Faculty of Social Work News Archive

February 28, 2024 — 
The deaths of five people this week in southern Manitoba are a clear example of domestic violence and come in the midst of an epidemic of intimate partner violence in the province and beyond, experts say. "When anything ends in a fatality, when a life is taken, that's the most severe form of violence that someone can endure," said Tracie Afifi, a University of Manitoba professor in the department of community health sciences. "Here we have the death of an intimate partner … [and] we have the deaths of three children that were part of that relationship and a fourth family member as well, who was also a child," she said. "Without a doubt this is intimate partner violence."  Kendra Nixon, a professor in the Faculty of Social Work and the Director of RESOLVE at the University of Manitoba, says it's troubling to see the issue rising.

January 15, 2024 — 
The inaugural Emerging Researcher Spotlight symposium on February 1 offers a compelling look into new and developing areas of research at UM.

December 13, 2023 — 
Congratulations to the graduates of the Cree Nation Child and Family Caring Agency / Opaskwayak Cree Nation Child and Family Services’ Bachelor of Social Work cohort. The cohort officially started the program in January 2021 with the intention of in-person learning in the community of Opaskwayak Cree Nation. However, due to the pandemic restrictions, students were challenged with new technologies and new methods of learning, all while working full-time and caring for their families. This Fall, 10 cohort students graduated with their BSW degree. Meet some of our graduates.

December 11, 2023 — 
Recipients of the SoTL Development Fund received funding to attend the November 23-25 Symposium for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Canmore, Alberta, which brought together faculty, students, educational developers, and administrators to share existing knowledge and developing research in the systemic inquiry of teaching and learning.

December 7, 2023 — 
On November 20th, for Two-Spirit and Transgender Day of Remembrance, the Inner City Student Council in collaboration with the Inner City Social Work faculty and staff partnered with the Clan Mother’s Healing Village to come together and honour the lives lost due to anti-transgender violence. Elder Mae Louise Campbell, Jamie Goulet, and Debra Diubaldo from the Clan Mother’s Healing Village led ceremony while staff, students, and community members from Mount Carmel Clinic shared stories of remembrance, violence, and the need for change. “We have a responsibility in social work to advocate for policies and practices, both within the university and beyond, that allow Two-Spirit, Trans and Gender Diverse folks to thrive,” says Dr. Christine Mayor (she/her), assistant professor, Faculty of Social Work.

November 30, 2023 — 
What kind of impact could HIV doulas have on the health and well-being of someone newly diagnosed with HIV? UM's Village Lab and community partner Ka Ni Kanichihk aim to find out.

November 7, 2023 — 
In honour of International Inuit Day, we celebrate UM student Willow Allen and her efforts to amplify Inuit culture and voices.

October 24, 2023 — 
As part of the Baird Poskanzer Memorial Lecture Series, the Faculty of Social Work welcomes Dr. Chris Chapman, associate professor, York University to speak on the history of the social work profession and their book "A Violent History of Benevolence: Interlocking Oppression in the Moral Economies of Social Working".  Dr. Chapman will explore how normative social work history is structured in such a way that contemporary social workers can know many details about social work’s violences, without ever imagining that they may also be complicit in these violences. They will discuss concepts from their book and how the framings of social work history actively create present-day political and ethical irresponsibility, even among those who imagine themselves to be anti-oppressive, liberal, or radical. 

October 5, 2023 — 
The Honourable Wanda Thomas Bernard, Senator for Nova Scotia presents: “Lifting While I Lead: Social Work Leadership in Action,” as part of SENgage, Senate of Canada’s youth outreach program.  Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard is the first African Nova Scotian woman to be appointed to the Senate of Canada, representing the province of Nova Scotia and her hometown of East Preston. Senator Bernard champions issues impacting African Canadians and people living with disabilities. She is particularly invested in human rights, employment equity, and mental health.

September 27, 2023 — 
The Faculty of Social Work welcomes Dr. Asher Ben-Arieh from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to the University of Manitoba. Specializing in children's rights and child welfare, Dr. Ben-Arieh is a professor and Haruv Chair for the study of Child Maltreatment at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is also the Dean of the Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare and Director of the Haruv Institute in Jerusalem.