Award-winning social worker, national advisor, and PhD researcher Michael Elwan is named the 2025 AASW Social Worker of the Year, recognising national leadership.

I recently received news that I’ve been named a Finalist  in the AASW National Excellence Awards   2025 for Social Worker of the Year , a recognition that honours lived-experience leadership and social work excellence across Australia. It took a while for the news to sink in. These things never start with applause - they start with small steps, hard days, and moments where you’re just trying to keep someone safe, including yourself. My path into social work wasn’t a straight

There are moments in our professional journey that feel deeply personal - where lived experience, cultural identity, and social work practice meet at the heart of transformation. Delivering a national webinar through the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)  is one such moment; an opportunity to explore CALD men’s mental health in Australia  and strengthen how social workers engage with culture, masculinity, and wellbeing. From Silence to Strength: Supporting Menta