The Advocate - Winter 2021 by ACSW

INDIGENOUS VOICES More Than an Orange Shirt

FEATURE

60th Anniversary Series 2022 and Beyond

DIPLOMA DIALOGUES Social Workers in Rural Health & Senior Care

ADVOCATE WINTER 2021

THE

VOLUME 46 | ISSUE 4

www.acsw.ab.ca

ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS

THE HISTORY OF THE ADVOCATE 45 YEARS OF SOCIAL WORK CONNECTION

1961 - 2021 60 YEARS OF SOCIAL WORK ASSOCIATIONS IN ALBERTA

Season’s

Greetings FROM THE ACSW COUNCIL & STAFF

THE

ADVOCATE

THE ADVOCATE Volume 46, Issue 4, Winter 2021 Published by: The Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) 550 10707 100 AVE NW, Edmonton AB T5J 3M1 Ph: 780-421-1167/Toll-free (in AB): 1-800-661-3089 Fax: 780-421-1168/Toll-free fax: 1-866-874-8931 acsw@acsw.ab.ca — acsw.ab.ca Executive Director & Registrar: Jody-Lee Farrah, MSW, RSW executivedirector@acsw.ab.ca Associate Registrar: Suzanne MacKinnon, MSW, RCSW associateregistrar@acsw.ab.ca Managers, Regulatory Practice/Complaints Directors: Bruce Llewellyn, MSW, RSW Sheryl Pearson, MSW, RSW, LLB acswregulatory@acsw.ab.ca Membership Activities - Team Lead: Charity Lui, MSW, RSW Social Workers - Membership Activities: Heather Johnson, BSW, RSW Andre Tinio, BSW, RSW

COVER STORY 18 The History of The Advocate Magazine

Finance & Administration Officer: Kim Hyggen, CPA, CGA Finance & Administration Support: Audrey Kent, CPA, CMA Registration Coordinator: Brenda Gross Tami Carlin Jennifer Vasquez Executive Assistant / Office Manager: Noreen Majek Promotions & Events Associate: Crystal King

60TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES 12 Part Four: Future Focused

FEATURES

12 ACSW 60th Anniversary Series Part Four: Future Focused 18 The History of the Advocate Magazine 21 Social Work Week 2021 Special Series – Part 3: One Person at a Time 24 The Power of the Pen 26 Front Porch Counselling AROUND OUR PROVINCE 4 Around Our Province IN THE NEWS 7 Welcome to New RSWs & RCSWs THE BIG PICTURE 8 A Message from the President 9

FEATURE 24 The Power of the Pen

INDIGENOUS VOICES 10 More Than an Orange Shirt VOICES OF PRIVATE PRACTICE 11 The Private Practice Committee: Join Us! RESEARCH & LEARNING IN ALBERTA’S COMMUNITIES 16 Keep Connecting DIPLOMA DIALOGUES 17 Missing: Social Workers in Rural Health and Senior Care DAY IN THE LIFE 28 Lise Robinson, BSW, RSW FOR YOUR INFORMATION 31 For Your Information

Administrative Support Professionals: Tracy Houben Toni Harrison Nimah Balogun Faye Josue Deanna Parker Online Services Analyst: Laurie Nelson IT Support Analyst: Scott MacPhee ACSW Council: President: Siu Ming Kwok, PhD, RSW Vice President: Peter Baylis, PhD, RCSW Treasurer: Daryl Pamplin, BSW, RSW Secretary: Dayirai Kapfunde, MSW, RSW Members at Large: Baiju Vareed, MSW, RSW Katie Richardson, MSW, RSW Samuel Mammen, MSW, RSW Indigenous Social Work Committee Representative: Carrie Avveduti, BSW, RSW Public Members: Bukola Oladunni Salami Trevor Liskowich Laura Delfs Elizabeth Goldie Editorial Board: Samuel Mammen, MSW, RSW & Cardinal Fomradas, MSW, RCSW (Co-Chairs) Darnel Forro, MSW, RSW Tasha Novick, MSW, RSW Andrea Newberry-Koroluk, PhD, RSW Kassi McKen SW Dip, RSW Debbie Posey SW Dip, RSW Islam Deyab, BSW, RSW Bukola Oladunni Salami, Public Member Editorial services provided by Bird Communications ISSN 0847 - 2890 PM NO. 40050109 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO 550 10707 100 AVE NW, EDMONTON AB T5J 3M1

A Message from the Executive Director & Registrar The opinions and interpretations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), its editorial board, or contractors. The aforementioned make no guarantee or warranty, either expressed or implied, about the accuracy or links contained in the Advocate, and are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages that could arise. All material ©2021 by the ACSW or by author. ACSW retains copyright when no author is listed. Reprint or copying (including digital or online reproduction in any form) of any Advocate material requires written consent of the ACSW.

Printing on Titan Dull text. 10% post consumer waste. Titan participates in a certified forest program.

THE ADVOCATE

AROUND OUR PROVINCE BY CHARITY LUI, MSW, RSW

Malissa Veroni

Images from ‘What does Orange Shirt Day mean to me?’

GRANDE PRAIRIE social worker Malissa Veroni, MSW, RSW, has been chosen as Ms. Italy World Universal 2021-2022. She is using this platform to reach a global audience to raise awareness around violence against women, LGBTQ2S+ issues and rights, mental health and endometriosis. What a unique opportunity for a social worker in Alberta!

to view this short video from our website by going to About Us – Indigenous Social Work Committee.

knowledge on how to better serve

Professional Development:

Work Action Group hosted June

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: We thank the ACSW Indigenous Social Work Committee who prepared a list of resources to encourage meaningful learning opportunities and reflections around reconciliation. They also developed a two-minute video: What does Orange Shirt Day mean to me? Members of the committee shared their reflections on the significance of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. We encourage you 4

WINTER 2021

The ACSW Private Practice Committee hosted a networking group on September 27th. A need and desire for such an opportunity was identified at the Starting a Private Practice workshop that was hosted in June. The Move Towards Private Practice Networking Group is a place for aspiring and new social work private practitioners to network, provide support and learn from each other’s private practice journey. On September 28 and 30, the ACSW hosted the Stakeholders Engagement Advisors from the Ministry of Seniors and Housing via Zoom to educate members about the new digital Seniors Service Provider Resource Guide. They were well-attended events and members gained practice

older adults. The Calgary Gerontological Social Churchill and Lisa Andrews as they presented Medical Assistance in Dying: Expanding the Eligibility Webinar on October 25th. This workshop provided insight into the process, legislation and delivery of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). It also provided the opportunity to explore the impacts on clients, loved ones, and social work practice.

CHARITY LUI is the Membership Activities Team Lead.

ACSW Professional Association Separation Information for Social Workers

Why are the college and association separating?

How will the separation impact social workers?

In December 2020, the Government of Alberta passed Bill 46, the Health Statutes Amendment Act (2020). This bill provides for significant amendments to the Health Professions Act including the mandatory requirement for health professional regulatory colleges to cease and divest of professional association functions and activities.

The separation of regulatory college and professional association functions will have no direct impact on social work registration or practice. The ACSW will continue its obligations under the Health Professions Act to fulfill the legislative mandate to regulate and govern the social work profession in the public interest. ACSW had been a dual-mandated organization, serving both the public interest (as a regulatory college) and the profession’s interest (as a professional association). This is changing. ACSW will soon be solely a regulatory college. Legislation requires ACSW to cease and divest of professional association functions. This means ACSW may no longer deliver activities that focus on advancing professional interest. To meet these legislative requirements, the ACSW is taking steps to discontinue professional association activities. Continued on next page

What is the difference between a regulatory college and professional association? Protects the interest of the public

Promotes the Profession

Regularly liaises with the government

Led by the profession, for the profession Membership is Voluntary

Receive and respond to practice complaints

Develops standards of practice and competence requirements

Registration is Mandatory

REGULATORY BODY (COLLEGE)

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION

Shared governance between the public and profession

Undertakes social justice and advocacy initiatives Provides member support, resources and learning opportunities

THE ADVOCATE

As of December 31, 2021, the following activities will no longer be offered by ACSW:

In 2022, the following association activities will also end: •

ACSW Community Job Board Postings

•

non-regulated association memberships (retired & student memberships)

•

ACSW Community Event Calendar Postings

•

the annual ACSW conference

•

Canadian Association of Social Workers partnership

•

the Advocate magazine

•

TD Affinity Program Partnership

•

member interest groups

•

regional area coordinators and events

•

annual ACSW events such as Social Work Week celebrations and holiday socials

ACSW’s engagement in advocacy coalitions and social policy partnerships with Parkland Institute, Public Interest Alberta, Friends of Medicare and the Edmonton Social Planning Council.

•

ACSW student bursary program

•

ACSW Honouring Our Own award program

•

ACSW Annual General Meeting

Will there be a professional social work association in Alberta? YES! ACSW is committed to supporting the creation of a new social work association. We are doing that through active member engagement, resources and funding. Here is our progress to date:

PROJECTED TIMELINE

←

WE ARE HERE

ent ll 46 rnm es Bi e v Go roduc int

December 2020

WINTER 2021

o Wt ACS nt of s e e v pro ishm n l ap stabl iatio i c n e oc Cou port e ass sup arat sep

January 2021

ng eri tee Ste mmit Co

April 2021

f n o erim sio r int s e r fo Exp erest osted int ard p bo

October 2021

r boa rim d e t In ecte sel

December 2021

ion w Ne ociat s As

2022

IN THE NEWS

Welcome to New RSWs & RCSWs 9,075

TOTAL MEMBERSHIP AS OF OCTOBER 10, 2021 Modupe Olanrewaju Abioye

Andrea DieBold

Jomon Joseph

Abidat Oluwakemi Mosuro

Lorrenda Doreen Southern

Modupe Blessing Adekojo

Ying Dong

Zoe Kendall

Charlotte Motso Deffo

Karl Michael Toepfer

Oluwatosin Iyabode Ahmed-Babaleye

Katelyn Marie Downard

Paul Klein

Marwa Abdu Mussa

Devon Lee Travers

Balwinder Akbar

Bryan Daniel Dusseault

Lorena Letitia Koenig

Loveness Mutendi

Stella Efe-Ugiagbe

Oluwakemi Iretiola Komolafe

Lydia Ndawula Nabweteme

Celine Isabelle Lucy Vaillancourt

Leah Ekubazgi

Katerina Maria Kouts

Mercedes Nagel

Tamara Van Rensburg

Willow Shane Ayres

Elhassan Mohamed Ahmed Elhout

Judith Kovalski

Minu Varkey

Mackenzie Anne Beaupre

Jessica Articona Epailly

Kimberly Dawn Kreider

Joelle Vanessa Ngandjui Siaha Bryanne Lynn Noel

Raymond A. Beauregard

Rachel Lily Erickson

Treena Marie Kurek

Beau Benham

Dhanya Kuriacose

Tessa Evans

Laura Kaitlyn Ashley Normand

Avneet Beniwal

Ashley Teresa Labossiere

Anita Rachel Cari Ewan

Nicole Ashley Bernhard

Jasmine Marie Laidlaw

Angele Farn

Ann Marie Blahun

Katherine Lambert

Bernard Joseph Fickel

Christina Marie Blake

Julie Thon Larcena

Sabrina Ford

Margie Gonzales Bonar

Tak Kay Lau

Kayla Elaine French

Adam Bronsch

Ching Yee Law

Terra Lee Froehlich

Julia Ann Brubaker

Muslimot Adebisi Lawal

Yvette Famulag Fuego

Charmaine Catherine Busch

Kayla Lawrence

Claudia Maria Fuentes

Kendal Lauren Buxton

Lindsey Katherine Funk

Bailey Paige LeanderVanoers

Chipo Emmah Bvindi

Lauren Gaudet

Jace Rene LeBlanc

Christopher John Calliou

Ariel Aransas LeClair

Gabriela Carreon Carreon

Temilola Olajumoke Gbadamosi

Alicia Lauren Cattermole

Virginia Antoinette Genge

Jody Lynn Lehr Turco

Ellene Celino

Anna Liza Caccam Gomez

Melody Cesar

Brady Green

Paige Jolene Maire Lemecha

Jolynn Dawn Chalifoux

Jason Grieve

Jeremiah Leung

Anna Reinemann

Keerthy Chandrababu

Janice Darlene Hardy Bennett

Lisa Louise L’Hirondelle

Kelsey Richard

Taylor Kendra List

Dakota Rickman

Adrienne Nicole Harris

Kirsten Elaine Lundgren

Simone Riep

Gina Harting

Victoria Joan MacDonald

Anna Robertshaw

Haley Ann Hartos

Lynn Marie Maiko

Jovanna Rodney

Alexandra Louise Hawkins

Faith Nonhlanhla Makgatu

Daniel Alfonzo Romero

Romi Dyan Haysey

Gurleen Kaur Mann

Yusra Negash Said

Sarah Hocho

Shaylee Breanne Mazurek

Alka Samuel

TOTAL REGISTERED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS AS OF OCTOBER 21, 2021

Crystal Dawn Coughlin

Coreen Housworth

Bonni Brooke McCallson

Anita Sayaphet

Cameron Kopeck

Yenci Belen Cubillos Toro

Anamaria Felicia Hoza

Meredith McKenzie

Kirsten Lee Schlauch

Audrey Stuckey

Reanna Christina Cummins

Emily Marie Hunter

Meagan Elizabeth McNichol

Raelynn Schreiber

Gina Schmidt

Francis Eli David

Mahwish Ilyas

Alison Nicole Mercer

Sierra Rae Seewitz

Emily Bennet

Alyssa Marie Davis

Chizobam Sandra Iwe

Yi Lin Mi

Blessing Shambare

Monica Hinton

Alisiya Mary Anne De Zilva

Kerrin D.G. Jackson

Atira Mihalicz

Russell Sharif

Cheryl Chorney

Amy Dechaine

Louisa Isabel Jaslow

Benjamin Peter Miller

Veronica Tegan Sheppard

Kathryn Caple-Patras

Abuk Barnaba Deng

Shazia Kausar Jat

Natasza Mizera

Meital Ester Siva-Jain

Mike Bell

Coral Anne Desautels

Jameson Jenks

Jessica Dawn Moen

Gilda Joan Soosay

Deborah Livergood

Alana Lindsay Dick

Rasheedat Jimoh

Marie Lynette Morris

Liam Maloney Sorrenti

Tracy Harvey

Tita Matilda Anjeh Emily Anthony

Jaclyn Rose Chartrand Samantha Nancy Chippeway Sunita Choudhary Ivan Chow Tanya Marie Ciccone Jordan Marie Clark Marcichiw

Ka Lai Lee

Jennifer Nussbaumer Agnes Alonyo Odera Ruthanna Okorosobo Olusola Adenike Olaniyi Katrina Elizabeth Pannenbecker

Maria Theresa Pamintuan Villamiel Chashna Natasha Walker Halie Devyn Warwick Mikailyn Kathleen Wearden Arianna Mariah-Leigh Willier-Bray Rebecca Theresa-Dawn Wilson

Tara Lee Papirnick

Pamela R. Winski

Judy Edith Pasquayak

Lori Renee Wolff

Tina Perkins

Leanne Wing Yan Wong

Sharon Sue Pilmeister

Jennifer Dawn Wooding

Natasha Polay

Laurie Zdrill

Byron Powell

Ella Zeaiter

James Quigley

Jeremy Ziebart

Marlo Petra Rathmann

Esma’a Zioueche

Jennifer Anne Rauckman

294

THE ADVOCATE

THE BIG PICTURE

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT PREVIOUSLY, I SAID summer was the season of hope and fall was the season of transition. This time I would like to say that winter is the season to re-launch our college, implement our plan, and re-shape our relationship with other national organizations. SIU MING KWOK is the President of the ACSW Council. He is a professor and Academic Director of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. You can contact Siu Ming at acswpresident@acsw.ab.ca.

This is a season of re-launch. After a rigorous recruitment process, we are pleased to appoint Ms. Jody-Lee Farrah as the new Executive Director & Registrar (EDR) of ACSW in late August. It is time for our Council to work closely with the new EDR to execute the plans laid out after the legislative changes of the Health Professions Act and to move forward together in a new and steady direction. This is a season of implementation. The Alberta government proclaimed into force several sections of Bill 46 that require regulatory colleges to cease functioning as professional associations and to divest from all association functions and activities. ACSW must complete divestment of professional association functions by April 30, 2023. Nonetheless, divestment does not simply mean a total divorce from the new association. It is a process to explore how ACSW and the new association can cooperate to strengthen the social work profession in this province. It is a discussion that all social workers in Alberta are welcome to join. Our council passed a motion in September that ACSW is committed to having a focused discussion on racial equity in the social work profession in Alberta and to co-create strategies for addressing racial inequity in social work and infusing racial equity into emerging social work regulatory policies. This is forward-looking for ACSW at a time when other social work organizations such as the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators have set up an Anti-Racist Regulatory Practice Working Group to support provincial social work regulators in their mandates to protect the public, by considering and exploring actions with respect to best practices in anti-racist regulatory practice. It is a season to re-shape our relationship with other national organizations. In the divestment process, ACSW will leave the Canadian Association of Social Workers by the end of 2022. ACSW is committed to transform our relationship with CASW in order to allow registrants to continue using the CASW Code of Ethics for their social work practice.

WINTER 2021

THE BIG PICTURE

A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & REGISTRAR

JJODY-LEE FARRAH is the Executive Director and Registrar of the ACSW. She can be reached at executivedirector@acsw.ab.ca.

AS THE END OF 2021 APPROACHES, the practice of reflection on the year past and visioning for the year ahead is a welcome exercise. Taking the time to engage in this process can bring comfort and growth. This time of reflection is a reminder of all that’s been accomplished, challenges faced and overcome, and changes we’ve gotten through together. Visioning for the future brings a renewed sense of hope, and the opportunity to make plans, set goals, and step forward with rigour to do great things. In August, I was appointed by the ACSW Council as the Executive Director and Registrar for the ACSW. As I begin my journey into this new role, I am both humbled and grateful for the opportunity to lead and serve the social work profession in Alberta. Throughout the past two years, the ACSW has experienced instability brought about by the uncertainty of the relentless pandemic and a series of legislative amendments that have changed the association role for our profession. In envisioning the year ahead, I look forward to working with Council to bring reassured stability to ACSW and to chart the path forward together. I embrace the opportunity to continue relationship building with the professional social work colleges and associations across Canada and our regulatory partners through the Alberta Federation of Regulated Health Professions. There is excitement for a new opportunity for the social work profession in Alberta. In 2022, ACSW will focus on implementing the requirements of Bill 46. Phase one of the Government of Alberta’s implementation plan will see regulatory colleges fulfill the requirements to cease and divest functioning as professional associations. ACSW will complete the divestment of the professional association functions by April 2023. The change for the profession brought about by divestment has presented an opportunity to create a new professional social work association — an opportunity posed by change that can lead to a strengthened, unified professional social work community in Alberta. As the new association builds toward opening its doors to members in 2022, social workers are encouraged to join and continue our profession’s strong history of association. The ACSW’s mandate is to uphold public protection through the governance and regulation of the profession. Our profession has held a collective professional value and commitment to ethical and competent social work practice, ascribing to Standards of Practice and a Code of Ethics that anchors every social worker. ACSW will refocus priority on its sole mandate as a regulatory college, aiming to strengthen our regulatory practice, while embracing reconciliation and racial equity. To guide setting our priorities, ACSW will launch the next strategic planning cycle, collaborating with Council, staff, stakeholders and members. I look forward to engaging with you as we co-create a plan to inspire a new vision and establish goals to achieve our mission of regulatory excellence.

THE ADVOCATE

INDIGENOUS VOICES

More Than an Orange Shirt BY DUSTIN MOREAU, MSW, RSW AND HEATHER JOHNSON, BSW, RSW

IN 1973, when Phyllis Webstad was six years old, her story was forever changed. Feeling proud, Phyllis walked into residential school wearing a new orange shirt her grandmother had bought her for her first day of school. This shirt, along with her other clothing, was stripped from her and exchanged for a school uniform. Since 2013, that lost orange shirt represents the Indigenous identity which was taken away from many students throughout Canada through residential schools. For the past 8 years, September 30th has been honoured as Orange Shirt Day and now, in 2021, with the discovery of many unmarked graves on former residential school sites across Canada, Orange Shirt Day has been elevated to a federal statutory holiday: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The addition of this statutory holiday has some wondering why; why would we want to commemorate tragedy, loss, and trauma? The root importance of this day lies in the Orange Shirt Day tagline, “Every Child Matters” and is a day for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to reflect on the experiences of the thousands of children who attended residential schools in Canada. This day should be a cause for pause, to think about the trauma experienced and the continued legacy left behind for Indigenous people, communities, and nations from these institutions. 10

WINTER 2021

We as social workers stand in the middle of this marshland, working with survivors and their families to face the unhealed wounds of residential schools. We continue to find ourselves struggling to not replicate the racism and oppression of our predecessors, while at the same time balancing the ‘best interests of the child’ mandate. We face and work within government systems that can be oppressive by their very existence and, without consideration for change, will continue to replicate the ways of the past. I recently heard a fellow social worker, an Indigenous woman herself, use the term Reconcili-ACTION and it struck me that this is a subtle but distinctive way to describe reconciliation -- as an action. That action can be shown in the way we speak, act, and think. Which is why the question needs to be posed, is wearing an orange shirt enough? Wear an orange shirt to commemorate the loss of Indigenous identity. Wear it for solidarity. Wear it for someone else’s family. Wear it for your own. But if you are a non-Indigenous person, also think of ways that you can contribute to the change in how we view and treat Indigenous people. Dr. Lynn Gehl uses the Ally Bill of Responsibilities to highlight ways in which we can all be allies to Indigenous people, communities, and nations. What is one thing that you can do today?

MOR E ONLINE

THE INDIGENOUS SOCIAL WORK COMMITTEE SHARES WHAT ORANGE SHIRT DAY MEANS TO THEM. Check out their video and other resources at acsw.ab.ca, under About Us, Indigenous Social Work Committee.

Gehl, Lynn. (n.d). Ally Bill of Responsibilities. Retrieved on October 13, 2021, from http://www. lynngehl.com/uploads/5/0/0/4/5004954/ally_bill_of_ responsibilities_poster.pdf

DUSTIN MOREAU is a member of the ACSW Indigenous Social Work Committee. HEATHER JOHNSON the ACSW staff liaison for the Indigenous Social Work Committee. She can be reached at MemberActivitiesSouth@acsw.ab.ca.

VOICES OF PRIVATE PRACTICE

Social Workers in Private Practice: Join Us!

With the many changes in our world and in our practices, it has never been a better time to start connecting with other professionals!

BY MEMBERS OF THE PRIVATE PRACTICE COMMITTEE

PRIVATE PRACTICE can feel isolating at times and creating connections with other social workers who ‘get it’ can make all the difference! That’s why we are inviting you to join the now practitioner-led Private Practice Committee. We have been a longstanding collaborative group affiliated with the ACSW. However,

from the ACSW. Our main goal will be to continue offering support to social workers in private practice while plans for the new social work association unfold. Who are we? We are a group of private practitioners who come together regularly to network, support, and build capacity.

participant-driven group where we will continue to support each other in our private practice growth while also supporting ethical and sustainable practice. Depending on which stage of private practice you are in, your needs may be different. To assist, we will continue to offer two networking sub-groups: (1) A networking group for social workers who have been in practice for two years or more, and (2) A networking group for social workers who are aspiring or emerging private practitioners (in practice less than two years). How do I get involved?

in accordance with Bill 46 and the changes to the Health Professions Act, the ACSW will no longer be supporting member interest groups as of December 2021. As we await for the establishment

We believe that networking in private practice is a collaborative process that not only helps with feelings of isolation but also helps our private practices thrive!

of the new association, we will

What is the Private Practice Committee?

become an independent group apart

The Private Practice Committee is a

With the many changes in our world and in our practices, it has never been a better time to start connecting with other professionals! If you are interested in joining us, please contact us at ab.swipp@gmail.com. If you have previously been a member of the ACSW Private Practice Committee, please also send us an email so we can stay connected. Whatever your experience, your voice will always be welcomed and valued – so join us! THE ADVOCATE

1961 - 2021 60 YEARS OF SOCIAL WORK ASSOCIATIONS IN ALBERTA

FUTURE FOCUSED

AC S W 6 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y S E R I E S • 2 0 0 2 - 2 0 2 1 • PA R T F O U R • BY M E L P R I E S T L E Y

THE ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS (ACSW) has entered a unique period in its professional history. The ACSW began as a small but dedicated group of social workers who came together to form an association. It then grew and evolved, taking on a dual mandate as a regulatory college when the profession of social work was included in the Health Professions Act (HPA) in 2001. Now, ACSW is evolving again to be solely a regulatory college and with that comes the exciting opportunity for a new social work association in Alberta. This is the fourth and final part of the 60th anniversary series about the ACSW’s history. Part one of the series highlighted the formation of the Alberta Association of Social Workers in 1961. Part two discussed the history of the foundational legislative statutes that became important in recognizing and regulating the profession of social work. Part three followed the ACSW’s journey of navigating a dual mandate as a regulatory college and professional association. In this final part of the series, we explore the unprecedented transformation that the ACSW is currently undergoing as it divests of association functions, and the exciting opportunity to bring a new professional association to the social work profession in Alberta. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder

WINTER 2021

The ACSW is supporting the creation of a new professional association, anticipated to be operational and ready for members in 2022. The new association will promote and strengthen the profession of social work, and advance issues of social justice in the province.

Jody-Lee Farrah

Jody-Lee Farrah, MSW, RSW, was appointed to the position of Executive Director and Registrar of the ACSW in August 2021. She had been acting as the Executive Director over the previous 18 months.

She feels both daunted and excited by the monumental task ahead of her: helping to guide the formation of the new professional association.

In this final part of the series, we explore the unprecedented transformation that the ACSW is currently undergoing

Bill 46, Health Statutes Amendment Act, came into force in December 2020. These legislative changes include the requirement for all regulatory colleges operating under the HPA to cease and divest of their professional association functions 12

and activities. ACSW will therefore change from a dual to a single mandate and perform a solely regulatory function for the profession of social work in Alberta.

“I feel elated to have such an incredible opportunity for members of the profession to come together,” Farrah says. “In the end, we will have two very strong organizations that will stand shoulder-to-shoulder in representing the profession of social work in Alberta.”

The process of creating a new professional association is a long one. Together with the ACSW Council, a decision was made to honour our collective professional responsibility and to continue the legacy of the profession by supporting the development and creation of a new professional social work association. The ACSW Council voted in favour of a

motion to approve ACSW to engage in the development of a process to establish a separate social work professional association within the limits of Bill 46. Following this, a steering community of eight social workers from diverse backgrounds and areas of practice was formed. This committee led an expression of interest process to establish the interim board for the new association. That interim board will be tasked with a very grassroots job: building the initial framework for how the new association will operate and govern itself. ACSW has pledged its support to this new association, particularly in providing financial resources for the association to acquire critical infrastructure, hire staff and become operational. Farrah encourages every social worker in Alberta to come forward and provide their input in shaping the new association. “Every one of us has a role to play in setting the course for the destiny of our profession,” she says. Clear identities

professional interests of social workers.” Separating the two mandates will be tricky, but also opens new opportunities. “The dual mandate is in the DNA of the social work profession in Alberta,” says Siu Ming Kwok, PhD, RSW. Kwok is President of the ACSW Council as well as professor and Academic Director Siu Ming Kwok of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. He acknowledges that although it will require a lot of work to separate ACSW’s two mandates, he feels this development will benefit each side.

Like its contemporaries in other provinces, the new Alberta association will have more freedom to pursue areas that it might not have felt it could fully articulate when it was part of a regulatory college

ACSW was very successful in navigating its dual mandate for the past 20 years. “ACSW has worked hard over several decades to find a balance and create fair representation in carrying out our duties and responsibilities to represent both mandates,” Farrah says. “The new association will be wholeheartedly, solely dedicated to promoting the profession. It will engage members to strengthen the profession and represent the

“Now we have clear identities,” Kwok says. “For me, it’s not a divorce. We’re just living in different houses, and we have to work together to make the profession strong.”

This transition period gives the ACSW an opportunity to re-evaluate its identity as a regulatory college. The College will continue to strengthen its sole mandate to regulate the profession and protect the public. However, Kwok says there is still room to incorporate aspects of social justice in the College’s daily activities – particularly around anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion principles – while serving its regulatory purpose. Strong partnerships In separating the two mandates, Alberta joins a handful of other Canadian provinces who already have separate THE ADVOCATE

1961 - 2021 60 YEARS OF SOCIAL WORK ASSOCIATIONS IN ALBERTA

mandates: Ontario, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island. Like its contemporaries in other provinces, the new Alberta association will have more freedom to pursue areas that it might not have felt it could fully articulate when it was part of a regulatory college. “As a standalone association that receives no government funding and has no government mandate, you have the ability and the flexibility to challenge the political leadership of the day,” says Fred Phelps, MSW, RSW.

The voice of social workers in Alberta is not only going to survive, it’s going to thrive. We have the opportunity to be leaders in our profession across Canada

Phelps is Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW). CASW is a national federation composed of 10 provincial and territorial partners. Outside of the Fred Phelps province of Quebec, membership in one of the provincial social work associations automatically connects one to CASW membership. “There can be strength in having separate associations,” 14

WINTER 2021

Phelps says. “A lot of that strength comes from fearless advocacy. As a collective, you have a provincial and national voice to really promote the profession and strongly advance issues of social justice from a social work perspective.” Member benefits The CASW will be a vital partner in collaborating on the development of the new association. Social workers in Alberta will want to continue to support the longstanding relationship with the national association.

“CASW has a dual mission of promoting and strengthening the profession, and advancing issues of social justice,” Phelps explains. “Our job is to try to find the balance that attracts as many people as possible to support a provincial and national organization.” Social workers value the many benefits provided by the national association. For some, the ability to access an insurance liability program at a discounted rate is important. Others are passionate about supporting

national and international advocacy work and the wealth of professional development opportunities. Some of the most popular member benefits include continuing education opportunities, discounts on other group benefits and services, access to peer-reviewed journals, and access to a social work research and resource centre. A collective voice Alberta social workers are at an exciting moment in history. There is immense opportunity and possibility for the new professional association. Every social worker in the province can contribute to this new stage in the evolution of their profession. Kwok encourages all social workers to take this opportunity to consider what it means to practice social work in Alberta. “I always like to ask the question: what is the identity of social workers in Alberta?” he says. “And how will the two organizations support each other to strengthen the whole profession of social work [here]? We still don’t know all the details right now, but we will find our own way to work together.” The new association will be a place of connection, where social workers from across Alberta can come

together with a common purpose and mission. It’s at this moment that social workers in our province have the opportunity to build that purpose and mission together. The partnership between CASW and the new association remains very important. “By supporting the new association, you’re choosing to strengthen our collective voice,” Phelps says. “We are thankful for every member who chooses to join, because they are choosing to strengthen the voice of social workers on a provincial and a national level.” Farrah echoes this sentiment. She feels very confident about what the future holds for Alberta social workers. “The voice of social workers in Alberta is not only going to survive, it’s going to thrive,” she says. “We have the opportunity to be leaders in our profession across Canada.”

MEL PRIESTLEY is an Edmonton-based writer who focuses on local news and culture as well as wine, food and the arts. Find more of her writing and current projects at melpriestley.ca.

THE ADVOCATE

RESEARCH & LEARNING IN ALBERTA'S COMMUNITIES

KEEP CONNECTING BY ELLEN PERRAULT, PHD, RSW

GOODBYE ADVOCATE, we’ll all need to keep connecting. This is a bittersweet time for social workers in Alberta. I think we all understand that following changes to the Health Professions Act, it was necessary for ACSW to cease its association activities but it still hurts a little bit. I’m sure I speak for many who view the Advocate like a long-time companion. The friendly voice of the profession in Alberta - connecting and showing us the face of social work across the province. And, while I’ll take a moment to mourn the loss, I know we must work together for the future. It’s never been more vital for us to build relations.

People surrounding us are feeling pain, outrage, disgust, and we know, even though we are tired, we cannot jump to judge. It is in times like these that social work core values will get us through. So, we work with intention to build trust and rapport, and to lead the reweaving of society’s fabric. To all of you, our social work relations, we recognize that you are doing the best you possibly can. Remember, you have your own inherent capacity. We need to remind WINTER 2021

We love how you are ensuring the deepest, core needs of everyone in our world are valued.

We’re planning opportunities for social workers to be together and look forward to creating ethical and welcoming spaces for these essential conversations

We are living in a new world. One that seems increasingly polarized and divided. As a profession focused on resolving tension and difficulty, social workers will play a crucial role in the post-COVID world – building community and leading the way to civil discourse. Our world is one of infinite hues woven in a spectacular tapestry. Each of us is unique - and social workers hold every precious soul in a respectful relationship.

each other to give ourselves a break, be less harsh with ourselves and others, and to stay connected.

In this time of change in society, our profession is leading the way. We are proud to be social workers moving forward with developing awareness and authentic understanding to create a more caring world.

And in this time of change for social work in Alberta, groups of social work leaders across the province, including our faculty, have been sparking conversations about the future. Social workers, together with ACSW, are generously committed to supporting the creation of an independent new social work association that can continue to bring us together. We don’t have all the answers yet, and I’m looking forward to working together to map out the future. As a faculty, we are embracing the opportunity to help build connections across Alberta. We’re planning opportunities for social workers to be together and look forward to creating ethical and welcoming spaces for these essential conversations. This is current-day social work, and it is an honour to journey with you into this new world together.

ELLEN PERRAULT is the Dean of the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary.

DIPLOMA DIALOGUES

MISSING: SOCIAL WORKERS IN RURAL HEALTH AND SENIOR CARE BY TRACY D. ORR, MSW, RSW, EDD

IN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES Portage College serves, there is a curious absence of social workers in extended care, residential care homes, and all manner of services used by seniors. I often wonder, “Who is responsible for psychosocial care and assessment?” and “Where is the social worker?” And yet, our Community Social Work students are enthusiastically welcomed in these settings for practicum placements, particularly in residential care settings for seniors and extended care settings in rural hospitals. Staff in these settings are mostly health care aides. There may be a recreation therapist and in some settings a nurse, or nurses, in extended care settings. Most administrators, with either business or nursing backgrounds, wonder what it is that social workers do in these settings. Here’s what I tell them. At a diploma level, social work student roles include making contact and regular visits with residents who are lonely and/or ill. Students are involved in supporting individuals by writing dictated letters to family members, reading to those who can no longer do so, and assisting with forms. Individuals are assisted to contact friends and family where desired. Students are also involved in small group development and implementation, for example, current events and social groups. Where possible, social work students help to plan and implement outings specific to individuals’ interests. At a more advanced level of skill, a social worker in these kinds of settings might support individuals with transitions in levels of care including transitioning from hospital to home, home to assisted living or more intensive levels of care, and palliative care. They might also support individual’s families through these transitions. Social workers also support individuals with specific chronic disease processes, including dementia. It seems to be a well-guarded secret that social

workers are uniquely suited to working with seniors and their families. There are barriers to social work involvement in this important field of study and practice. I recently spoke with the CEO of a not-for-profit rural group of senior’s residences. Funding is customarily so tight so that these organizations barely have the funds to cover staffing to meet their residents’ physical care. Social-emotional care seems to be a luxury. Administrators also seem to be unaware of the role that a social worker might take in their organization and have no models to go by. Rural communities need rural solutions that include having social workers in settings with seniors living in residential care, including extended care, as well as those aging in place. Social workers need to be living in these communities and working everyday with seniors. Our students are letting us know that they wish to pursue careers specific to working with seniors. Rather than missing, rural social workers are waiting. Waiting to participate in what is currently a growing area of interest with too few career opportunities. Increasing social work roles in senior care requires larger systemic change and advocacy starting at a provincial level and making psycho-social health goals and improved models of service delivery a priority.

DR. TRACY ORR is a social work instructor and practicum supervisor in the Community Social Work program at Portage College in Lac La Biche, Alberta.

THE ADVOCATE

COVER STORY

THE HISTORY OF THE ADVOCATE MAGAZINE BY SHAWNA DIRKSEN

THE ADVOCATE MAGAZINE IS A PUBLICATION STEEPED IN HISTORY. FOR JUST SHY OF 50 YEARS, THE ADVOCATE HAS SERVED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN ALBERTA, KEEPING THEM INFORMED, INSPIRED AND CONNECTED WITHIN THEIR PROFESSION.

ALL THE MAJOR MILESTONES, announcements and news that have impacted Alberta’s social workers from the very beginning are recorded in the pages of the Advocate. Perhaps most importantly, the Advocate has been a place where Alberta’s social workers have learned about each other and have become inspired by other social workers in the province. Here we celebrate the history of the Advocate magazine. We explore how it started, how it evolved over many years, and how it has impacted, supported and advanced the profession of social work in Alberta The Beginning Compared to the version we know today, the first issue of the Advocate is almost unrecognizable. A simple, blackand-white newsletter, the Advocate was eight pages long

WINTER 2021

and printed on newsprint. It included a handful of articles written by members of the Alberta Association of Social Work Council, a few photographs, and a list of the seven council members at the time. Marcus Busch, MSW, RCSW, was a member of the editorial board in the spring of 1976 when the first issue was published under the direction of Gweneth Pollitt, MSW, RSW, Chair of the Public Marcus Busch

Relations and Publications Committee

(and editor of the Advocate). According to Busch, the publication had had a short run in 1974, but it was Pollitt who led the efforts to revive it two years later. “Gweneth was given the mandate to resurrect the Advocate and our agenda was to get this thing up and running.

After that, the agenda was to keep it going. It was certainly successfully launched because it has been published without break for 46 years.”

advocate for what needed to be done.”

The Advocate Evolves

with black-and-white pictures to… nice and glossy. [1991]

From its content and look to its reach and delivery, the Advocate has come a long way over the last four-and-ahalf-plus decades.

In fact, the changes the team made to the Advocate

“In the very beginning, a lot of our concern was to have enough material to fill eight pages; then, in fairly short order, we got on a roll. We had to start selecting content as people were sending in material, which was a very good sign,” says Busch.

Papiya Das

For the first 15 years, the Advocate was a multi-page newsletter. In 1991, however, it took on a new format. Papiya Das, MSW, RSW, joined the editorial board in 1990 and was a board member for more than 20 years; from 2000 to 2013, Das was chair of the editorial board.

“We decided to make the Advocate more of a magazine than a newsletter. We would be focused on advocacy and practice issues rather than on updates and news about what was going on,” Das explains. “We were proactive about printing things that addressed social policy. There were a lot of gaps in services to the community at large at that time. So, we tried to address these gaps in policy and

Along with a change in format came a change in the Advocate’s appearance. “We went from a very simple look, was an important year for the Advocate.” says Das. at this time ultimately became award-winning. The winter 2000 issue notes that the Advocate won an award from the Association of Social Work Boards for being a “superior board newsletter in the interest of the protection of the public.” “The whole team always worked diligently to put it all together. [The award] was a result of the efforts of an excellent staff, hardworking board members, production people and outside agencies.” In 2001, the Advocate started to be printed in two colours, and in 2017, it became the full-colour magazine it is today. The next big change for the Advocate came in 2003, when the Health Professions Act was passed. Once mandatory registration took effect, anyone doing social work in Alberta had to be registered. So, what did this mean for the Advocate? Leslie Stephenson (formerly MacKinnon), MSW, RSW, was on the Advocate’s editorial board from 1992 until 2012. For some of that time, Stephenson was co-chair to Das.

THE ADVOCATE

Leslie Stephenson

“When social workers had to become registered, our membership [at the ACSW] exploded. The circulation of the Advocate grew by leaps and bounds… It was a paper copy that we mailed out— snail mail.”

Stephenson adds, “Over the years, technology helped the Advocate become a more sophisticated publication. It was really grassroots in the early years. Over time we’d have conversations about what the logos looked like, what the covers looked like, what paper we used. It became a more professional publication over time. But the heart of it was still always there.” A Supporting Role in Social Work From its inception, the Advocate has played an important part in supporting and advancing the social work profession.

More Than Just a Magazine Busch, Das and Stephenson each have fond memories of the Advocate and feel it not only made an impact on their profession as a whole, but also on themselves personally. “For me, it was one of the ways I could be part of the bigger picture of being a social worker in Alberta. Through the Advocate, I was meeting other social workers and becoming inspired by the work other people were doing in so many different fields of practice. It was amazing to learn all about all the fascinating things people were doing and what a fabulous profession we are a part of,” Stephenson says. Das was inspired by the Advocate as well. “[After I joined the Advocate] I came to know a lot more about activism and social policy. Reading and learning about what other people were doing in the field motivated me to work toward bringing change even more.”

“It was pretty important,” says Busch. “The Busch says that in the early years, the Advocate essentially tracked the development Advocate provided a much-needed way for of professional legislation in our field. The Alberta’s social workers to connect and learn We were Professional Affairs Committee would always from others within the profession. “[The midproactive about have reports about their meetings with 1970s into the ‘80s] was a time, of course, printing things government and [you would read about] when there was no social media and personal computers were not in regular use. After that addressed different lobbying efforts and so on. So, for me, to see the profession advancing was a [becoming a registered social worker] you got social policy major highlight of the Advocate.” your certificate to hang on your wall and the only other thing you got would have been the Looking Ahead Advocate. It was the primary vehicle of communication Today, the evolution in the way ACSW communicates between council and the members.” to support our members to provide strong social Das feels that the Advocate played a great role in work practice continues. The ACSW is committed supporting practicing social workers in our province. “It to continuing to provide practice support and share covered a combination of advocacy and practice issues. information with its members in new, creative ways. For example, we had a column called ‘Ethics in Action’ However, no matter how the ACSW transitions its that talked about professional boundaries, which was very communication as the years go on, one thing is for sure: educational.” the heart of the Advocate will always be there. Stephenson adds that the Advocate helped advance the profession itself by providing a visual of the people practicing social work in Alberta. “[The Advocate] was kind of the face of social work. It was available to the general public as well as ACSW members. We gave it to different organizations [outside the social work field] to create more of a name for SHAWNA DIRKSEN is a freelance writer based in Alberta. ourselves and our profession. I think the Advocate helped She loves skiing in the winter and running outdoors in the promote the profession of social work and highlighted what it summer, and when she’s not doing that, she’s probably can look like and what social workers do.” writing something about being minimal-ish for her blog . 20

WINTER 2021

SOCIAL WORK WEEK 2021 SPECIAL SERIES – PART 3

One Person at a Time BY SAMANTHA VAUX, SW DIP, RSW

THE ACSW WOULD LIKE TO THANK SAMANTHA VAUX FOR THE EXCELLENT WORK SHE DID IN PRODUCING THIS SERIES. IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR A SOCIAL WORK STUDENT TO CAPTURE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR PROFESSION AND THE ESSENTIAL WORK THAT WE ALL DO.

Samantha Vaux, SW Dip, RSW I always wanted to work in a helping profession. I started my career as a health care aide with plans to go into gerontological nursing. After witnessing the injustices that seniors face, I began thinking about a career option where I would be able to use my voice for the people I served. I enrolled in the social work diploma program at MacEwan University. I have been a social worker for eight years, working in outreach with low-income seniors and now with the Islamic Family and Social Services Association focused primarily in family violence. I believe that social work is essential because social workers get to be a part of raising someone’s voice to be heard and traveling alongside them as they move from being at their lowest point to finding their voice. We also have the unique professional obligation to advocate because we understand systems and how to navigate them. I was a practicum student at the Alberta College of Social Workers in 2020, which reignited my passion for advocacy. I played an integral role in the production of the annual Child Poverty Report. I feel that I have gained a greater understanding of macro social work practice. Anti-oppressive practices can be examined through macro practice when we are looking at the bigger picture and not necessarily stuck in the weeds of our day-to-day work. I believe that macro practice gives us the space to look at different forms of oppression, how different systems contribute to oppression, and leads us to how we can be agents of change.

I led the Social Work Week Narrative Project to celebrate Social Work Month. I hope that through this project, social workers from around the province have the opportunity to learn more about their colleagues, increase their awareness about the profession, and observe the strengths of the social work community. Titus Chan, BSW, RSW I’m originally from Hong Kong and Macau. I immigrated to Canada at a young age. I work at Sage Seniors Association in Edmonton, provide emotional support to seniors in the community and connect them to health and social resources. I also evaluate and tailor our projects to better tackle the challenges faced by seniors. I travelled to Hong Kong in 2019, during the height of the local pro-democracy movement, where I developed a strong passion for social justice, human rights, and international advocacy. I could not help but think that if my family had not immigrated from Hong Kong, I could have been one of the social workers on the front lines. I joined the ACSW Social Action/Social Justice group to connect with others who were similarly passionate about social justice. We hosted events and raised awareness about the social workers overseas fighting for democracy and human rights, as well as those facing injustice and political persecution. Advocacy is a big part of why I enjoy being a social worker. As an immigrant, I can relate to people and understand what it feels like to not have power or a voice. I like to take a systems approach. THE ADVOCATE

A professor shared an analogy about the work we do: “We can think of helping people as if they have fallen into a river, and we are there to help them navigate through the river, the currents, the rocks, and to help pull them out of the river. As social workers, we need to not get stuck in helping everyone out of the river, but we also need to figure out what led the person to falling into the river in the first place.” The cracks in our social support systems have only gotten more apparent in this pandemic, leading to vulnerable communities facing even more barriers. Social workers are now needed more than ever, to help vulnerable folks feel heard, to navigate complex systems, and to advocate for the macro level changes.

WINTER 2021

Shauna Livesey, SW Dip, RSW My traditional name is Itsa Digushi which means “white bird woman”. I am a mother of six and a grandmother of two. I am Cree, Dene-zaa, Scottish, Irish, and human. I am an advocate for change, Indigenous rights, and Indigenous healing. I am the Executive Director at the Centre for Young Parents in Grande

Prairie. I also offer workshops related to intergenerational trauma, residential schools, addictions, coping, and more. I am a member of the ACSW Area Coordinators. This group brings people together which is especially important for those of us in rural areas. My inspiration to become a social worker stems from the need to change the pattern and intergenerational cycle of hurt throughout my family line. It started as wanting to better myself for my children and all those struggling with the pain and hurt of our ancestors. The tears and pain felt by our grandmothers and grandfathers are seen in our children today. I work with young parents and children. Social work is essential to them as we instill preventive measures, provide education and facilitate healing. This in turn leads to our youth’s growth, their ability to lead healthy lifestyles, and to raise healthy families. The more that we can intervene at younger ages, the less interventions we will need further down the road.

I was enamoured with the sights and sounds of people receiving treatment and nursing staff providing care. I have practiced as a social worker for ten years. I have come to discover that my true passion lies in gerontology. Working with the aging population has been an incredible and humbling experience. I have the privilege to care for individuals and support their family at a very intimate and vulnerable part of their life, as they transition into long-term care. Some crucial tasks I am responsible for are: advocacy for equitable access to resources, assistance with accessing financial benefits, and providing education about unique aspects of senior living such as sexuality. As challenging as the situations can be, I have never reconsidered or regretted choosing social work.

The barriers I face as a social worker and that my clients experience are systemic laws and policies based on A common misconception about privilege and colonialism. For example, working with seniors is that it is easy policies that see Indigenous people as or mundane. I can assure you, having My inspiration to less than, telling them how to parent become a social worker now worked in a long-term care facility and raise their children, and how to for the past eight years, there is never guide their family in an assimilated stems from the need to a dull moment. Working with this fashion. Instead, what many people unique population has allowed me to change the pattern and and families need is access to guidance see the gaps in our systems that can from Elders, cultural programs, and intergenerational cycle greatly disadvantage them. the freedom to raise their children of hurt throughout my I belong to the ACSW Gerontology in a traditional way. Social work has family line Network North group. An important historically inspired fear for many aspect of the group is the ability for Indigenous people. I am here to change us to advocate at different system levels. A memorable this within our systems and provide hope for our future moment for me was when we were able to do a presentation generations. to MLA Lori Sigurdson. A triumph we had was when we An important reminder I live by is that social workers are advocated for changes to the Alberta Seniors Supports not going to change the world but we can change the world Program. Our recommendations led to specific changes in for one person. the program which were a direct result of our advocacy. Amanda Der, BSW, RSW My journey into social work began with my grandparents. I spent many hours in the hospital visiting them. I remember marching up and down the halls and bringing water or other treats to them. While many young people are uncomfortable in hospital settings, oddly enough,

As a social worker, I regularly bear witness to peoples’ challenges, heartaches, and traumas. I am honoured to be a part of this chapter in my residents’ stories and am driven to make it the best experience possible. This is what motivates me every day to do my part in providing quality care. THE ADVOCATE

FEATURE STORY

The Power of the Pen As communication from the ACSW to Alberta’s social workers evolves, it seems like a good time to hear from some current and past members of the Advocate Editorial Board with their thoughts on the impact of the Advocate magazine. The ACSW wants to express their sincere thanks to all past and present Advocate Editorial Board members for their time, energy, and thoughtful, compassionate efforts to make the Advocate a powerful and timely resource over the past 45 years. How has the content in the Advocate magazine supported or strengthened social work practice?

was excited by the cover stories profiling social workers from various parts of the province.

Cindy Haugen, BSW, RSW: The Advocate has been a place to go to find answers -- from regulatory practice questions, to workshops and educational opportunities, to overcoming challenging circumstances with our clients. And I enjoyed having a paper copy to leave at the office for others to look through (pre-COVID), so readers outside our profession could gain a better understanding of the breadth of social work practice in Alberta.

Cindy Haugen, BSW, RSW: I always enjoyed reading the feature “A Day in the Life.” This is a regular feature which highlighted social work practice from various practitioners throughout the province. For me, it demonstrated that no matter where we are in Alberta, our practice reflects core social work values such as valuing and respecting the intrinsic worth of our clients and working with them where they are at. These common threads are what binds us together. I enjoyed writing the Day in the Life article on Mary Anne Komaran, a respected colleague, as a tribute to her practice and legacy.

Eugene Ip, MSW, DPhil, retired social worker: The practice ethics articles are among the most educative content in supporting and raising standards of everyday practice. Stories on social workers on the front reinforce the social importance of our profession in terms of the vital impacts for the better [that] people, families, communities and institutions make through our planned change interventions. Peter Smyth, MSW, RSW: [T]he Advocate can be a powerful medium to learn and appreciate the broader experience of social work, rather than being focused in one area of practice where one is employed. Being a social worker requires being a life-long learner so reading about social work colleagues and issues can provide insight and the chance to take ideas to improve one’s own practice. What themes, articles or issues covered in the Advocate stood out to you? Samuel Mammen, MSW, RSW: The series of articles on student experiences at practicum placements titled Practicum to Practice was a highlight for me. In 2020, I 24

WINTER 2021

What made you want to join the Advocate editorial board? Debbie Posey, SW Dip, RSW: As always, it’s the people that make an experience memorable and the members on the editorial board are an incredibly wonderful group. All of them have been so welcoming and inclusive that I have never once felt shy about expressing my thoughts or opinions. This group is smart, engaged and passionate about the profession, and warm and thoughtful human beings. Because of the people involved, I feel like I’m part of something real and important. Reviewing submissions for an upcoming issue of the Advocate and working through suggestions for themes, relevant book reviews, and timely articles for our members is of great benefit. Kassi McKen, SW Dip, RSW: I originally wanted to join the Advocate editorial board as I was nearing the end of the final year in my BSW program and thought it would be a great opportunity to expand some knowledge in my

social work career. Although my time on the board was short, I think that the most rewarding aspect was getting to meet and collaborate with the other inspiring and influential members. Even through short conversations and discussions, I felt as though I was provided with different stances, topics, additions, and development in the social work field overall. What did you enjoy the most about being part of the Advocate editorial board? Eugene Ip, MSW, DPhil, retired social worker: I enjoyed knowing that I was involved in work reinforcing and exploiting the power of “the pen”; and no less, being with social workers believing in the Advocate as a vehicle supporting practice and reinforcing the social work community. Cardinal Fomradas, MSW, RCSW: I have been a member of the Editorial Board of the Advocate since 2017. Since 2019 I have been co-chair of the Editorial Board. For decades the Advocate has supported social workers and social work practice in Alberta. The magazine runs articles about practice issues, public policies and every day social workers through such features as the Day in the Life column. It has been an honour for me to have played a part in social work discourse in Alberta through my involvement with the Advocate. Social workers: remember the Advocate! Samuel Mammen, MSW, RSW: The Advocate editorial board members were all passionate social work practitioners. How can we help this writer/contributor’s material to be included into this Advocate - this was the essence of all our discussions. This helped us to bring articles of frontline practitioners. The editorial board meetings were open platforms to share our voice as well as respectfully consider other voices and come to a consensus. In closing: Darnel Forro, MSW, RSW: The Advocate strengthened the social fabric that unites social workers across our province. It created a sense of community, visibility, inclusion, and avenue where lifetime friendships were formed. We are grateful to have become a part of it and we are proud of the work that we completed. Debbie Posey, RSW, SW Dip: The Alberta College of Social Workers is changing as all good things seem to do over time. However, I hope to continue participating and become part of the change that will happen in the future. If you have been on the fence about volunteering, now is a great time to inform yourself and be part of the process! THE ADVOCATE

FEATURE STORY

Front Porch Counselling – Mental Health Outreach to Youth at Risk BY HEATHER FRAYNE, BSW, RSW

ONE YOUTH TALKS about her grandmother’s death as I hand her a Starbucks and we go for a walk. Another youth vents about how her dad wasn’t there for her as I deliver an activity kit for an online mental health workshop. A young man talks about his career hopes and dreams as we sit cross-legged under a tree. These are just some examples of bringing mental health supports to youth instead of the other way around. It became clear to Homeward Trust Edmonton (HTE), a notfor-profit organization committed to ending homelessness in Edmonton, that there were some gaps in service for youth at risk of homelessness. Housing programs often focus on connecting youth to mental health services only after they’re housed. But what about during the housing process? Youth were missing flexible, trauma-informed mental health supports woven into the housing journey. Not only that, but could their family and natural supports be included in the process? It seemed like a tall order, but that’s what HTE proposed to funders. They approached The Family Centre (TFC), an Edmonton non-profit, to negotiate a partnership. Youth Housing First (YHF) would contract out to TFC for the services of a therapist who could be clinically supervised and supported in a way YHF could not do on their own. I came onto the scene in March 2020, just as we were going into lockdown. Adaptability was required, both for this position and for the emerging pandemic. This was a perfect opportunity to work intermodally, combining my no-nonsense social work skills with my Expressive Arts Therapy training. We quickly realized a traditional referral process would not work. Instead, we integrated my services right from intake. 26

WINTER 2021

I now introduce myself to youth as another member of their team who will check in regularly, someone who’s available if they just need to vent, or if they want to do a deeper dive into the issues that brought them here. A strictly clinical approach wouldn’t work either. Mental health still carries stigma. Many youth have had bad experiences with counsellors trying to “fix” them. They may not be ready to focus on trauma. And walking into an office building and sitting on a couch being stared at by a professional can feel intimidating. A less formal, highly relational approach was imperative. The challenges youth face don’t pause while youth look for housing. Matthew Cuvilier, Youth Housing First Team Lead, relates one example of integrating mental health support right from the start: ”One client found it hard to focus on housing because they had so much going on. The Housing Outreach Worker (HOW) would be pulled into concerns very much outside of the process of looking for housing. By setting up a standing meeting with Heather the day after the HOW’s meeting, the HOW was able to focus on housing concerns and have the client put a pin in the other concerns until the next day when they would be discussed with Heather. This strategy worked great and allowed the HOW to focus on housing, leading to the client being successfully housed soon after!” Once housed, I follow youth through the 9-month program. In theory, having shelter allows youth to move up Maslow’s hierarchy, but sometimes it’s not that simple. As Kezia Wright, Housing Support Worker (HSW), observes, “It is with that mental health professional that the youth are able to learn coping strategies and process some of the harmful events of their lives that when left unaddressed, often create barriers to moving forward in stability and can lead to youth losing their housing.”

Everyone on the team works relationally, but we can now play more to our strengths. HSWs can focus on “adulting” skills and I can focus on topics like self-care, anxiety, grief, safety planning, relapse prevention, or healthy relationships to name a few. I can lean on HSWs for things like work programs, food hampers or landlord issues, where HSWs can call me if past trauma arises. Another unique aspect of the job is working with youths’ natural supports. Fluidity is required to move seamlessly between individual work and family or systems work. I have supported a mother-daughter dyad in finding healthy boundaries as the youth takes on more responsibility. I’ve talked to sibling roommates about managing conflict, or young parents about healthy attachment. A Person-inEnvironment approach helps us understand wellness in a systemic way. When the pandemic hit, we turned to phone and video support. I thought youth would like video sessions, but they actually preferred phone counselling. Perhaps there is something comforting about having a supportive voice in their ear while they’re in their safe surroundings. Getting out of our comfort zone and into theirs also brings balance to the power dynamic. Being an Expressive Arts Therapist has allowed me to integrate creative ways to connect and build resilience. Creativity is a powerful coping tool. Besides using the arts in therapy, I host online paint nights and deliver craft kits. During the holidays, I created mental health care packages

with worksheets, local resources, therapeutic colour pages and fidget toys, plus bus tickets and Tim’s cards. Though isolating, youth can know they’re not alone. At a post-grad check-in, one youth with anxiety and trauma commented how much of a difference it made to have a safe space all her own to collect herself. We had weekly phone sessions in which she could process her past trauma. She began working full time and setting boundaries with people in her life. She related that she felt more empowered to move forward in her life after a year of support. This unique partnership highlights the importance of flexible, trauma-informed, wraparound mental health support that spans the spectrum of prevention to postvention. Outcomes improve significantly by meeting youth where they’re at and engaging their natural supports in the process. Integrating the arts can help to spark resilience. Especially during COVID, a creative approach to reaching youth has been invaluable, and I hope we can carry forward in this innovative way as we emerge from the pandemic.

HEATHER FRAYNE is a social worker, registered therapeutic counsellor and has an MA in Expressive Arts Therapy. She is a community-based mental health therapist at The Family Centre in Edmonton. She also works in private practice. Heather can be found at www.autumnleafexpressivearts.com.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS

YOUTH HOUSING FIRST (YHF): A Housing First program for youth aged 13-24 with no readiness requirements. Youth are housed through a variety of options (e.g., independent living, supported independent living placements, family reunification) and provided with supports to help them

successfully transition to adulthood.

HOMEWARD TRUST EDMONTON (HTE): As a system planner, HTE provides leadership to coordinate responses to ending homelessness in Edmonton, managing funding on behalf

of the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. From April 1, 2019, to August 1, 2020, the above partnership was funded by Making the Shift (MtS) Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab. MtS is a multi-year, multi-phase project, which aims to reimagine our response to youth homelessness through social innovation to ensure the best outcomes for young people.

THE FAMILY CENTRE (TFC): A non-profit organization whose vision is healthy families in healthy communities. TFC exists to support families and children to help them flourish and to help people engage with one another in order to promote healthy, safe, and economically viable communities.

THE ADVOCATE

DAY IN THE LIFE

LISE ROBINSON, BSW, RSW, has a long-standing passion for helping marginalized people and communities. Her interest in it was the catalyst to pursue a career in social work and it has continued to drive Robinson throughout her 36 years in the profession. “I was just fresh coming back from a youth exchange program in India and had decided I wanted to do justice work,” she says. “Some of the things I saw in India – especially for women with the caste system – really propelled my heart and soul into doing this type of work.” Robinson is Métis and lived just outside of Saddle Lake Cree Nation in a hamlet called Lafond. She grew up on a farm near there, surrounded by a large family. Her mother was active in the community and her father – who spoke English, French and Cree – taught in Saddle Lake for many years. This upbringing fostered Robinson’s love of connecting with nature; she continues to live a rural lifestyle. “I didn’t really want to be a ‘big city girl’ so I went to the local university,” she says of her decision to attend the nearby University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills. In 1985, Robinson was one of the first graduates of the Social Work Diploma pilot program, offered in conjunction with what is now MacEwan University.

BY KRISTIN BAKER

LISE ROBINSON

BSW, RSW

She credits the Indigenous based (and led) education she received there with her deeper understanding of the lasting effects of residential schools, as well as the possibilities of healing and developing resiliency. The facility itself was once used as a residential school. “I was at Blue Quills for two years, and it was so insightful because we could hear all the stories about what went on with the residential schools and we could actually feel the spirits’ energy in that building.” After graduation, Robinson provided one-on-one counselling and group therapy through her own company in Edmonton. She and her family then moved to Cold Lake First Nations where she was employed as a life skills coach for adults. She also volunteered to work with youth on the reservation and was later hired as the executive director of a youth club. “That’s where I expanded my skill set to deal with any situations that come up,” Robinson says.

WINTER 2021

Robinson then moved to the town of St. Paul where she worked at an Alberta Native Friendship Centre as a family wellness coordinator. While living there, she decided to go back to school to obtain her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Victoria.

Robinson has worked with marginalized youth through school programs, helped plan a safety summit against Islamophobia, and partnered with organizations to create the Bethel Food Pantry “I went there to get an education with a more Indigenous paradigm,” she recalls. The university’s longdistance education program also worked well for her. Not only was she working full time, but she also had young women from the Poundmaker’s Lodge Treatment Centre living with her. They attended the addictions treatment program during the day and stayed with Robinson every night and on the weekends. “I had a huge house in St. Paul so was able to have over 50 girls stay with me and my family over five years. I did a lot of dialoguing with the girls, had their breakfasts ready and made sure that they felt a part of the family.”

It was a busy time. She cared for her own two sons as well as the young women. After her day job, she would often have to do her university course work into the early morning hours. Robinson is proud of the determination it took to successfully fit it all in. “I really pushed hard to get that done and I really feel it was incredible to manoeuvre and manage that in order to move forward.” Living with and helping the youth from Poundmaker’s also reminded Robinson about the lessons of resiliency and healing she learned when she was at Blue Quills.

Nakota Sioux Nation. “I thought, why don’t we get the Chief out to City Hall to commemorate that day?” she says. “The City has been having this event for the last eight years now and just to be a little part of this happening, I think that’s awesome.” Throughout her time with the City, she has received many community awards. The most recent was from John Humphrey Centre for her contributions to the protection

“There was lots of trauma [in the girls’ pasts],” she says. “But from going to Blue Quills and connecting with elders, I knew that healing is possible, that resilience is possible.” After graduating with her BSW, she was hired at the City of Edmonton where she had the opportunity to work in a variety of departments. She had a hand in many impactful projects, most of which involved community or intercultural development. Robinson has worked with marginalized youth through school programs, helped plan a safety summit against Islamophobia, and partnered with organizations to create the Bethel Food Pantry. “If there’s an opportunity to help communities thrive, I’m there!” she says. She was also instrumental in creating the Treaty No. 6 Recognition Day event at City Hall. At the time, she was working in the City’s Indigenous Relations Office and had just attended a commemorative event in Alexis

THE ADVOCATE

and promotion of human rights in the public service sector. She also helped produce Voices of the Urban Indigenous Peoples, a document containing stories of survivors and Indigenous resiliency (available at www.edmonton.ca). “That’s part of the reconciliation is to tell those stories. What I like to challenge people to do is to tell those stories with a resiliency perspective.” Robinson has personal experience with resiliency. In 2020, three close family members and a friend passed away. To help move through the grief, Robinson created the “Grief After the Loss of a Loved One” Facebook group which has more than 3000 members. She offers weekly grief workshops and helps members commemorate their loved one. Robinson finds that creating keepsakes (such as photo books) and being outdoors has helped her – and others – with the transition of death.

She offers weekly grief workshops and helps members commemorate their loved one

“There’s a fusion of the elements of nature into my work and also into my life,” she says. “What I find is truly helpful for me is connecting with nature. There’s something about the vibrations of the trees, the wind, the sun and all those elements used together, especially the water. Those kinds of things really open me up to Immersive healing in a different type of a way.”

PARTNER S

ACSW’S PUBLIC POLICY PARTNERS Edmonton Social Planning Council edmontonsocialplanning.ca Friends of Medicare friendsofmedicare.org Public Interest Alberta pialberta.org Parkland Institute parklandinstitute.ca

HEALING RETREATS

Her grief counselling work has been so impactful that she is currently transitioning to a private practice to focus on it as well as community development, inclusion and diversity work.

Our next retreat runs march 20-23, 2022 in Golden, bC

“I feel like I have a lot to offer yet; it’s time to evolve,” Robinson says. “Sometimes when you listen to your spirit and your ancestors and what needs to be done, it all aligns and it’s a great feeling. Life is all about evolution and my growth right now is at that space where it’s time for me to fly. My new journey is just about to open up.”

SPECIAL EARLY BIRD PRICING UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2022

KRISTIN BAKER is a communications consultant based in Edmonton. She’s active in her community and often can be found reading or running.

WINTER 2021

~ Rejuvenating ~ inspiring

Healing & Wholeness

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES INC.

www.healingandwholeness.ca

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

The Advocate’s For Your Information section gives preference to Alberta-based educational opportunities and non-profit events for social workers. Please check organization websites to confirm details.

Health Ethics Seminars

Our Mental Health Webcasts

Building Inclusive Workplaces and Practices Interactive Workshop

John Dossetor Health Ethics Centre, University of Alberta

CASA Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health

Various dates until June 2022

Free/online

Centre for Race and Culture Dec. 16th, 2021 Online, via Zoom

Free / via Zoom Seminars focused on emerging issues in healthcare including a monthly Equity, Diversity and Inclusion event.

This series of webcasts aims to assist families and community members in dealing with the many mental health concerns coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This interactive workshop will focus on tools to recognize, articulate, understand, examine, challenge, and change workplace practices.

www.ualberta.ca/john-dossetor-healthethics-centre/events/health-ethics-seminars/ index.html

cfrac.com/training_courses/buildinginclusive-workplaces-and-practices/

Co-Building a New Eco-Social World: Leaving No One Behind

The Canadian Association of Social Workers

The People’s Global Summit

14th Annual Western Indigenous Consultation & Engagement Conference

June 29 – July 2, 2022

Feb. 23-24, 2022

Initiated by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development and the International Federation of Social Workers to bring together social work professionals and many others.

CASW webinars are free and on demand for all ACSW members. Depending on your learning goals, these may be applicable to Category A credits.

In-person / Livestream Edmonton A non-partisan platform for making meaningful connections and getting conversations started. www.canadianinstitute.com/westernindigenous-consultation-engagement/ 19th Annual Hawai’i International Summit on Preventing, Assessing & Treating Trauma Across the Lifespan Institute on Violence, Abuse & Trauma March 23 – April 1, 2022 In-person / Virtual Honolulu A multidisciplinary gathering of professionals working together to tackle the major issues in fields dealing with violence, abuse, and trauma. www.ivatcenters.org/hawaii-summit

Virtual

www.casaservices.org/web-series

Webinars

Recent topics include eating disorders; spirituality & ethics in social work, intersectional trauma-informed care for providers, and more.

www.casw-acts.ca/en/eco-social-worldconference

www.casw-acts.ca/en/webinars

Suicide Prevention, Risk Assessment & Management

Concurrent Disorders Learning Series

Alberta Health Services

A comprehensive inventory of academic videos from provincial, national, and international subject matter/clinical experts designed to support the needs of individuals experiencing concurrent disorders.

Free/online A web-based, interactive e-learning series designed to respond to the foundational learning needs of health practitioners working in addiction and mental health. www.albertahealthservices.ca/ info/Page14579.aspx?fbclid=IwAR 2QyOeCRPJ94QOTZYcZLiUoO8fFTADjmncRHYkSvn7tSgk3jerrTafjPE

Visit the ACSW Events Calendar to find more training, events and workshops, at acsw.ab.ca, Social Workers tab, Calendar of Events.

Alberta Health Series

www.albertahealthservices.ca/info/ Page14397.aspx Community Education Services Ongoing online education sessions/free Topics focus on child and youth, including teens and risk-taking, adolescent brain development, and domestic violence. www.community.hmhc.ca/sessions/ THE ADVOCATE

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050109 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS 550 10707 100 AVE NW EDMONTON AB T5J 3M1