LibGuides: Decolonizing and Indigenizing Social Work: Online Resources

Websites

ALIGN: Wise Practices in Indigenous Social Work This document was initiated and supported through Ceremony to invite the spiritual and lived wisdom of Indigenous and non-Indigenous social workers into a collective process. A literature review was conducted along with personal interviews, talking circles, and students in social work education. Two questions were asked which elicited a great deal of enthusiastic discussion and articulated common themes. The two questions were: 1) what is Indigenous social work practice? and 2) how is that different from conventional or mainstream practice?
Indigenous Health Researchers Database: National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH) Indigenous Health Researchers Database is a comprehensive listing of researchers who are affiliated with a Canadian university and have a wide range of expertise related to the health of Indigenous peoples. These researchers have undertaken some form of research related to the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis peoples, ranging from one study to a lifetime of work in a particular area. This is a website that will show you faculty members and their publications in the subject of social work.
Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn: Child Family Iniative On March 1, 2017, the province adopted twenty-five legislative amendments to the Children and Family Services Act that reflect the Mi’kmaq Nation. From these changes the Assembly and KMK formed a child welfare initiative called Maw-Kleyu’kik Knijannaq (MKK), which means keeping our children together. The overall goal of the Assembly and MKK is to exercise complete jurisdiction and governance over child welfare and to establish a Mi’kmaw child and family services body governed by Mi’kmaw law and policy offering culturally appropriate family support services.

Reports/Policies

Funding First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS): A Performance Budget Approach to Well-Being IFSD Funding First Nations child and family services (FNCFS) IFSD Funding First Nations child and family services (FNCFS) XVII Executive Summary Introduction With the endorsement of the National Advisory Committee (NAC), the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD) at the University of Ottawa was asked by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the Caring Society to define a funding approa. [...] The purpose of this project is to present stakeholders with a funding structure; a means of developing evidence to understand the well-being of children, families and communities; and a range of scenarios to cost the proposed approach. [...] IFSD Funding First Nations child and family services (FNCFS) 1 Introduction Context With the endorsement of the National Advisory Committee (NAC), the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD) at the University of Ottawa was asked by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the Caring Society to define a funding approach and performance measurement framework for First Nations child and famil. [...] The strength of the relationship between the number of children in care and agency budgets made it a reliable means of estimating the total cost of the FNCFS system, based on the average annual cost of a child in care estimated at $63,000. [...] The purpose of this project is to present stakeholders with a funding structure; a means of developing evidence to understand the well- being of First Nations children, families and communities; and a range of scenarios to cost the proposed approach.
Neqotkuk Child and Family Well-Being Act Policy Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) passed the Neqotkuk Child and Family Well-Being Act back in 2022. This policy outlines how the Act will be applied within the community.
Well-Being and Resiliency: The Miyo Resource Kâ-nâkatohkêhk The miyo resource discusses foundational beliefs and approaches of Indigenous peoples to promote well-being and resiliency and outlines an evaluative process that honours an Indigenous worldview. This resource supports provincial implementation of the Well-Being and Resiliency Framework by outlining an evaluative framework that recognizes culturally-based practice and assesses program effectiveness and the achievement of outcomes in a meaningful way. The miyo resource was developed recognizing that western-based evaluation practices are generally not effective when working with Indigenous communities. It includes a model for service delivery and outcome and performance measurement that accurately and culturally assesses the impact and value of culturally designed services provided by and for Indigenous client populations.

What does Indigenizing Social Work Look Like?

St. Thomas University Social Work students, Adina Mckay and Maureen MacNeil, collaborated with the Mi’kmaq Wolastoqiyk Association of Social Workers (MWASW) to produce this video, "What does Indigenizing Social Work Practice look like?" This video is a response to the query, what does the term Indigenization mean? At the 2018 MWASW Conference on "Indigenization of Social Work Practice" attendees volunteered their perspective on Indigenizing Social Work Practice. This video demonstrates that the term Indigenization can have many different meanings. What does Indigenizing social work practice mean to you?

"What Does Indigenizing Social Work Practice Look Like?" YouTube, uploaded by Mi’kmaq Wolastoqiyk Association of Social Workers (MWASW) Inc, 28 June 2018, https://youtu.be/tBPWIjTOdbs.

Part 1: Decolonizing Pathways Towards Integrative Healing in Social Work

In the spring of 2021, the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work held a two-hour workshop on Decolonizing Pathways Towards Integrative Healing in Social Work, inspired by Michael Yellow Bird and Kris Clarke’s book of the same name. The event featured an introduction from Assistant Professor Jane Middelton-Moz, a dialogue with the authors, and a panel discussion with two graduates from FIFSW’s Master of Social Work Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency (ITR) Field of Study: grassroots community leaders Lisa Robinson and Germaine Elliot.

"Part 1: Decolonizing Pathways Towards Integrative Healing in Social Work- Welcome and Open Remarks." YouTube, uploaded by Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, 10 June 2021, https://youtu.be/wwnbxefDHC0.

Associations/Organizations

Apps and Podcasts

Child Welfare App – Netawey Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn developed an interactive mobile app that will be an essential resource targeted to Mi’kmaw families (adults and youth) to identify community-based supports, services, resources and child and family welfare information.
Decolonizing Mental Health & Supporting Indigenous Women (Podcast)
Kris Clarke & The Social Work Routes Podcast: Decolonizing Social Work (Podcast)
Social Work Society: Indigenous Social Work (Podcast)