This text is part of the special Social Work section
Long crushed by colonial history, indigenous perspectives must now be listened to and respected. Several Indigenous groups and institutions have issued recommendations to decolonize and improve the practice of social work by and for communities. Among these, improving training in indigenous specificities, recognition of systemic racism and linguistic obstacles linked to bills that are unsuitable for various realities.
The province has 11 nations and five times as many indigenous communities on its territory, each with its own historical, sociocultural, territorial and economic specificities. In most of these communities, recruiting social workers (SWs) is an immense challenge. “We need to increase salaries and offer better working conditions,” suggests Maata Putugu, director of community services for the Inuulitsivik health center, based in Nunavik. You often have to intervene with people you know, because it is a small community. »
Recruiting professionals from outside would also give people the choice of being followed by someone they know or not. “We have to deal with a lot of social and mental health emergencies, it’s hard work,” continues Maata Putugu. She wants the cultural competence of the Inuit and their knowledge, specific to the realities of the North, to be recognized. “Few Inuit go to university, so they cannot be members of the Order of Social Workers, but they could be entitled to training. »
A brief from the Cree Health and Social Services Council mentions that communities often face disparities in education due to the absence of post-secondary establishments on their territories. Thus, certain crucial training, such as homicide assessment, is reserved for people with a specific diploma. “Refusing access to vital training on the basis of university education […] endangers the safety of our population if HCWs are not sufficiently trained to deal with such situations,” it is written in the document.
Same story in Kanesatake, where mental health is a priority problem. Depression, marijuana use, anxiety in children and suicide cases are legion, but the workforce is sorely lacking. “We have a waiting list of 30 to 40 people,” says April Kibbe, Mohawk social worker at the Kanesatake health center.
Decolonizing knowledge
Cyndy Wylde, professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Ottawa, participated in the development of a thesis which includes four proposals to improve services. In particular, a reform of university pedagogy and the initial training of social workers to bring together two visions of the world – indigenous and Western. “First Nations and Inuit values are profoundly different from Western values,” explains Cyndy Wylde. In indigenous cultures, the importance of community, spirituality, the link to the territory and the notion of relationship are central elements. »
Conversely, Western values are more focused on individualism. A decolonization of knowledge is therefore fundamental, while social work has “perpetuated the colonizing mentality by treating Indigenous people as a savage and weak people,” underlines Cyndy Wylde. It has often been tinged with prejudice and stereotypes towards indigenous communities and this has had consequences.”
The teaching of these skills should therefore take into account the importance of indigenous cultures and languages, generational trauma and, overall, profound aftereffects. Several organizations want university programs — very different from one institution to another — to better prepare for intervention in Indigenous contexts.
The University of Ottawa is currently developing a microprogram that will come into effect in September 2024. This training will meet the needs of Indigenous communities who wish to develop their own child and family support systems, following entry in force in 2020 of federal law C-92. “This law, which recognizes the right of indigenous communities to create their own laws and systems for child protection and family assistance, however requires training related to practices specific to social intervention in an indigenous context,” says Cyndy Wylde.
The language barrier
While 41.1% of the indigenous population in Quebec speaks English as a second language, Bill 96 represents an additional obstacle to the recruitment of professionals in English-speaking communities. From now on, professional orders are required to communicate only in French with their members, and mandatory OTSTCFQ training is no longer available in English. This results in additional costs and time for communities, who request that an English translation accompany all government and Order correspondence.
You must also pass a test in French to obtain your practice permit. An exemption is possible for indigenous communities who request it, but certain criteria must be respected, which also slows down recruitment processes. “We need measures to facilitate the practice of English-speaking social workers who have not studied in Quebec,” suggests April Kibbe.
According to Cyndy Wylde, the OTSTCFQ can play a crucial role by supporting the implementation of cultural safety practices to overcome the difficulty of recruitment, by promoting specialized training and encouraging the recognition of the skills of indigenous TS through specific accreditation. Remember that the OTSTCFQ has officially recognized the systemic racism faced by Indigenous people in the practice of the social work profession. It also subscribes to the Joyce Principle, which aims to “guarantee to all Aboriginal people a right of equitable access, without any discrimination, to all social and health services, as well as the right to enjoy the highest possible standard of living. physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.
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