Explore Indigenous worldviews and perspectives while earning a Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work degree (HBISW) leading to provincial registration and a license from the OCSWSSW.

This professional program ensures students gain the knowledge, skills, and experience to work effectively with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. 

Get the opportunity to put theory into practice in real social work settings through two mandatory field practicums in third and fourth year.

Learn about Anishnaabe traditional teachings, theories, and practices from Indigenous faculty and staff, endorsed by the School of Indigenous Relations.

School of Social Work Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation

(as described above)

This accredited degree offers the knowledge, skills, and experience you need to work effectively with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Develop and increase your knowledge and skills to work with First Nations peoples and all communities with two field education placements.

Learn about Anishnaabe traditional teachings, theories and practices from Indigenous faculty and staff, endorsed by the School of Indigenous Relations.

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: 

1. Monitoring and assessing neglect investigations
2. 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.
3. Ensuring that social workers and others who conduct child-welfare investigations are properly educated and trained about the history and impacts of residential schools.
4. 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.
5. Requiring that all child-welfare decision makers consider the impact of the residential school experience on children and their caregivers.

Mandatory Course(s): Yes

Indigenous Social Work | Program Overview (laurentian.ca)

• ISWK 1006E     Introduction to Indigenous Social Welfare
• ISWK 1007E     Introduction to Indigenous Social Welfare and Social Work and Practice
• ISWK 2006E     Indigenous Social Welfare Issues
• ISWK 2007E     Applied Indigenous Social Work Issues
• ISWK 2315E     The Helping Relationship in Indigenous Social Work
• ISWK 3305E     Indigenous Theories and Perspectives in Social Work Practice I
• ISWK 3555E     Indigenous Social Work Research Methodologies
• ISWK 4216E     Programs and Issues in Indigenous Social Work Practice
• ISWK 4256E     Cultural Specific Helping with Indigenous Peoples
• ISWK 4305E     Indigenous Theories and Perspectives for Social Work Practice II
• ISWK 4507E     Indigenous Social Work: Groups and Families
• ISWK 4517E     Management and Administration in Indigenous Social Work

And Year 4 ISWK Electives: Any 2 (3 cr) total of 6 credits)

• ISWK 4406E     Colonizing/Decolonizing Issues of Violence in Indigenous Communities
• ISWK 4416E     Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking in Indigenous Social Work Practice
• ISWK 4426E     Mental Health Policy and Services – The Indigenous Context
• ISWK 4436E     Addressing Grief and Loss in Indigenous Social Work Practice

Faculty of Social Work Commitment to Call to Action # 1: 3, 4 and 5: 3 out of 3 = 100%

3	History and impact of residential schools (theory)
	Yes. See Commitment details above and list of courses
4	Potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing (practice)
	Yes. See Commitment details above and list of courses
5	All child welfare decision makers consider the impact of the residential school experience on children and their caregivers
	Yes. See Commitment details above and list of courses

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
	Land Acknowledgment – Aki Gaabijidebendaagwak We would like to acknowledge the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850. We also further recognize that Laurentian University is located on the traditional lands of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and that the City of Greater Sudbury, also includes the traditional lands of the Wahnapitae First Nation. We extend our deepest respect to Indigenous peoples – as a sign of our continued relationship we will support Laurentian University’s Truth and Reconciliation Task Force Recommendations. Miigwech. Listen to it in Anishinaabemowin. Indigenous Social Work | Program Overview (laurentian.ca)
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
	Yes

NOTE: All content has been submitted to the respective faculty for validation to ensure accuracy and currency as of the time of posting. The Laurentian University School of Indigenous Relations has reviewed and approved the document. Managing Editor: Douglas Sinclair: Publisher, Indigenous Watchdog Lead Researcher, Julia Dubé