YOUR COLLEGE

Challenging our Social Justice Lens

By Alec Stratford, MSW, RSW Registrar/Executive Director

Here at NSCSW we got off to a running start in 2021. I’m pleased to introduce a new issue of Connection magazine to our members, and other readers throughout our community. In this issue, our contributors were invited to connect their writing to the theme of the upcoming annual conference in May: Challenging our Social Justice Lens.

In January, we published our mental health research paper, Repositioning Social Work Practice in Mental Health in Nova Scotia. Turn to page 16 for an excerpt; I think you’ll find the infographics interesting, and I hope you’ll find time to download the report and read all 29 of its recommendations.

February was African Heritage Month, and this year’s theme was Black History Matters. For decades the Association of Black Social Workers has worked to support Black communities and individuals to thrive in this province, and on page 24 they’ve shared an update on one of their current projects engaging men and boys.

March is National Social Work Month, and this year’s theme is Social Work is Essential. I’ll be holding regional check-ins to share the activities of the College, discuss our plans for the future, and listen to the perspectives of our colleagues in every part of the province. Check nscsw.org for the schedule of upcoming events; I hope you can join me, or attend one of the professional development webinars we’re hosting with the Canadian Association of Social Workers.

All Nova Scotians benefit from the essential work provided by qualified, compassionate, and committed social workers, and we’re excited to celebrate social workers at every stage of their career and their contributions to the profession. You can read reflections from the recipients of this year’s student bursaries on page 26, and an enthusiastic tribute to a recently retired nephrology social worker on page 14.

You can also read in this issue about new research into adverse childhood experiences in Nova Scotia, and its implications for social work (page 20), as well as a review of a recently published book about critical clinical practice (page 22).

This issue also visits the Halifax Public Library, one of a growing number of libraries in Canada with a social worker on staff; on page 10 she shares a glimpse of her praxis, and some of the ways that libraries and social workers can collaborate to serve their clients.

At last, turn to page 28 to meet Dr. Delores Mullings, a social worker, activist and educator in Newfoundland; she will be one of the keynote speakers at our virtual conference in May. Registration for Challenging our Social Justice Lens is open now; while it is still far too soon for a mass gathering of our membership, technology continues to offer ways for us to connect with one another, and I look forward to seeing many of you there.