Social Work Service User and Carer
Participation Advisory Group

Two people with note pads in a meeting

The Service User and Carer Participation Advisory (SUPA) Group at the University of York is made up of carers and service users supported by an academic lead based in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work.

We represent a wide range of people who social workers will come in contact with in their practice and offer a channel between service users, carers, staff, students and other SUPA groups to discuss inclusiveness and values in social work.

The group was established in 2005 and is funded by the Health and Care Professions Council.

Our aims and role

The SUPA Group aims to improve the social work course by influencing the teaching in both the BA Social Work and MA Social Work degree programmes from a service user and carer perspective.

The group supports students and staff by sharing information and personal experiences of service users and carers in York and the surrounding areas. We provide first-hand knowledge to enhance students' learning in their preparation for practice, with valuable insights into our lives that cannot be offered by textbooks alone. Our honest views about how services users and carers wish to be treated helps to overcome assumptions and dispel myths that may be held within the social work community.

One of the ways we contribute to widening students' perspectives is by raising awareness of volunteering opportunities that may enhance student’s learning experience through our annual Volunteering Open Day.

Our involvement

  • Interviewing/recruitment of BA and MA social work students.
  • Take part in role playing scenarios to aid communication skills.
  • Read through placement reports to give a service user’s perspective on language and content used.
  • Advise students on what to expect on placements and how to conduct themselves when in a work setting. 
  • Participation in seminars and delivery of lectures to share particular in depth knowledge of their field. 
  • Influencing the structure of the course/teaching through our board meetings
  • Attend and present at national service user conferences at other universities.