I am celebrating ME and the fact thatmy decision to become a social worker has made a difference in many lives. I am nearing the end of my career and have many memories good and bad. Being a social worker in today's generation is not easy and sometimes with all the protocols around risk management and documentation, etc. it is difficult toas they say in The Velveteen Rabbit to "stay real".

Every now and thenI get flashbacks from the pastthrough people who have met former clients who speak highly of the impact I had on their lives. I say WHO ME?? The bottom line is we never know when we are making a difference. We just go about our busy lives doing what we do best and life goes on.

The most aspiring moment of my life was when I spoke at an International Conference on Hearing Loss about how my hearing loss held me back when I was young because it forced me to be a wall flower and, in essence I was really a butterfly.

At the end of the conference, a young hard of hearing girl from Japan ran after me crying please miss help me BE. Many people were listening in on that conversation and hearts cried! I know mine did! That young girl went home with a whole new outlook on life and I believe that she could be a butterfly. She will be!

Isn't that what our role is as social workers to help people to BE? I wish my fellow social workers a happy social work celebration and most of all I wish them the joy of knowing they helped someone BE!!

Myrtle Barrett BSW, RSW
Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Social Workers

~~~~~

Display commemorating National Social Work Week in the Leddy Library Lobby at the University of Windsor.

~~~~~

Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital Celebrating National Social Work Month

Standing on the sidelines of your child’s hockey league game, have you ever wondered who might be missing? For certain, you’ve thought about the costs of enrolling a child in a high end sport.  League sports is an example of how the privileged or seemingly privileged are separated from those that aren’t.  Maybe you’re one of those parents who can’t afford to place your child in the leagues, or maybe you’re one of the latter group who sacrifices far more than you’d care to mention to keep up with the expenses.  One of the hardest things for a parent to see is the look of disappointment in their child’s face and worse, to see them excluded by their peers.  Might you be one of the working poor?

Poverty takes many forms.  My first thought is the heart wrenching images in the media of families in other countries whose lives have been shattered by earthquakes, floods, famine, tornadoes, or the devastation of another kind associated with victims of war and other types of violence.  All very real.  Human suffering in it’s rawest form.

In our own country, there are other images of poverty, just not as revealing.  There are those on the streets whose self worth may be in their boots, who’s only high in the day is the weather – if it’s warm and/or sunny.  There are those who are on fixed incomes who either don’t know how to get off the broken track or no longer have the capacity to do so.  15.5% of children in this Province are considered poor, products of families whose hourly wage is less than $10.00 per hour.  Then there is a huge pocket of individuals who are so far in debt, they have no idea how they got there, and it no longer matters.  They’re just there, and the challenge is to stay afloat.  According to the Canadian Council for Policy Alternatives(2006), 49% of Canadians agree they are always just a missed paycheque or two away from being poor.  A  statistic with serious implications.   The plain language version of the Provincial Strategy to Reduce Poverty states that ‘working does not necessarily mean people are not poor – some people make low wages; others have very high expenses’.  Many fall into this ‘working poor’ category.

March is National Social Work Month.  The theme is ‘poverty costs – financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually’.  Social Work Staff at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital have been organizing various opportunities for consciousness raising on issues related to poverty.  A multi-media display is set up near the cafeteria at the Hospital depicting symbols of a privileged society, versus one that is rooted in day to day poverty.  The representational piece of a broken face made of artist’s clay with lifeless, detached eyes demonstrates complete apathy – poverty at it worst. The eyes are indeed the mirror of the soul.  The acrylic piece of beautifully painted coloured lollipops alongside a pretty sand bucket filled with child’s play tools symbolizes privilege – things we tend to take for granted.  The display also offers an array of literature, including the Provinces Program and Services booklet developed in the Poverty Reduction Strategy, a user friendly guide to services in the Province of particular interest to those in economic need.  By the way, Newfoundland and Labrador was the second Province to come on board with a poverty reduction strategy – kudos to us!

Another opportunity created by Staff is the Poverty Awareness Challenge, consisting of a list of suggestions to choose from for an opportunity to win prizes.  The list includes bringing an item for the local Food Bank; talking to a child about budgeting; going ‘cash only’ for 2 days – no credit or debit cards; keeping track of monies spent in one week on take-out/restaurant food, tickets and snacks on the run(coffee, tea etc).  The person with the most activities circled wins the main prize, which is lunch for 2 with the Social Work Staff of STRH, where a rousing conversation on matters of interest is guaranteed!

Finally, Staff are orchestrating a presentation by a local not-for-profit Financial Consultant to speak on ‘where does the money go’, an opportunity for us to take a black glove view of how we spend.  Enlightenment is a state of mind, and timing is everything.  For anyone ready to make changes to improve their own well being, or to help another who is in need, there is a way – rest assured! Talk to someone you trust and find the resources you need because they’re out there.  Our Employee Wellness Program is a great place to start

Submitted By: Joannie Coffin BSW, RSW

~~~~~

Keeping Social Work in the Family

March is National Social Work month.  It is special time for The Department of Community Services, Seniors, and Labour as the department employs just under 100 social workers across Prince Edward Island who mainly specialize in child protection.  In addition, across the Island, social workers are also employed in many areas such as child protection, hospitals, schools, mental health, probation/corrections, Victim Services, addictions, and community organizations.

Within The Department of Community Services, Seniors, and Labour, there is a trend of children following in their parents footsteps by pursuing social work careers.  Two examples are Alice Maund and her daughter Stacy Hutchinson-Maund as well as Marjorie Robertson and her daughter Joyce Robertson.

Stacy Hutchinson-Maund, a social worker in PEI and the daughter of a social worker, was raised with the fundamental social work values of respecting and helping others. Stacy remembers growing up and her mother, Alice Maund, always talking about her career with great intensity, passion as well as knowledge.  “My mother, Alice, had always loved her job as a social worker, working with youth in care, foster parents and making adoptions happen.  People would stop us on the street and want to speak with her about how their life was going now, and tell me what a great person my mother is.”

Alice Maund, a child protection supervisor explains, “I felt very honoured and pleased when Stacy, my daughter, decided to pursue social work. It was a positive career choice for me and I knew that Stacy had a great deal to offer to families and children. I was very pleased that she would have the same rewarding experiences that I have had and continue to have.”

Joyce Robertson, who is also a child protection supervisor, describes growing up with a social worker mom and her earliest recollections of her mother instilling certain basic principles such as respecting and accepting people’s uniqueness; to be understanding of people’s needs, capabilities, and struggles;  and that it is everyone’s responsibility to help others reach their full potential.  Her mother, Marjorie Robertson, says, “It has been very rewarding for me to see my daughter follow in my footsteps.  It is nice to hear that she has modeled her approach and practice in some small way from myself as her mother.  I am very proud that she has chosen such a worthwhile career.”

Alice says that after a year working in child protection, she knew this is the area she was interested in.  Thirty years later, Alice says she enjoys the diversity and the partnerships with foster parents, adoptive families, and other professional and especially the resilience of children and youth.   Stacy says of her mother’s career choice, “You don’t stay in a career for over 30 years if your heart isn’t in it.”

Rona Brown, Director of Child and Family Services for The Department of Community Services, Seniors, and Labour expressed her gratitude and recognition for the social workers. “Having worked as a social worker for approximately thirty years, I truly appreciate the passion, commitment, and dedication of my social work colleagues each and every day.  Social workers are committed to social justice, equality, and the safety of all.  It is wonderful to see the family connections of social workers within our department.  This year, we are focusing on the recruitment and retention of child protection social workers in their vital role as public servants. Child protection social workers are dedicated to the safety and well being of the most vulnerable members of our community; our children.   As public servants, they provide a critical service to our Island children, families, and communities.”

Submitted by Maribeth MacAulay
Social Worker Recruitment and Retention Officer
Human Resources Department of Community Services, Seniors and Labour
Prince Edward Island

~~~~~

Celebrating National Social Work Week in Truro, N.S.

The Social Workers at Colchester East Hants Health Authority began National Social Work Month by taking good care of ourselves. We all gathered at one member’s home and hired Chef Aldo to cater a supper for us. We honored one of our members who was retiring and a good time was had by all.

We ended the month by co-hosting a lunch and learn with the Colchester Anti-Poverty Network. We viewed the film, “Four Feet Up”, a National Film Board award winning documentary about one family’s struggles and survival with poverty and other social stressors. This was well attended and Sharon Murphy, the Chair of the Social Action Committee of NSASW, facilitated the discussion.

Submitted by Elaine Campbell, CASW Vice-President

Colchester East Hants Health Authority

~~~~~