The Centre for Interpretation, History and Memory in Social Work is part of the Lusíada Centre for Research in Social Work (CLISSIS), which supports researchers and research produced in the field of the History of Social Work, extending the object of study to Social Work in general.

Its emergence was the result of a journey guided by different stages (3): (1) Historical awareness phase; (2) Project phase; (3) Materialisation phase.

The first phase, historical awareness, took place between 2012 and 2015 and it was during this phase that the first steps were taken in coming into contact with a vast heritage belonging to the Lisbon Higher Institute of Social Work (1935-2006) that needed to be recovered. At this stage, a Documentary Exhibition was held to publicise the collection of ‘Institutional, Family and Social Monographs’ in order to raise public awareness of the need and urgency of recovering and preserving this valuable collection, as well as the rest of the ISSSL collection. As a result, several applications were submitted to both the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Gulbenkian Foundation, and various exploratory contacts were established, such as the Patriarchate of Lisbon, Torre do Tombo, Instituto Camões and the Catholic University, in order to understand the extent and links between archives.  Partnerships were formed with the Dr Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute (INSA) and the Historical Heritage Association.

trending_up CIHMESS

Between 2015 and 2023, the second phase, the conception, design and development of the project ‘Towards an anamnesis of the first school of social work in Portugal’ (PAPESS) was carried out, with the ISSSL's educational project from 1935 to 2006 as its object of study. This project was integrated into the R&D Unit of the Lusíada Centre for Research in Social Work and Social Intervention (CLISSIS), from which it received support and funding, making it possible to hire services for: inventorying, describing, summarising, classifying and indexing the collection in general and the Monograph Collection in particular. Funding was also obtained for a research grant and support for missions, the impetus for which was decisive for the results obtained. With this support it was possible to promote and take part in seminars, organise events such as the ISSSL's 85th, 87th and 88th anniversary celebrations, produce scientific articles, posters and even produce a doctoral and master's thesis. As a result of this work and its impact on the community, the ISSSL has received invitations to take part in conferences, open classes, doctoral juries and international opinions on ongoing research.

The materialisation phase (2023) consists of the creation, on 24 November 2023, of the Centre for the Interpretation of the History and Memory of Social Work, which is part of the CLISSIS structure and supports researchers and the research produced.