Dear IFSW members, colleagues and friends,
Firstly, in these challenging times, I hope that you, your loved ones and colleagues are all doing as well as can be under these circumstances.
On behalf of IFSW Secretariat and IFSW President, I would like to thank all of you for the significant work you are undertaking and for all your contributions to the IFSW COVID-19 website hub. It has been a hugely successful as a place for the profession to share information and learn from one another. As you will see, there is new content every day, and we highly appreciate your comments on IFSW’s role and on how members organizations adopt or adapt other country’s experiences in their social work role in fighting the pandemic.
Across the world, social workers keep adapting and developing innovative initiatives to meet their tasks. With this same spirit, the working team of the Secretariat is also adapting and developing a new way to organize a successful and inspiring online 20202 General Meeting.
This General Meeting presents the opportunity for all IFSW members to be involved as there are no travel or visa restrictions and it will be run over three days in order that all time zones can fully participate. Please remember that all your contributions are essential in fostering the development of the profession and making IFSW stronger and more effective.
Should you have any questions please feel free to contact IFSW Secretariat, Lola Casal-Sanchez, ()
Dates and Online Platform
The IFSW 2020 General Meeting will be held online at the same time as the earlier announcement on the 11th, 12th and 13th July 2020. The General Meeting will be organized in a dedicated space on the IFSW website. To fully participate, it will be necessary for IFSW member organisations to pre-register.
Over the next weeks, the IFSW Secretariat will provide you with full details on how to register, access and navigate through this virtual space. In addition, the team at the Secretariat will be available to answer all questions that Members may have.
Participation
The normal conditions will apply as for past face-to-face General Meetings in accordance with the Constitution
- Members in good standing will be entitled to full participation in the online General Meeting.
- Each member shall be entitled to 3 delegates, each of whom is entitled to contribute. Observers to the online General Meeting maybe admitted with the permission of the President but may not contribute unless the President approves their request.
- Members who cannot participate in the online General Meeting are encouraged to participate via proxy votes
Agenda, Report and Relevant information
On the IFSW website, there is a dedicated space for the 2020 online General Meeting https://www.ifsw.org/general-meeting-2020/
Here, you can read all the relevant documents prepared by IFSW Secretary-General, the Global Executive, as well as several documents elaborated by IFSW Representatives, Commissioners, and proposals submitted by members.
Please check it regularly as more information will added when received by the Secretariat.
Positions on the executive open for election or appointment
The following positions (below) on the IFSW Global Executive are open for election and will be voted upon during the online General Meeting on the 11th, 12th or 13th of July. This is a reminder that to nominate for one of these positions, nominations should be received no later than Saturday 23rd May 2020 and be submitted to the IFSW Elections Officer David Jones () and the IFSW Secretary-General ().
Information on all the position open for election and how to make a nomination can be found on this website link.
Motions Presented to the 2020 online General Meeting
Please note there are a number of motions that have already been proposed to be presented at the online General Meeting. This includes motions to would change the constitution. If you would like to know more about the motions presented, please write to the Secretariat.
Lola Casal-Sanchez
International Relationship Manager