindfulness as well as learning tools from Social Pedagogy supporting your ability to be fully present and caring for those who need you.
Special thanks to the foster carers and supervising social workers who co-constructed and tested this course series in the context of the Head Heart Hand Programme.
social pedagogy
as social pedagogy
(Social Pedagogy offers)
I am a social pedagogue specialist in humanistic counselling, health promotion, education and community work. For over 20 years I have worked with children, young people and adults in various social care settings. After moving to the UK in 2008 I have worked in two projects introducing social pedagogy into residential care and into foster care.
My passion for social justice and the wish to contribute to other peoples' wellbeing informed my choice to become a Social Pedagogue many years ago and have been strong drivers of my practice since. I deeply enjoy seeing people flourish, actively taking responsibility for their lives and embracing change.
I am working alongside people in this processes and share the joy as well as the pain on those journeys. With various creative methods I provide a safe space to discover ones inner resources, resilience and unique strengths.
Being comfortable in the uncomfortable position of an active change agent with a good eye for systemic dynamics and a likeness of detailed exploration, I have inspired and nurtured Social pedagogy journeys in organisation of the social care sector.
I offer a wide range of Social Pedagogy work starting from individual case work with families, individual life coaching, over providing learning spaces for professionals to consultancy for organisation. Please feel free to get in touch so we can explore and co-construct what Social pedagogy can contribute to what is needed in your or your organisation's specific context.
