All Webinars

Join us for an insightful webinar that examines the field of Social Work through the lens of disability—specifically, Blindness and Low Vision. This session will explore ways to create a more inclusive profession, from delivering and accessing supports and services to fostering accessibility and inclusion within Social Work employment and academic spaces.

Registered Social Worker and Master of Social Work graduate Ben Akuoko will share his journey navigating the Social Work field academically and professionally. He will deconstruct key theories and considerations for working with Blind and Low Vision individuals. David Greenidge from the CNIB Access Lab will highlight essential technologies that can support the success of Blind and Low Vision professionals in the digital environment as well as Social Work space.

Through this workshop, attendees will gain a fresh perspective on how to break down barriers and ensure that Blind and Low Vision individuals are fully included in the important work of Social Work.

Webinar Key Objectives:

• Inclusive Practice for Blind/Low Vision persons accessing Social Work services
• Reviewing Barriers of Employment for Persons who are Blind/Low Vision in the Social Work field
• Consideration for Persons who are Blind/Low Vision in the Social Work Program
• Considering Digital accessibility within academics and the workplace
• Looking at the built environment within the workplace
• Why it is important to consider this in the helping field of social work

Don't miss this opportunity to learn, reflect, and take action toward a more accessible and equitable profession.

The Canadian experience of social work’s practice space has historically been limited to the micro and mezzo environment from a front-line service delivery model. Yet, in the increasingly convoluted public and social policy arena, where the social determinants of health outcome priorities are debated and determined by policy actors who do not have direct knowledge or experience of their policy implementation impact; the impetus for social workers to possess broad-based macro level competencies in government systems navigation (understanding the roles and responsibilities of each level of government), public and social policy analysis and effective community development negotiating skills has never been more urgent.

In this 90-minute workshop, the facilitator will guide the audience of social workers from various practice backgrounds through a series of activities to achieve the following objectives:

1. Introduce effective methods of influencing domestic and international policy development from a macro social work perspective.

2. Amplify Social Work’s integral role in public policy implementation as a cornerstone of Equity and Inclusion (lived experience of poverty and underrepresented communities as the experts in economic and social policy development).

3. Encourage more social workers to seek out opportunities to connect their local engagement to the broader public and social policy decision-making architecture.

Workshop attendees will gain new advocacy skills or re-organize their advocacy toolkits to effectively engage in public and social policy advocacy for their clients and communities by connecting micro and mezzo issues such as municipal services, employment skills development, addictions/health and mental health, online harms or others to the policy actors at various levels of government with the goal to effectively navigate systems and positively influence domestic and international policy development. The outcome of these activities is to reinforce social work’s integral role in the implementation of equitable public and social policy.

The widespread use of social media and recent integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into practice is impacting the risks and liabilities facing healthcare professionals. Join CASW’s legal and insurance partners, Gowlings WLG LLP and BMS Canada, as they explore the evolving intersection of technology and social work practice. Ask questions and learn more about how the CASW liability insurance program protects you with tailored coverage and specialist legal representation in an increasingly digital world.   

Learning Objectives:  

• Understand the Impact of Social Media and AI on Healthcare Professionals' Risk and Liabilities: Participants will learn how the growing use of social media and the integration of AI into healthcare practices affect the legal risks and liabilities healthcare professionals face.
• Recognize the Role of Liability Insurance in Protecting Healthcare Professionals in a Digital Age: Participants will gain insights into how liability insurance can offer tailored coverage and for professionals navigating the complexities of modern technology in healthcare.

Despite being developed and researched in a Western, Eurocentric context CBT is used throughout the world and has been adapted and modified so that it is culturally flexible and responsive. This webinar will explore concepts of equity, diversity and inclusion as well as social location and power as they apply to CBT. Culturally-sensitive and culturally-adapted CBT will be compared and contrasted. Finally, we will explore various practical ways in which culture and cultural considerations can be woven into CBT practice.

At the end of the webinar participants will: 

• Understand key concepts related to equity, diversity and inclusion; social location; and power and how they relate to CBT. 
• Value the difference between culturally-adapted CBT and culturally-sensitive CBT.   
• Be able to apply elements of culturally-sensitive CBT in practice  Have practical resources to use in their clinical work.

The abuse of older adults is a serious issue in Canada affecting up to 8.2% of older Canadians (55+) living in the community (“Into the Light: National Survey on the Mistreatment of Older Canadians”, 2015, NICE). This means up to 17,500 older Manitobans could be experiencing abuse. The abuse can be physical, emotional, financial, sexual as well as neglect. Join us for a virtual presentation on March 28th from 12-1:30 pm CT and 1-2:30pm ET!

Learning Objectives: 

• How to recognize Elder Abuse
• Types of abuse
• Responding to Elder Abuse
• Prevention Strategies and case examples
• Highlight of A & O programs and services

This webinar is offered in partnership with the Manitoba College of Social Workers.

Join us for A Fireside Chat with Social Workers at the Senate, an intimate and engaging conversation with two esteemed social work Senators the Honourable Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard and the Honourable Senator Tracy Muggli. This event offers an opportunity to gain firsthand insights into their experiences in the Senate and their work in shaping social policy that impacts communities across Canada.

In a relaxed fireside chat format, the Senators will be interviewed by two passionate social work students who will lead an informal yet thought-provoking dialogue that bridges the gap between policy and practice.

Social workers can expect to:

• Hear the Senators' journeys from social work practice to the Senate, and how their professional values inform their policy work,
• Learn about key social policy issues being addressed at the national level and the role of social workers in shaping legislative change, 
• And engage with the next generation of social work leaders as they explore the intersection of advocacy, policy, and practice.

This fireside chat is an opportunity to connect, learn, and be inspired by the critical work being done to influence social change from within Canada's highest legislative body.

Register today to be part of this important conversation!

It is well known that there are large disparities in health and mental health outcomes for Indigenous peoples across Canada. Closing the gaps of these health outcomes is the subject of advocacy for First Nations, Inuit and Metis people across Turtle Island and comprises several sections of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action (2015).   

Despite the pressing need for effective care, research on empirically supported treatments for Indigenous peoples remains limited (Gone et al., 2019; Beckstead et al., 2015; Braveheart et al., 2020). One proposed solution is the Etuaptmumk, or Two-Eyed Seeing framework. Etuaptmumk is a term proposed by Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall that describes taking the strengths of both indigenous and mainstream worldviews to maximize benefits and outcomes for people and the environment. In a healthcare perspective, Cyr and Riediger (2021) describe Etuaptmumk as an epistemic concept that has “the power to elevate health initiatives and overall well-being for indigenous peoples and communities”.   

Drawing on this framework, Anangkwe, Charity Fleming, has developed an indigenous adapted 12 session CBT model. Integrated into the model are key indigenous adapted CBT interventions including Indigenous Adapted Mindfulness Practice and Indigenous Adapted Imagery Techniques. Join us in this webinar to learn through experience, best practice, and strengthen your toolkit; emerging stronger in your journey of providing culturally responsive care to FNMI peoples.

This webinar provides an in-depth exploration of the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in social work interventions, emphasizing its impact on client care and outcomes. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of both the potential benefits and risks of AI technologies, as well as their implications for mental health and social work practice.

The session will focus on how AI-driven tools can be effectively utilized in direct practice, enhancing treatment planning, streamlining case note writing, and advancing data analysis to improve client engagement and treatment outcomes. Critical ethical and humanistic considerations will be addressed, including safeguarding client privacy, ensuring informed consent, and maintaining the therapeutic alliance. Through practical strategies and actionable insights, participants will learn how to integrate AI tools into their practice in a way that prioritizes client well-being while upholding social work values and ethical standards.

Webinar Key Objectives:

• Examine how AI technologies, such as therapeutic chatbots and deep fakes, can enhance and potentially harm mental health, and understand the implications for clinical practice.
• Analyze critical ethical considerations, including privacy issues, informed consent, and the risk of misuse of AI technologies, and explore the need for advocacy to shape legislation and research.
• Gain practical insights into utilizing AI-driven tools, such as AI-generated CBT homework and therapy analysis applications, to enhance client care while maintaining client-centered.

This webinar is designed to introduce social work professionals to the transformative potential of generative AI technologies. It is tailored to provide participants with a comprehensive foundation in AI applications across all levels of social work practice—from micro, mezzo, to macro practice.

The workshop will engage participants in critical discussions about the ethical implications of using AI in social work, emphasizing the importance of social work ethics such as privacy, confidentiality, awareness of bias, and maintaining human-centered approaches while using generative AI. This will also be an interactive session complete with live demonstrations enabling participants to develop the skills necessary to integrate and adopt AI technologies into their everyday social work practices. All participants will receive a Generative AI Prompt Guidebook tailored for Social Work Practice, designed to aid in the practical application of AI tools in various social work settings. This webinar is an opportunity for social work professionals eager to enhance their practice with innovative AI solutions while adhering to ethical standards and promoting human-centric approaches.

Webinar Key Objectives:

1. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of generative AI technologies, including how these tools are developed and their potential applications within different levels of social work practice (micro, mezzo, and macro).

2. Identify and discuss the ethical challenges associated with AI use in social work practice with strategies for navigating these issues responsibly.

3. Develop practical skills in utilizing generative AI tools through exercises and live demonstrations, empowering participants to apply AI solutions effectively within their specific social work contexts while maintaining a client-centered, ethically responsible approach.

Cognitive restructuring is a hallmark of CBT. An entry point into this nuanced, creative and dynamic intervention is an exploration of cognitive distortions and use of the thought record or thought journal. Once mastered, this intervention can be used in a host of contexts from negative automatic thoughts to rules for living, to schema work…and beyond. This tool is made all the more potent when elements such as imagery, creativity, metaphor, and culture are employed.            

This foundations webinar will teach participants the essential skills of cognitive restructuring through learning the rules so that they can be appropriately broken. The use of creativity, imagery and metaphor will also be introduced to help move the impact of cognitive restructuring from head to heart.

After this webinar participants will:

• Understand the power of this essential element of cognitive behavioural therapy
• Be able to utilize practical techniques to facilitate cognitive restructuring with clients
• Engage in interventions that deepen the impact of cognitive restructuring – moving from logic to feeling
• Have practical tools and resources to use in practice