International Community for Practice Research in Social Work
Practice Research Impact,
Translation & Influence
This group is about making an impact and directly influencing practice and eventually policy, along with forming alliances. The founders believe that for research to be relevant and make an impact and change, the results of the research need to directly relate and be relevant to issues facing practitioners in the field. This is an open discussion space for members to share their experiences, their challenges, successes, as well as failures, free of judgment.
Through the knowledge and experience of the members, this group hopes to develop models that focus on translating practice research back into practice, through focusing on practitioner and service user engagement.
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About the Collaborative
The Practice Research Collaborative (PRC) focuses on research impact, translation, and influence represents an effort to address how research in social work can more effectively inform practice and policy, particularly through active collaboration across international borders. Led by Ilse Julkunen and Lynette Joubert, this collaborative brings together scholars and practitioners from diverse countries to explore the real-world applications of social work research, with an emphasis on creating lasting, practical changes in social services. The PRC operates as an open and supportive forum where its members can engage in candid discussions about their experiences with research, including both successes and failures. By providing a space where members can openly share the challenges they face in implementing research into practice, the group fosters a sense of mutual learning and collaboration. This culture of open exchange enables participants to refine their approaches to research and practice while offering a constructive environment to reflect on the complex and sometimes frustrating journey of translating research into meaningful change. One of the unique features of this group is its nonjudgmental, peer-driven approach, which encourages honest dialogue, critical reflection, and continuous improvement in research methods and practice strategies. The group’s commitment to learning from one another is further supported by its collective writing efforts, where members collaborate on writing articles and papers together, expanding their collective knowledge and ensuring a wider dissemination of their findings.
Contact
Get in touch with this collaborative to discuss current research projects, collaborations and upcoming meeting dates.
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Meeting times and resources
The PRC has grown significantly since its initial workshop at the Practice Research Conference in Aalborg, Denmark, in 2023. Initially a small group of researchers, it has expanded to a steady membership of 12-15 individuals representing a range of countries, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Italy, China, and Singapore. This international diversity adds richness to the discussions and ensures that the group’s work is grounded in a variety of social work contexts, each with its own unique challenges and opportunities. While the group meets 3-4 times a year, the frequency of their meetings often increases in response to specific writing projects or article development, reflecting the group's ongoing commitment to producing high-quality research outputs.
For more information please email
Ilse Julkunen, ilse.julkunen@helsinki.fi
Lynette Joubert, ljoubert@unimelb.edu.au
Membership
Activities
In 2023, the group held a live recording of a Social Work Research Podcast during the PRC Impact, Translation, and Influence workshop at the Aalborg Practice Research in Social Work Conference. This podcast, now available online, serves as an accessible platform for sharing the insights and findings from the PRC’s ongoing work, offering listeners a chance to engage with the issues of research translation, practice impact, and the broader implications of social work research. In addition to the podcast, members of the group have been actively involved in organizing webinars, inviting speakers from within and outside the group to present their research and facilitate discussions on topics such as practice-based evidence, co-creation with service users, and the role of social workers in implementing evidence-based practices.
One of the central aspects of the PRC’s activities has been its focus on writing for publication. Much of the group's work in the past year has centered around contributing to a special issue of Research on Social Work Practice, with two primary articles in development. The first, led by Martin Webber from the UK, is titled “Beyond the Evidence Paradox: Engaging with Service Users and Citizens in the Implementation of Social Work Practice Research.” This article addresses the tension between research evidence and practical implementation, highlighting how engaging with service users and citizens can help bridge this divide and make research more relevant and actionable in real-world settings. The second article, led by Walter Schönfeld from Norway, is titled “Why is Social Service Coordination So Hard?” and explores the complexities and barriers in coordinating social services, particularly in a multi-agency context. Both articles are set to be submitted for the special issue in early 2025, marking a significant milestone for the collaborative’s research agenda.
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Louise Whitaker, School of Arts and Social Science, Australia
Christa Fouché, Auckland University, New Zealand
Anna Metteri, Tampere University, Finland
Martin Webber, York University, UK
Monica Short, Charles Sturt University, Australia
Nanne Isokuortti, Helsinki University
Nicole Hill, Melbourne University, Australia
Jo Hilder, Gold Coast University Hospital, Australia
Ziyu Wang, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
Rickard Ulmestig, Linneus University, Sweden
Walter Schönfelder, Tromsö University, Norway
Caroline Walters, Monash University, Australia
Irit Aizik, Brooksdale, UK
Zach Lee, Singapore
Kate Thompson, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Catrine Torbjörnsen Halås, NORD university, Norway
Laura Yliruka, Eastern University, Finland
Lynette Joubert, Melbourne University, Australia
Ilse Julkunen, Helsinki University, Finland
Reports and Publications
A live recording was held at the PRC Impact, Translation and Influence workshop at Aalborg Practice Research in Social Work Conference in June 2023 of the Social Work Research Podcast. This has been published at https://martinwebber.net/archives/podcast/50-results-to-practice.
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Julkunen, Ilse, Joubert, Lynette, Fouché Christa, Webber, Martin, Short, Monica, Whitaker, Louise, Metteri, Anna (2024) Practice Research Partnerships in Social Work: Addressing Impact and Credible Evidence, Research on Social Work Practice 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315241229680