Third Network Meeting Strengthens Social Work in Tyrol

Practice meets academia: new approaches and challenges discussed at network meeting of the Social Work Platform Tyrol at MCI

At the annual network meeting of the Social Work Platform Tyrol, held recently at MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®, professionals from the fields of practice and research came together to discuss current developments in Social Work.

The initial focus was on the question of what consequences the various social crises of recent years have had for Social Work. The brief presentation titled “Social Work in Times of Multiple Crises?” examined the growing challenges in Social Work in greater detail and provided a scientifically grounded analysis. The accompanying article has been published in the online journal Soziales Kapital and presents the initial findings of a two-year research project.

The subsequent discussion examined successful strategies for addressing growing challenges. It became clear that networking and cross-organizational collaboration are key success factors, yet are often hindered by limited resources and funding structures.

Another key focus was digitalization in Social Work. The topic of artificial intelligence, in particular, generated a great deal of interest. While larger organizations are already implementing their first AI applications, smaller institutions often face financial and organizational hurdles. One concrete idea that emerged was the proposal to create a shared collection of helpful digital tools within the network.

The Social Work Platform Tyrol sees itself as an open forum for professionals from both practice and research and welcomes others who are interested in getting actively involved.