SOWK 102 - Social Work

SOWK 102: NATURAL HELPING SYSTEMS IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
3 CREDITS

The course will explore the relationship between natural helping systems and Indigenous knowledge in social work practice. Students are introduced to the unit themes through readings, facilitated sharing circles, Indigenous experiential learning, lectures, and discussion. The course further evaluates person-in- environment, structural, anti-oppressive, deep ecology, and spiritual theories and practices in social work. A central objective of the course is to provide social work students with an introduction to long-held Indigenous ways of knowing, which pre-date contemporary social work practice. This is reviewed in the context of natural helping systems such as relationships to place, the environment, the Eider's teachings, ceremony and community. This course will assist students and strengthen their understanding of Indigenous wisdom and emerging perspectives on Indigenous social work practice.

Prerequisites: SOWK 100 and SOWK 101