Hi everyone, I’ve been thinking about how we approach reflection in practice. Often, it stays focused on what happened and what we did. Which is important. But it doesn’t always create space to look at what’s shaping those responses. I want to introduce a simple way of working through reflection using a tree. Each part of the tree can help you notice a different layer of your practice, what you bring in, the decisions you make, the directions you take, and the impact that comes out of it. We’ll move through this as a 4-week reflection challenge. Our week will start on Monday and will end on Friday. We’ll have one live session every Friday. That will be a chance to pause together, explore the week’s focus, share insights if you want, and think about what comes next. Each week will have a specific focus: - Week 1 — Roots: What you bring into the moment. Exploring assumptions, experiences, and values that shape how you respond. - Week 2 — Trunk: Power and positioning. Looking at the role of power, authority, and how your presence shapes interactions. - Week 3 — Branches: Boundaries, allyship, and use of self. Reflecting on where you step in, where you step back, and how you show up in relation to others. - Week 4 — Leaves: Impact, accountability, and patterns. Considering outcomes, patterns over time, and what learning can be carried forward. Any video recording will be posted on the classroom page Our Week 1 challenge starts today, check out the next post🙂

We’re glad you’re here. We are social workers, with experience across domestic violence, working with children and families, disability, and social work education. Like many of you, our work has been shaped by complex systems, ethical tension, and the realities of frontline and community-based practice. We created The Social Work Circle because we saw a need for a space that supports learning, reflection, and connection outside of performance, productivity, or institutional expectations. A space where social workers and community practitioners can think together, learn from experience, and stay connected to the values that brought us into this work. Our hope is that this community becomes a place to: - share practice-based learning - explore questions that don’t have easy answers - learn alongside peers across roles and settings - stay grounded while navigating challenging systems We’re looking forward to learning with you and shaping this space together over time. We invite you to introduce yourself by sharing: - Where you’re joining from - Your area of practice or field - What drew you to this community - What you hope to gain from being here We also welcome your ideas about what you’d like this space to offer.