What does it take to keep relationships at the centre of social work when the conditions we work in often make that harder, not easier?

That’s the question that the Iriss team is inviting social work teams across Scotland to explore through a new 18-month innovation programme.

For many practitioners, this question will feel very familiar. At the end of the day social work is built on relationships. Yet increasing workloads, administrative demands, resource pressures, and wider systemic challenges can sometimes take practitioners away from the very thing that matters most… meaningful human connection.

The programme will bring together up to six social work teams from across Scotland, creating space for practitioners to think differently about the relational challenges they face and to work collaboratively on solutions. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all answer, each team will identify their own focus and explore what relational practice means within their own context.

This programme is funded through resources made available following the conclusion of Learning Network West. As part of our commitment to its legacy, Iriss has chosen to invest these resources directly in supporting social work teams to lead change from within their own practice and local contexts. 

Over the course of the programme, teams will move through the Iriss innovation model that includes:

• Readiness (pre-explore) – building conditions for change 
• Explore and Imagine – identifying needs and generating ideas 
• Shape – developing and testing solutions 
• Realise – implementing in practice 
• Learning and evaluation – sharing influence 

The programme will also place a strong emphasis on anti-oppressive practice. Sustaining relational practice isn’t just about having more time for conversations; it’s about understanding how factors such as race, class, disability, gender, sexuality, and migration status influence who gets access to relational support and who doesn’t. Participants will be encouraged to bring this lens into every stage of their work.

At its heart, this innovation programme is about trying to create the conditions for change. It offers practitioners protected time to reflect, experiment, learn, and lead improvements from within their own teams. It recognises that the people closest to the work (including those with lived and living experience) are often best placed to identify what’s getting in the way and what needs to happen next.

By the end of the programme, teams will not only have developed practical responses to challenges in their own settings but will also have strengthened their confidence, capability, and collective agency to influence change more broadly.

Who are we looking for?

We’re looking for up to six social work teams (including those with lived and living experience) from across Scotland, who are curious, committed, and ready to explore new ways of developing relational and anti-oppressive practice.

You don’t need to have all the answers. In fact, the programme is designed for teams who are grappling with challenges and want the time, support, and structure to think differently about them.

We’re particularly interested in teams (between 4-6 people per team) from statutory or third-sector organisations that:

• Are experiencing, or want to explore, a relational challenge, tension or opportunity within their practice. 
• Can demonstrate why this issue matters to the people, families or communities they work alongside. 
• Are willing to reflect on how power, inequality and exclusion shape experiences and outcomes. 
• Can commit to participating throughout the 18-month programme, between 1.5-2 days per month per team member.  
• Have leadership support to engage in the programme. 
• Are keen to share their learning with others.

What you will gain

The programme will include:

• Facilitated workshops and events.
• Support to explore challenges and opportunities within your team’s context. 
• Coaching and guidance throughout the innovation process.
• Opportunities to connect and learn alongside other participating teams. 
• Practical tools and approaches for developing, testing, and implementing new ideas.
• Support to capture learning and share insights with the wider sector. 

Participants will be encouraged to take a reflective and collaborative approach, drawing on their own experience, and the expertise of people who access support. Importantly, there is no financial cost to take part in the programme. Iriss will provide the facilitation, support, learning opportunities, and resources needed throughout the 18 months.

The main investment required is time, commitment, and a willingness to engage with the process. Teams will need support from their organisation to participate fully and make space for learning, experimentation, and reflection.

How to apply

Applications are now open (closing on the 3rd of August, 11PM) via the online application form.

If this sounds like an opportunity your team would benefit from, we’d love to hear from you. The application process is designed to help us understand your team’s context, the challenges you’re facing, and what you hope to explore and achieve through the programme.

For full details, or to chat over the programme and how your team could be involved,  please email for more information.