The Mission of the School of Social Work at King’s University College at Western University is to provide a learning environment characterized by excellence in social work education directed toward developing and fostering ethical and competent professional practitioners, at both the beginning and advanced levels, who recognize the interrelatedness of human needs, social structures and oppressive conditions in their practice with diverse populations. (Approved by School Council September 24, 2020)

The Social Work Program provides a learning environment characterized by excellence in social work education directed towards developing and fostering principled and competent professional practitioners who recognize the inter-relatedness of human needs, social structures and oppressive conditions in their work with diverse populations.

School of Social Work Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation

Indigenization & Decolonization Initiatives

Revised mission statement (Approved by School Council October 26, 2023):

King’s School of Social Work is committed to academic excellence and the promotion of equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization. In response to social work’s complicity in the oppression, marginalization and disenfranchisement of peoples, we are committed to decolonizing and indigenizing curricular content, pedagogies, policies and processes. Students are actively engaged in an inclusive and collaborative learning environment. The aim is to develop their professional and practice knowledge, skills, and values to become ethical, critically reflective, and proficient future practitioners, researchers and advocates for social justice and transformative change within the broader community. (Approved by School Council October 26, 2023)

• Greater relationship building with Indigenous Services at Western and the Wampum Learning Lodge including the following initiatives: joint student orientation presentations, working closely with Indigenous Academic Counselors, facilitation of School retreat, curriculum planning and development stage through the Indigenous Bundles project and ongoing participation in the Indigenous Bundles Communities of Practice. 
• New this year: Faculty members are now starting to add a personalized statement regarding their commitment to Indigenization and decolonization of their courses to their course outlines. 
• Curriculum review and student-led research exploring opportunities for increasing Indigenous content within MSW program/courses and decolonizing curriculum 
• In addition to the mandatory Social work with Indigenous peoples at the BSW level, transitioning of an Indigenous Social Work elective to a core mandatory social work course within the MSW program this academic year – SW 9706 – Advanced Practice with Indigenous Peoples
• New BSW elective for the 2024-2025 academic year – Transforming Social Work Practice: Reconciliation in Action
• The Field Education Office will be seeking input from our various Indigenous community partners as to how we may align our field education policies and practices with the calls to action. An event is being planned for the Winter of 2024 that will host our Indigenous community partners to explore and focus on Indigenous teachings as they relate to social work practice and how we may improve our preparation of social work students for their field practicums. 
• Additionally, the Field Education program will add Indigenous content to practicum preparation seminars and orientations by utilizing the knowledge of our Western Indigenous Initiatives partners and components of their Indigenous Learning Bundles as an addition to the Field Education mandatory training requirements.
• Intentional hiring of Indigenous faculty. We are pleased to confirm the hiring of Dr. Kathryn Irvine, a Cree scholar, who joined the Faculty as a tenured, Associate Professor July 1, 2023. Dr. Irvine brings years of experience in the Indigenization and decolonization of curriculum.
• This fall, we have piloted a Reading for Truth and Reconciliation book club – our first books is Up Ghost River by Edmund Watawabin.
• Reserved spots in the BSW and MSW program for Indigenous applicants.

TRC Call to Action # 1

We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to commit to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care by: 

iiiMonitoring and assessing neglect investigations

1. Providing adequate resources to enable Aboriginal communities and child-welfare organizations to keep Aboriginal families together where it is safe to do so, and to keep children in culturally appropriate environments, regardless of where they reside.
2. Ensuring that social workers and others who conduct child-welfare investigations are properly educated and trained about the history and impacts of residential schools.
3. Ensuring that social workers and others who conduct child-welfare investigations are properly educated and trained about the potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing.
4. Requiring that all child-welfare decision makers consider the impact of the residential school experience on children and their caregivers.

Mandatory Course: Yes – 5.0 Full Course Equivalent

SW 3311A : Social Work Practice with Indigenous Peoples

Framing Indigenous social work practice in the context of human rights, social justice and the political framework and underpinnings of colonialism; this course is designed to prepare 4th year students with the knowledge and skills to effectively practice Indigenous-Centered social work at the individual, family and community level.

Faculty of Social Work Commitment to Call to Action 1 iii, iv and v: 3 out of 3 = 100%

3	History and impact of residential schools (theory)
	Yes. Mandatory course: SW 3311A : Social Work Practice with Indigenous Peoples
4	Potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing (practice)
	Yes, but limited to one course. See #3 aboveMandatory course makes connections between theory and social work practice.
5	All child welfare decision makers consider the impact of the residential school experience on children and their caregivers
	Yes. See # 3 above

Compliance with CASWE/ACFTS Statement of Complicity and Commitment to Change  At the May 27th, 2017 Board meeting, the Board of Directors of CASWE-ACFTS committed to ensuring that social work education in Canada contributes to transforming Canada’s colonial reality and approved a “Statement of Complicity and Commitment to Change”. “This is an important step in engaging social work education in the reconciliation process and supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action” affirms CASWE-ACFTS President, Dr. Susan Cadel. Of the 12 actions articulated in the “Statement of Complicity and Commitment to Change, the following two are directed at Schools of Social Work

7	Will encourage institutional members to post a territorial acknowledgement on their School’s website and post a link to the CAUT guide to territorial acknowledgement on the CASWE-ACFTS website to assist Schools with this task
	Located on King’s University College – Home Page under About/Mission: We acknowledge that our campus at King’s University College is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Chonnonton peoples, all of whom have longstanding relationships to the land of Southwestern Ontario and the City of London. The First Nations communities of our local area include Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, and Munsee Delaware Nation. In our region, there are eleven First Nations communities, as well as a growing indigenous urban population. King’s University College values the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional First Nations, and all of the Original Peoples of Turtle Island (also known as North America).
8	Will encourage and support Canadian schools of social work in revising mission statements, governance processes, curriculum, and pedagogy in ways that both advance the TRC recommendations and the overall indigenization of social work education
	No, not explicitly stated.

NOTE: All content has been submitted to the respective faculty for validation to ensure accuracy and currency as of the time of posting. The Algoma University Faculty of Social Work reviewed and approved our communication. Managing Editor: Douglas Sinclair: Publisher, Indigenous Watchdog Lead Researcher, Julia Dubé