Cindy Blackstock awarded 2016 Law Society of Upper Canada Human Rights Honoree
The governing body of Ontario's legal professions is pleased to announce that the 2016 Human Rights Award will be granted to two outstanding recipients, Dr. Cindy Blackstock and Waleed Abu al-Khair. The special presentation will be held in Toronto on February 22, 2017.
Established in 2013, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to the advancement of human rights and/or the promotion of the rule of law provincially, nationally or internationally. It is granted biennially to individuals for their devotion to these principles over a long term, or for a single, outstanding act of service. The inaugural Human Rights Award was presented to The Honourable Irwin Cotler in 2015.
For further details, click .
Congratulations to Sheila Goldbloom awarded the Prix 脡merite 2016 by the OTSTCFQ
Sheila Goldbloom, Associate Professor, School of Social Work 平特五不中 from 1964-1992 was recently awarded the Prix 脡m
erite 2016 by the OTSTCFQ in recognition of her contribution to the profession and longstanding commitment to community development. Member of the Professional Order since 1965, Professor Goldbloom has been a leading member of Montreal鈥檚 social work community. Her contribution to the field has been exemplary garnering her with numerous awards and honours; the Order of Canada in 1999 and an honorary Doctor of Laws , 平特五不中 in 2011. In addition to her work with the YMCA, the Philippe-Pinel Institute and the 平特五不中 School of Social Work, Professor Goldbloom played a key role in developing a number of community organizations, including the Foundation of Greater Montreal, Meals on Wheels and the YMCA Foundation. 平特五不中 School of Social Is proud to highlight Professor Goldbloom's contribution to social work education for generations of practitioners.
鈥淣egative images of parenting disabled children are not helpful鈥�
Professor Lucyna Lach鈥檚 research findings on parenting of children with neurodisabilities were recently quoted in an article written by Louise Kinross in The Walrus, an online forum for issues vital to Canadians.听
In this article, Ms. Kinross is critical of the approach that the SickKids Foundation has taken to depict children with chronic health conditions and disabilities. She draws on Dr. Lach鈥檚 research on parenting to elaborate on how depictions of disability as a 鈥榖attle鈥� are a problematic metaphor, further contributing to parents鈥� sense of ineffectiveness and inadequacy that parents already feel, particularly when there is no chance of survival (in situations when conditions are terminal) or improvement (in situations where everything that can be done, has been done).
For more details click
Congratulations to Kharoll-Ann Souffrant recipient of the Woman of Distinction Award in the Young Women of Distinction category.
Since a young age, Kharoll-Ann Souffrant (BSW U3) has been shining a light on issues related to the prevention of sexual violence and sexual assault and to mental health. A young, engaged, inclusive feminist, she combines her life experiences and beliefs to change social perceptions and bring about changes in the management of mental health issues and matters of sexual assault.
In 2015, she went on stage at the Periscope Theatre in Qu茅bec to a TEDx Quebec talk on the mental health.
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Congratulations Kharoll-Ann!
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Congratulations to Cindy Blackstock being named an Honorary Fellow by the Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada has recently announced 89 new fellows, including 2 Foreign Fellows, 2 Specially Elected Fellows and 2 Honorary Fellows. They have been elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement. One of the 2 Honorary Fellows is Professor Cindy Blackstock, who joined 平特五不中 School of Social Work as of August 1st, 2016.
鈥淎 member of the Gitksan First Nation, Cindy educates Canadians about the longstanding inequities in public services on reserves and invites them to take action so First Nations children have a fair chance to grow up safely with their families, get a good education, be healthy and proud of who they are. Her reconciliation-based change approach involves child engagement, critical thinking, historical learning, and a landmark human rights case. In 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found the Canadian Government鈥檚 inequitable provision of child and family services to 163,000 children on reserves to be racially discriminatory. The federal government was ordered to cease the discrimination. Legal proceedings are ongoing and so is Cindy鈥檚 work with, and for, the children.鈥�
For full details, see or her profile, please visit the School of Social Work website.
School of Social Work Invited Lecture by David Firang, PhD - October 31, 2016 at 12:30 pm Wilson Hall, #326, speaking about The Nature of the Canadian Social Welfare.
Dr. David Firang is an Assistant Professor (Limited Appointment) at the School of Social Work at the University of Windsor, Ontario. His research interests are in social policy, community development, child welfare, and immi-grants鈥� transnational housing issues.
Dr. Firang will give an example lecture tailored to a typical BSW class (SWRK-428 Social Policy & Administration). He will be speaking about the Nature of the Canadian Social Welfare.
The lecture will discuss the term social welfare from different perspectives/criteria, and describe the scope and purpose of the Canadian social welfare systems. The key components of social welfare programs and services that pro-mote human needs will be discussed. The question 鈥� who is responsible for Canadian Social Welfare - will be explored in the lecture. Students will be engaged in discussions to gain an understanding about how political ideologies influence the degree to which a government will ensure the social welfare of Canadians. Further, the lecture will make connections between social policy and community practice to illustrate how social policy and community practice are inseparable.
See Lecture Poster for further details.
School of Social Work Invited Lecture by Ms. Zulfiya Tursunova - October 31, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. Wilson Hall, #326, speaking about the role of social workers in the construction of health and enhancing food sovereignty & community practice in a Canadian transnational context.
Dr. Zulfiya Tursunova comes to this position with a social policy and community development background in such areas as income security and livelihoods, food sovereignty and security, and caregiving and community-based research engagement with Indigenous communities in Canada and overseas, newcomers and Canadian-born population.
Dr. Tursunova will give an example lecture tailored to a typical BSW class (SWRK 327 - Approaches to Community Practice). She will be speaking about the role of social workers in the construction of health and enhancing food sover-eignty and community practice in a Canadian transnational context.
See Lecture Poster for further details.
School of Social Work Invited Lecture by Ms. Luna Vives - October 27, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. Wilson Hall, #326, speaking about Immigration Policy as a Framework for Social Work Practice
Dr. Luna Vives is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Research on Children and Families, 平特五不中. Her work focuses on how uneven power relationships between mainstream and racialized populations are perpetuated through differential access to public services. Dr. Vives鈥� areas of expertise include inter-national migration, human rights, public policy and knowledge trans-lation and transfer. Besides her research, Dr. Vives has experience teaching college and university-level courses, and has been involved in a number of grassroots community development initiatives in Canada and abroad.
Dr. Vives will give an example lecture tailored to a typical BSW class (SWRK 221 - Public Social Service in Canada with a focus on international migration). She will be speaking about 鈥�Immigration Policy as a Framework for Social Work Practice鈥�.
International migration is the movement of people across national borders for the purpose of resettlement. Immigration policy regu-lates this movement, and at the same time grants and limits access to rights and public services for non-nationals. In this lecture, Dr. Vives will explore the role of immigration policy as a tool that governments use to respond to the challenges posed by an aging population; present the main categories of migration in Canada; and discuss their implications for Social Work practice. By the end of the class, students will have the tools to engage critically with this area of public policy.
See Lecture Poster for further details.
School of Social Work Invited Lecture by Ms. Andrea Doyle - October 24, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. Wilson Hall, #118 speaking about Strategic Use of Validation in Social Work Practice.
Dr. Andrea Doyle has been teaching and practicing social work for over twenty years. She has advanced training and expertise in psy-chodynamic and behavioral approaches and has worked in diverse practice settings in Canada and the United States. She has special clinical interest in the intersection of women's physical and mental health. She is currently an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice, where, in addition to teaching, she is testing a trauma-informed Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills intervention to enhance treatment adherence and risk reduction among women of color who are living with HIV and experiencing emotional dysregulation. Dr. Doyle holds degrees from 平特五不中 (B.Sc. in Psychology, Special B.S.W., & M.S.W.) and the University of Washington (Ph.D. in Social Welfare).
Dr. Doyle will give an example lecture tailored to a typical BSW class (SWRK 320 - Practice with Individuals & Families I). She will be speaking about Strategic Use of Validation in Social Work Practice.
Reflective listening is the "bread and butter" of social work practice and critical to building relationships. Validation is the strate-gic use of reflective listening to communicate empathy and under-standing. "Levels of validation鈥� have been elaborated within the Dia-lectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) framework and will be described and contextualized for effective intervention with clients. A brief overview of DBT will also be provided during the lecture.
See Lecture Poster for further details.
School of Social Work Invited Lecture by Ms. Catherine Roy - October 17, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. Wilson Hall, #326 speaking about Have they forgotten us? A Look at the 鈥淯niversality鈥� of Family Policies in Quebec
Dr. Catherine Roy holds a Ph.D. in social work. Since graduating in 2003, Dr. Roy has gained valuable experience in program development, implementation and evaluation, working both in academic and govern-mental agency settings. Her work and interest center around vulnerable children and their families, more specifically on how to promote optimal child development and healthy family relationships, building on evi-dence-based practices and policies, within an eco-systemic perspective.
Dr. Roy will give an example lecture tailored to a typical BSW class (most relevant to SWRK 428 - Social Policy & Administration & SWRK 221 - Public Social Service in Canada, but also touching on issues related to SWRK 224 - Human Development across the Lifespan). She will be speaking about the 鈥渦niversality鈥� of family policies in Quebec.
Quebec鈥檚 family policies have been cited as exemplary by other provinces and industrialized countries. There is indeed abundant evidence about the positive outcomes universal 鈥渓ow-cost鈥� child day-care, paid maternity/parental leaves and the parental insurance plan have had on the lives of families and children. But have the outcomes been as generalized as the universal policies that precipitated them? Building on how adversity impacts the achievement of developmental milestones for children, this presentation is a critical reflection about the suitability of Quebec鈥檚 family policies for vulnerable children and families.
See Lecture Poster for further details.
School of Social Work Invited Lecture by Ms. Wanda Gabriel - October 6, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. Wilson Hall, #326 - speaking about Cultural Genocide: Family & the Intergenerational Factor
Ms. Wanda Gabriel is a citizen of Kanehsatake (Oka) Kanieke鈥檋a:ke nation. She holds an MSW degree from 平特五不中. Additionally Ms. Gabriel is a national trainer & facilitator guided by traditional teachings, social work theories and experiential techniques to facilitate family and community healing. She has 26 years of experience in the social and heal-ing field with a commitment and passion to change which was fired by her own ongoing healing journey. Ms. Gabriel has worked in collaboration with National, Regional Aboriginal agencies and Aboriginal communities across Canada dealing with crisis intervention and issues of sexual abuse, lateral violence (internalized oppression), drug and alcohol addiction, do-mestic violence and residential school issues.
Ms. Gabriel will give an example lecture tailored to a typical BSW class (SWRK 320 - Practice with Individuals & Families I). She will be speaking about Cultural Genocide: Family & the Intergenerational Factor.
Cultural Genocide through intergenerational transmission of trauma has robbed Indigenous families of cultural values and cultural identity. It is the cause of many complex social problems to which there is no easy solu-tion. Social challenges such as addictions, violence, aggression, political posturing, family feuds are symptoms of survival defenses to cultural geno-cide. These coping mechanisms can only be reframed through the applica-tion of a trauma informed practice. This session will provide a space for the guest to gain greater awareness of:
- Informed trauma practice;
- Intergenerational trauma and making sense of the transmission of wounding behaviors;
- Identifying the range and impact of internalized oppression and explor-ing strategies to overcome negative patterns; &
- Understanding attachment and our development process in reaching our maximum potential.
See Lecture Poster for further details.
Professor Michael Loft鈥檚 campaign to move the Hochelaga Rock
Professor Michael Loft鈥檚 campaign to move the Hochelaga Rock to a place of prominence on 平特五不中 campus finally bears fruit. 听The rock commemorating the Iroquois settlement that stood on the very land that 平特五不中 sits on today is now across from the statue of James 平特五不中.听 The move was celebrated on September 22nd 听at a ceremony marking the relocation of the Hochelaga Rock and the launch of the Provost鈥檚 Taskforce on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education took place.
See for full details.
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The Kagedan Lecture on Social Work and Human Rights - Annual Alumni Homecoming Lecture
Presented on October 27th, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. in the Wendy Patrick Room, Wilson Hall, 3506 University.
鈥淎dvancing social justice through rights based practice in the Middle East: ICAN 平特五不中鈥�
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CAN:听 The International Community Action Network (ICAN), formerly known as the 平特五不中 Middle East Program (MMEP), is committed to creating a world in which all people share the same rights. We believe听that social justice is the most reliable foundation for strong, healthy, and tolerant communities.听Since 1997,听ICAN hasestablished 11 community听centres in some of the most disadvantaged areas of听Palestine,听Jordan听and听Israel. 听These ICAN centres provides basic human rights such as听legal aid, education, housing, and much, much more听to over 120,000 people each year,听implementing听programs that engage, educate and empower the citizens most affected by conflict, economic hardship, and instability.听
SPEAKERS:
Amal Elsana Alhjooj is one of the key shapers of public opinion regarding the status of the Arab minority and the status of women in听Israel. In 2010, she was chosen by The Marker (Israeli business publication) as 1 of the 101 most influential people in Israel; was one of the women leaders recognized in 2005 by the World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises for her contributions to economic empowerment programs for Bedouin Arab women. She has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She is the founding director of AJEEC - Arab Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation and co-director of NISPED - Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development. As a former graduate of the ICAN Fellowship Program, Amal has returned to 平特五不中 to pursue a Ph.D and become the new Executive Director here at the International Community Action Network (ICAN) in 平特五不中's School of Social Work.听
Sami Al Kilani听began his career as a physicist and poet, and was an Amnesty prisoner of conscience in the 1980s. He was a delegate to the Madrid Conference and has been a strong advocate for non-violence since the 1980鈥檚.听 Sami is one of the founding members of the Arab non鈥恦iolence movement, which meets for one month each summer in Beirut and has evolved into the first Arab University for Non Violence (AUNV). It aims to institutionalize the culture of non鈥恦iolence in Lebanon and all the Middle East. Sami is the founder of the first RBCP centre in the West Bank and his doctoral thesis explored the implementation of the RBCP model in Palestine. Today he is Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences at An Najah National University.
Dr.听Jim Torczyner joined 平特五不中 in 1973 after obtaining his D.S.W. from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1975, he founded Project Genesis, a community-based grassroots organization that empowers people from diverse backgrounds to advocate for entitlements, to change social policy, and to develop alternative community organizations. In 1990, Professor Torczyner founded the Montreal Consortium for Human Rights Advocacy Training (MCHRAT) which extends multi-disciplinary expertise to groups that have traditionally lacked access and power such as the disabled, members of minority groups, and homeless youth. In 1994, Professor Torczyner refocused his attention primarily on the Middle East and founded The 平特五不中 Middle East Program in Civil Society and Peace Building (MMEP), now ICAN, with a belief that the reduction of inequality and the promotion of civil society are intricately related to peace building.
RSVP:听 marilena.orsini [at] mcgill.ca by October 24, 2016
School of Social Work Invited Lecture by Ms. Pam Orzeck - September 22, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. Wilson Hall, R326
Ms. Pam Orzeck is the Coordinator of Leading Practices in Caregiving Support at the West-Central Montreal Health Network and an Adjunct Professor at the School of Social Work at 平特五不中. She has worked in community front line practice for the past twenty four years and in that capacity, has been involved in direct services, research, training, and knowledge transfer on diverse social issues. Ms. Orzeck consults on various committees and boards related to social policy and evidence-based best practices and has given trainings and presentations across Canada and the United States. She has published several articles and co-edited a book on professional interventions with caregivers.
Ms. Orzeck will give an example lecture tailored to a typical BSW class (SWRK 224 - Human Development across the Lifespan). She will be speak-ing about Family Caregiving as a Life Course Process.
Family caregiving is a topic that cuts across all life stages and social loca-tions. From a practice and policy standpoint, we do not often acknowledge caregivers鈥� contributions within families. Social workers are best placed to recognize and respond to family caregivers across systems and services. In order to better intervene with caregivers, we need to understand family caregiving as part of the life course. This will allow for an appreciation of the lived experiences of caregivers along their care trajectory. Moreover, it will move us beyond the current model of caregiving, where caregiving is seen as a role, rather than as a process. This teaching exercise will engage students in a discussion about family caregiving and introduce innovative practice tools to work with family caregivers.
See Lecture Poster for further details.
Ethno-racial Categories and Child Welfare Decisions: Exploring the Relationship with Poverty
New analysis by a team of researchers from the Universities of Toronto and 平特五不中 shows that poverty is as a key factor explaining the disproportionate number of Black children entering child welfare care in Ontario.听听
For more information see:
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Children in a World of Opportunities: Innovations in Research, Policy and Practice
The Planning Committee of the International Society for Child Indicators (ISCI) announces its 6th Conference 鈥�Children in a World of Opportunities: Innovations in Research, Policy and Practice鈥� which will convene in Montreal, Canada on June 28-30, 2017.
This conference will bring together researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and child advocates from around the world to share and discuss innovations in research methods and the latest research findings on child indicators as well as implications for policy and practice. You can find out more about the conference and contact the Planning Committee at www.isci2017.org. Updated information on the program, travel and registration will be posted regularly.
The conference will include oral paper presentations, organized symposia and poster presentations. If you develop and use indicators to measure the status of child wellbeing at the local, national, regional, or international levels, we encourage you to join us! Online submission of abstracts will end on September 30th, 2016.
If you have any questions, please contact us at isci2017 [at] mcgill.ca.
We look forward to seeing you at ISCI 2017 in Montreal!
Michael Loft Retires after nine years of service at 平特五不中
After nine years of service at 平特五不中, Michael Loft, Mohawk from Kahnawake, retired from his position as Academic Associate in the School of Social Work this past June. The focus of his work was raising awareness of Indigenous experiences, history and perspectives. Faculty, staff and students from across the University, including Provost and Vice Principal (Academic), Professor Christopher P. Manfredi and Hudson Meadwell, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, joined Michael to celebrate his retirement on June 16, 2016 at the Faculty Club.
Kanesatake Elder John Cree opened the event with a traditional kanien'keha (Mohawk) opening. Provost Christopher P. Manfredi presented Michael with an eagle feather in a beaded case. The eagle feather signifies high respect of a person and a marking of a special event. Social Work PhD candidate Ben Geboe, an enrolled member of the Yankton Sioux Nation, contributed the eagle feather, while MSW student Thomasina Phillips, Mohawk from Kahnawake, crafted the case.
Michael鈥檚 dedication to highlighting Indigenous issues at 平特五不中 was felt by many University-wide. In honour of his contributions, Nico Trocm茅, Director of the School of Social Work, was pleased to announce a new title for Michael鈥檚 ongoing work with 平特五不中: Tehsakonikonrakas, a Mohawk word which means "bringing minds together." The name was selected in consultation with Mohawk Elder Amelia McGregor, from Kahnawake. Michael鈥檚 retirement is not an end to his relationship with 平特五不中 but rather a transition
. He will continue to offer advice and feedback to deepen the University鈥檚 commitment to integrating Indigenous perspectives and experiences in all facets of 平特五不中鈥檚 academic mission.
Michael joined the School of Social Work in 2007. Along with Professor Nicole Ives and Oonagh Aitken, he is one of the founding members of Indigenous Access 平特五不中, a support program for students in the School of Social Work that also partners on learning opportunities to raise awareness and understanding of Indigenous issues, history and culture amongst the 平特五不中 community.
Michael taught First Peoples鈥� Issues & Social Work and was integral in the development of Indigenous Field Studies, an interdisciplinary course held each May (with one week in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory).
We wish him all the best.
Congratulations to Mme Guylaine Ouimette, T.S. for being elected as the new president of the OTSTCFQ
Montr茅al, 21 juin 2016 - Les membres du Conseil d鈥檃dministration de l鈥橭rdre des travailleurs sociaux et des th茅rapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Qu茅bec (OTSTCFQ) ont 茅lu 脿 la pr茅sidence Mme Guylaine Ouimet travailleuse sociale, pour un mandat de deux ans.
Pour plus de renseignements, voice .
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Announcing the appointment of Delphine Collin-V茅zina as the Nicolas Steinmetz and Gilles Julien Chair in Social Pediatrics
It is with extreme pleasure that we announce the appointment of Delphine Collin-V茅zina听as the inaugural holder of the Nicolas Steinmetz and Gilles Julien Chair in Social Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at the Montreal Children's Hospital. A faculty in the School of Social Work at 平特五不中 for the past 9 years, Delphine will now be spending half of her time in the Department of pediatrics teaching undergraduate and graduate trainees and conducting some of her research efforts at the hospital and in collaboration with the Dr. Julien Foundation in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
This program of research will provide a unique opportunity to influence decision鈥恗aking in child protection services and to support front鈥恖ine work, which holds significant promise to impact children and youth who, without appropriate services, are likely to continue falling behind their peers and growing up in the margins. This chair represents a unique opportunity to create a greater link between two 平特五不中 departments that provide training to future professionals and leaders in the field of child care, and to develop a long-term and far-reaching program of research that involves partners from different lines of services for vulnerable children and youth.
Dr. Cindy Blackstock joins the School of Social Work as Professor beginning August 1, 2016
The School of Social Work is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Cindy Blackstock as Professor beginning August 1, 2016. 听听A member of the Gitksan First Nation with 25 years of social work experience in child protection and indigenous children鈥檚 rights, Dr. Cindy Blackstock is currently Executive Director of First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada, Associate Professor 听& Director of FNCARES (First Nations Children鈥檚 Action Research and Education Service) at University of Alberta.
Dr. Blackstock鈥檚 research interests are indigenous theory and the identification & remediation of structural inequalities affecting First Nations children, youth & families. An author of over 50 publications & a widely sought after public speaker, Dr. Blackstock has collaborated with other Indigenous leaders to assist the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in the development and adoption of a General Comment on the Rights of Indigenous children.
Recently, she also worked with Indige-nous young people, UNICEF & the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to produce a youth friendly version of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child. Her promotion of culturally based & evidence informed solutions has been recognized by the Nobel Women鈥檚 Initiative, the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Frontline Defenders and many others.
See
Three in 10 children neglected by parents, Quebec study finds 鈥� though survey鈥檚 definition of neglect in dispute听
Up to three in 10 children are neglected by their parents, concludes a surprising new Quebec study that raises questions about exactly what defines the 鈥渋nsidious鈥� problem.
The standardized survey used by the researchers suggests parents who sometimes leave children alone in their car are, in fact, neglectful, but even the authors question whether that makes sense... The study, just published in the journal Public Health, is useful in highlighting the extent of different types of parental behaviour, but what parents do is only one part of the equation, said Nico Trocm茅, a leading child-abuse expert at 平特五不中.
See .
鈥淩eport calls for better oversight of residential services for young people in Ontario鈥�
The Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services has released 鈥滲ecause Young People Matter, a review of Ontario鈥檚 residential services for children and youth鈥� . 听听A three member expert panel -- Dr. Nico Trocm茅, Director of the 平特五不中 School of Social Work, Dr. Kiaras Gharabaghi, Director of the School of Child and Youth Care at Ryerson University, and Deborah Newman, former Deputy Minister in the Ontario Public Service 鈥� met with young people living in out of home care, parents, foster parents, service providers and independent experts from across Ontario.听 While recognizing the strengths on Ontario鈥檚 decentralized diverse network of 600 organizations providing foster, group, treatment and custody services, the report calls on the government to stregthen its oversight of the quality of care.听
See full . 听
Congratulations to Vandna Sinha for being appointed a William Dawson Scholar
Professor Sinha has been awarded a five-year (renewable) William Dawson Scholarship in recognition of her outstanding contributions to research on understanding the ways that social policy shapes community-based approaches to supporting vulnerable children and their families. 听Her current work on access to services for Indigenous children and families addresses some of the key recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the recent ruling from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal on discriminatory Federal child welfare policies.
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A SSHRC Partnership Development Grant 鈥� Community & College Social Innovation Fund
Prof. Nicole Ives (co-investigator), Assistant Professor (Concordia University) Elizabeth Fast (co-investigator) and Courtney Montour (collaborator) was just approved for full funding!
The project, led by Susan Briscoe of Dawson College is entitled Intersecting College and Community Circles: A First Peoples Storytelling Exchange. The primary goal is to advance a new conversation about educational opportunities for First Peoples in Quebec. We will organize a storytelling exchange: Indigenous students from the participating postsecondary schools will visit three Indigenous communities in Quebec (Kanienkehaka, Cree, and Migmaq, Inuit, or Abenaki) communities to hear their stories about education, while students here will tell their own stories about postsecondary education in Montreal. In talking circles, our students will share information and experiences with urban student life, academic expectations, specific programs, creating community, Indigenous urban activism, career and mentorship opportunities, and more. We will invite members of the Indigenous communities鈥攕econdary students, adult learners, elders, parents, professionals, teachers鈥攖o share their stories, concerns, hopes, questions, and experiences about education as well as the specific needs of their community.听
鈥淲ILD ANIMAL鈥� - AN ETHNOGRAPHY ABOUT OLDER INDIVIDUALS AND CHRONIC ILLNESSES IN A BRAZILIAN SHANTYTOWN
Soraya Fleischer is a medical anthropologist and professor at the anthropology department of the University of Brasilia (UnB). She just completed fieldwork, lasting several years, about older people in a poor city at the outskirts of Brasilia.
This conference consists of a short documentary (30 minutes, with English subtitles) that tells with lots of empathy and humor, the stories of some older people living in the poor city of Ceil芒ndia (near Brasilia) and the way these individuals integrate, negotiate with, and contest chronic illness (esp. diabetes and hypertension) in their everyday life. Fleischer documents how chronic illness -the 鈥渨ild animal鈥� - is an important part of everyday life of this population and not always in line with public health recommendations.
The film is followed by a talk that will give insights into the lives of a rarely studied group of older people and initiate a discussion on the management of chronic illness for those who have less resource.
Contact Dr. shari.brotman [at] mcgill.ca (Shari Brotman) to register.
MAY 17, 2016 | 12 pm - 1 pm
平特五不中 | Wendy Patrick Room | 1st floor | Wilson Hall
3506 UNIVERSITY ST. (CORNER MILTON), MONTR脡AL
See poster for full details
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Hear the Wedding Bells Ring: The Dark Side of Child Marriages
The Selfie in Solidarity challenge started as a class project for Dr. Shadi Martin's Anti-Oppressive Practice Course at 平特五不中 school of Social Work.
The students were asked to take action to effect personal and social change on a social justice issue. With the use of social media, the students started an international campaign to raise awareness about child marriages around the world.
In less than 3 weeks, the students had over 800 people from around the world joining their awareness campaign and they caught the attention of the media. Social work students learn to be change agents at micro, meso and macro level. This is a perfect example of social work classroom project making a meaningful impact outside of the classroom.
Hear the Wedding Bells Ring: The Dark Side of Child Marriages
Every minute, 28 girls under the age of 18 are married against their will. Over 700 million women alive today have been听married off before their 18th birthday. By 2050, over 1.2 billion girls will 鈥�
See article on
In picture: from top left are Vanessa Miglialo, Christina Kalavritinos, Shadi Martin (Class Prof.) , Katja Teixeira, Emily Roussos, Neil Bilotta (class TA) Sarah Dudley and Jamie Farnsworth.
Th茅rapeute Conjugal et Familial...Une Profession d'Avenir - 6 mai, 2016
On May 6th , the OTSTCFQ, in collaboration with 平特五不中鈥檚 School of Social Work, hosted a special evening to celebrate the profession of Couple and Family Therapists and launch the 芦semaine T.C.F. 禄 from May 9 to 16. This was the first event of its kind and was a historic celebration for the profession.听
In attendance were TCFs from across Quebec, members of the OTSTCFQ including Claude Leblanc, Pr茅sident, Sylvio Rioux,Directeur G茅neral, Cynthia Brosseau, Responsable de la th茅rapie conjugale et familiale et charg茅e d'affaires professionnelles, Ainsley Jenicek, Charg茅e de projets, 听MScA CFT Faculty & Supervisors; as well as, many MScA CFT current and newly admitted students.
In their speeches, both Nico Trocm茅 and Sharon Bond proudly recognized 平特五不中鈥檚 School of Social Work Alumni, Cynthia Brosseau and Ainsley Jenicek, and the importance of their roles at the OTSTCFQ dedicated to supporting the TCF profession.
During the event, networking activities facilitated engaging discussions on Cyber-Therapy, Promotion of the Profession, Supervision, and Public Sector & Private Practice.听 These various themes provided 平特五不中 students and TCF professionals the opportunity to share cross-generational and intergenerational perspectives. 听In addition, the OTSTCFQ proudly showcased the new TCF website and Television ads to create awareness of the TCF profession in Quebec.
The new TCF Website and TV ad campaign 听can be viewed
OTSTCFQ 鈥� Facebook (Quote from Nico鈥檚 speech)
OTSTCFQ 鈥�
SWRK 445 now a mandatory course in the BSW program
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Indigenous Access 平特五不中 (IAM) was instrumental in transitioning a complementary social work course on Indigenous issues into a required course for the BSW program for all new students starting in the 2016-2017 academic year.
The course is entitled SWRK 445 First Peoples and Social Work: Contexts and Issues.听 SWRK 445 and the IAM initiated IDFC 500 Indigenous Field Studies are both course options for 平特五不中鈥檚 Minor Concentration in Indigenous Studies.
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Congratulations to Leah Woolner, Top 25 finalists in SSHRC's 2016 Storytellers challenge
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The annual competition challenges postsecondary students from across the country to demonstrate鈥攊n three minutes or 300 words鈥攈ow SSHRC-funded research is making a difference in the lives of Canadians. The top entries this year address a range of issues鈥攆rom sustainable technologies and digital inequality, to food security, transgender issues and special-needs education 鈥攁nd highlight how knowledge about the social sciences and humanities helps Canadians understand and improve the world around us.
Learn more:
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Truth and Reconciliation: challenges facing the university
Mr. Mike Loft, Academic Associate at the 平特五不中 School of Social Work and member of the Mohawk community at Kahnawake, arguing for greater recognition of First Nations at a 平特五不中 to explore the academy鈥檚 role in learning from the past and responding to the TRC鈥檚 recommendations for the future.听
See poster details.
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Celebrating the Census: Why Counting Matters for Canada鈥檚 Future
Friday, April 29th
3-5 pm, followed by a reception
Moyse Hall, (Arts Building)
853 Sherbrooke Street, Montreal, H3A 0G5
To register and to find directions to Moyse Hall, see the event website.
Please join our distinguished panel of speakers for a lively exploration of the value of the long-form census for Canada鈥檚 economic development, social cohesion, family well-being, and health equality. Our panel will include: The Honorable Jean-Yves Duclos, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Professor Miles Corak (Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa), Associate Professor S茅bastien Breau (Geography, 平特五不中), Ian Culbert (Canadian Public Health Association), and Ariane Krol (La Presse). The panel will be moderated by Professor C茅line Le Bourdais (Sociology, 平特五不中).
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the School of Social Work (平特五不中) and our other co-sponsors for this Montr茅al-wide event: the Institute for Health and Social Policy (平特五不中) and the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship (平特五不中), as well as the Centre for Interuniversity Research and Analysis of Organizations (CIRANO), le Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en 茅conomie quantitative (CIREQ), the Dean of Arts Development Fund (平特五不中), the Department of Political Science (平特五不中), the Department of Sociology (平特五不中), la Laboratoire d鈥櫭﹖udes de la population (le Centre Urbanisation Culture Soci茅t茅, l鈥橧nstitut national de la recherche scientifique), the 平特五不中 Institute for the Study of Canada, the Research Group on Human Capital (School of Management, Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Montr茅al), and the Quebec Inter-University Centre for Social Statistics (QICSS).
High School Students Visit the 平特五不中 School of Social Work
On March 9th, 2016, the 平特五不中 School of Social Work welcomed nine high school students from the English Montreal School Board as part of their Career Exploration Program.听
The students had the opportunity to visit the Wilson Hall building and attend the course Intro to Practicum (SWRK 222), given by Karen Hetherington and Shadi Martin. 听
Following the class, the high school students met with current BSW students, Shimmon Hutchinson and Carolanne Brazeau, who spoke about their experience as social work students and shared their personal insight on what a career in social work entails.
Finally, the students were given a campus tour and had the opportunity to learn about all the exciting programs and activities that 平特五不中 has to offer.听
The visit was a great success and we look forward to welcoming more young aspiring social workers in the future! 听
CONGRATULATIONS Lorraine Derocher, FRQSC Winner!
Lorraine Derocher has won the Fonds de recherche du听Qu茅bec 鈥� Soci茅t茅 et culture (FRQSC) February for her book entitled 芦听Intervenir aupr猫s de sectes religieuses en protection de la jeunesse - Un d茅fi听禄.
贵脡尝滨颁滨罢础罢滨翱狈厂!
Lorraine Derocher est la laur茅ate du du mois de F茅vrier 2016 du Fonds de recherche du听Qu茅bec 鈥� Soci茅t茅 et culture (FRQSC) pour sa publication intitul茅e 芦 Intervenir aupr猫s de sectes religieuses en protection de la jeunesse - Un d茅fi 禄.听
平特五不中 Social Work Career Fair
Date: March 11, 2016
Time: 10:00am -1:30pm
Location: Wendy Patrick Room and Room 105, Wilson Hall
For more information, please contact:
Jan Bottomer, Social Work Career Advisor
Tel: 514-398-3304 x0768
E-mail: jan.bottomer [at] mcgill.ca
Jean Hepworth
Tel: 514-398-3304 x0598
E-mail:jean.hepworth [at] mcgill.ca ( )
平特五不中鈥檚 School of Social Work, The听Centre for Research on Children and Families and The Faculty of Law are proud to present...
An Annie MacDonald Langstaff听 - Margot E. Halpenny Lecture by:
Dr. Cindy Blackstock
Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada
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Dr. Cindy Blackstock will discuss the landmark human rights case to end federal
government discrimination against First Nations children.
In 2007, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations filed a human rights complaint against the Federal government, alleging that Canada鈥檚 failure to provide equitable and culturally based child welfare services to First Nations children on-reserve amounts to discrimination on the basis of race and ethnic origin. 听Dr. Blackstock will discuss the actions that led up to the court case, rulings by the court, evidence heard and the implications for Indigenous children, families and Canada as a whole.
Join us for a discussion on this landmark human rights case to end federal government discrimination against First Nations听children. Dr. Blackstock will discuss the actions that led up to the court case, rulings by the court, evidence heard and the implications for Indigenous children, families and Canada as a whole.听 See .
Cindy Blackstock is Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada. A member of the Gitksan Nation, Dr. Blackstock has 25 years of social work experience in child protection and Indigenous children鈥檚 rights. As Director of the First Nations Children鈥檚 Action Research and Education Service (FNCARES) at the University of Alberta, her research interests are Indigenous theory and the identification and remediation of structural inequalities affecting First Nations children, youth and families.
Her promotion of culturally based and evidence informed solutions has been recognized by the Nobel Women鈥檚 Initiative, the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Frontline Defenders and many others.
For more information on the case, visit .
DATE & TIME
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
4:30 pm 鈥� 6:30 pm
LOCATION:
Moot Court, Room 100,听 New Chancellor Day Hall
Faculty of Law
3644 Peel Street
This event is free and open to the public but space is limited
RSVP: February 12th to marilena.orsini [at] mcgill.ca
Job Talk by Dr. Cindy Blackstock - Mosquito Advocacy: Change Strategies for Small Groups Tackling Large Organizations in Change Resistant Environments
Based on real life experience of the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society bringing a legal case against the Government of Canada alleging systemic discrimination, Dr. Blackstock鈥檚 presentation outlines a change strategy known as 鈥淢osquito Advocacy鈥� for small groups wanting to implement evidence informed solutions in change resistant environ-ments. Low cost and high impact strategies such as effective framing, outreach, and litigation will be discussed.
Date:
Monday, Feb 15th from 1:00 - 2:00 pm
Location:
School of Social Work
平特五不中
3506 University Street
Wilson Hall, Room 326
RSVP by Feb 10:
yong.feng [at] mcgill.ca
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