This website was created to share some of our learnings, resources and initiatives developed during the Indigenous Resurgence Project with social work educators. The intention is to offer support in walking alongside you on the journey towards transforming social work education and practice. The historical and ongoing harmful and oppressive social work policies and practices aimed towards Indigenous Peoples can no longer be denied. The time for change is now.

Moving Beyond a Statement of Accountability and Commitment: Actions towards Indigenous Resurgence in the School of Social Work (2022-2024) emerged as one concrete action from the UBC Vancouver School’s Statement of Accountability and Commitment to Indigenous Peoples (2020) and the School’s Indigenous Strategic Plan (2021). 

The main objective of the project was to decolonize and Indigenize teaching and learning in the School’s Bachelor of Social Work and Field Education programs. The foundation of this project is the findings from the focus group research conducted by team members (2023). Focus group participants were Indigenous partners of the School of Social Work including Indigenous Advisory Circle Elders, Elders and knowledge keepers involved with the School, Indigenous alumni, current Indigenous students, former Indigenous faculty, and Indigenous field instructors or Indigenous staff in a field placement site. Participants were asked to share their ideas about what teaching and learning would look like in an Indigenized and decolonized School of Social Work. Their wisdom is woven throughout.

Funding for the project was received from the UBC Indigenous Strategic Initiatives Fund as part of the UBC Indigenous Strategic Plan.

---