Social Work in the Global Environment

The aim of the Social Work in the Global Environment Conference is to contribute to the local-global perspectives in social work, utilizing the strategy: thinking globally and acting locally.

The theme of the 2024 conference is The Journeys of Migrants and Refugees: Challenges and Opportunities of Global Population Movement.

This year’s conference focuses on the migrants’ lived experiences between departing and arriving countries.

Presenters and discussants will provide historical overview of various hotspots of migration and destinations for migrants. Topics related to experiences of migrants would be presented highlighting the challenges and opportunities. The impact of such challenges and opportunities would be discussed. Global and local implications for service delivery systems would be explored.

Specific topics include:

• Hotspots of migration: A global overview of migration movements. Providing an overview of global hotspot of people on the move and a brief definition of the categories of migrant terminologies -- Immigrant, migrant, refugee, asylum seeker, expatriate (expats) and irregular migrant.
• Experiences of irregular migrants:  What happens when the person departs from home?
• Programs offering services to immigrants – Global and local.
• Mental health: The impact of the journey on the wellbeing of migrants and their families.