|
by Christine McLaren
Members of UVic’s school of social work participate in a protest march to the B.C. Legislature, October 2002.
It was 1976. The punk rock explosion was hitting England, the Vietnam War had just ended and the name “Microsoft” had just been officially registered. The school of social work was created at a time when protests were a fact of life and people were engaged in the new notion of “questioning authority.”
“The thought of planning a new school alongside a virtual revolution in the organization and governance of services was just delicious,” says Brian Wharf, the first director of the school.
The new school accepted 33 students into its first bachelor of social work (BSW) program. Joyce Bewley was drawn to the new school at a time when she was reassessing her own values on human rights and the disadvantaged.
“It was a time of social change and the new school of social work provided a very interesting combination of community development work, interdisciplinary education and exciting field practicums.” She went on to start the Family Violence Counselling Project and the Divorce Life Line for women in abusive relationships, following her rewarding work experience with the Law Centre of Victoria.
Since 1976, the school has graduated more than 2,400 BSW students and at present, over 75 per cent of students are enrolled in the school’s distance program.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary the school is hosting a gathering on Oct. 20-21—the Whitaker Field Education Conference—dedicated to social work field education and practice. Field education is a vital component in any social work program and students maintain that the practicum is the most significant part of their learning experience.
Choosing UVic’s school of social work was easy for Leanne Stuckless, who lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland. “The theoretical framework and curriculum at UVic blows people away because of its utility in the field,” she says. “The contributions in the virtual classroom from students working in different settings across Canada helped me understand social work from multiple perspectives.”
The theme of the conference is the education and practice possibilities of social justice in social work. “The school continues to connect effectively with the community it represents and lives the work of its mission by challenging oppressive structures in society,” says Dr. Mary Ellen Purkis, dean of the faculty of human and social development. “It’s evident in the feedback I receive from the community the school serves.”
Leslie Brown, director of the school from 2001 until last June, says “the conference seeks to bring together community partners, students, activists, researchers and educators to engage the visions of social justice at work.”
The conference is named in honour of Walene Whitaker, field instructor to UVic’s first group of BSW students and who went on to become the practicum co-ordinator until her retirement last June. Whitaker says that “field work never ceased to be an adventure.”
She notes that the field education program evolved as the school grew but the constant over the years was the adherence to the founding director’s vision of inclusion. The school is currently working on the creation of a chair in indigenous child welfare to provide further support and leadership for indigenous social work education.
The school’s new director, Allan Irving, who started teaching in 1976, believes the school is the most progressive in North America. “The central themes of social justice and anti-oppressive practice guide the entire curriculum, which also serves to anchor us firmly in the community.”
Arthur Black, former CBC Radio host, will be delivering the keynote address and Lena Dominelli, chair of applied social sciences from Durham University, England, will give the opening address.
For more information on the school of social work or the conference visit http://socialwork.uvic.ca or contact Wendy Seager at 721-8034 or seager@uvic.ca.
|
