16 research outputs found

    Negotiating \u27Professional Agency\u27: Social Work and Decision-Making within the Ontario Child Welfare System

    Get PDF
    This article explores how social work as a discipline has helped to negotiate professional agency in decision-making within the restructured child protection system. The narratives of child protection workers affirm that a restrictive climate does exist in child protection agencies and that it indeed shapes the way they make their decisions. This study uses institutional ethnography as the methodology for exploring the decision-making practices of child protection workers. Three forms of data collection were used: experience as data, documentation reviews and in-depth interviews

    Let Them Howl: The Operation of Imperial Subjectivity and the Politics of Race in One Feminist Organization

    Get PDF
    This paper explores how the historical imperial legacy in which mainstream white feminism is rooted has had a detrimental impact in grassroots feminist organizations. The analysis is based on struggles around anti-racism that took place inside one feminist organization, Nellie's, in Toronto, Ontario.Cet article explore comment le legs de l'historique impérial dans le féminisme dominant blanc est enraciné au détriment des organismes féministes populaires. L'analyse est basée sur la lutte axée sur l'anti-racisme qui prit place dans un organisme féministe à Nellie's de Toronto, en Ontario

    Image Construction as a Strategy of Resistance by Progressive Community Organizations

    Get PDF
    This article presents research findings on image construction as a strategy of resistance used by progressive community agencies to be responsive to the increasing marginalization of their service users in current times. The agencies project nuanced images in representing their work to service users, funders and stakeholders and community partner agencies. These nuanced images serve to demonstrate the multiple and complex identities of these agencies. The agencies have used this strategy successfully to reclaim their power with funders and use their power effectively in making their services responsive and relevant to the situations of service users. The article provides an interesting presentation on the dynamics of the use of this strategy by progressive community organizations.Cet article prĂ©sente quelques rĂ©sultats d’une recherche portant sur la construction de l’image comme stratĂ©gie de rĂ©sistance chez des organismes communautaires progressistes. Ceux-ci y ont actuellement recours afin de rĂ©agir adĂ©quatement Ă  l’accroissement de la marginalisation de leurs usagers et usagĂšres. Ces organismes recourent Ă  de multiples images et reprĂ©sentations selon qu’ils s’adressent Ă  des usagers et usagĂšres, des bailleurs de fonds ou des organismes communautaires partenaires. Cette reprĂ©sentation diffĂ©renciĂ©e de leurs interventions dĂ©montre le caractĂšre multiple et complexe des identitĂ©s de ces organismes. Plus encore, en employant des stratĂ©gies de construction d’images, ces organismes communautaires progressistes ont rĂ©ussi Ă  modifier les rapports de pouvoir entre les bailleurs de fonds et eux. Cette stratĂ©gie a aussi permis Ă  ces organismes de fournir des rĂ©ponses pertinentes et adaptĂ©es aux rĂ©alitĂ©s de leurs usagers et usagĂšres. Enfin, cet article offre une lecture intĂ©ressante des dynamiques sous-jacentes Ă  cette stratĂ©gie et, plus particuliĂšrement, Ă  son recours par des organismes communautaires progressistes

    Stories from the Field: Practicing Structural Social Work in Current Times: Practitioners’ Use of Creativity

    No full text
    In the current times social work has been increasingly confined to the role of “service provider”, an instrument of neo-liberalism, rather than as the voice of dissent to mainstream politics that it has the potential to be. Taking the model of structural social work as our starting point, we investigated the practices of two community-based programs in Toronto, which utilize the main tenets of structural social work as their guiding framework. Despite the current context, they are still able to engage in creative practices geared toward social justice and transformative change. The stories provide hope and direction for social justice oriented practice in the current context

    Listening to the voices of lesbians diagnosed with cancer recommendations for change in cancer support services

    No full text
    This paper focuses on the operations of heterosexism and strategies to counter it in a particular service context: the context of psychosocial support services for women with cancer. The paper draws on findings from a participatory, qualitative study set in Ontario, Canada in which 26 lesbians were interviewed about their experiences of cancer diagnosis, treatment, health care and social support, and their feelings and perceptions about shifts in identity, body, sexuality and relationships. This paper focuses on findings related to the changes research participants perceived as necessary in the provision and organization of cancer support services, in order to increase access and ensure equity for lesbians with cancer and their families. Copyrigh

    ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP IN THE CONTEXT OF NEOLIBERALISM : The Practice of Social Work Directors

    No full text
    Driven by neoliberal principles, new managerialist demands for austerity and accountability are reshaping the practices of directors of Canadian schools of social work. In this paper, we discuss research that aimed to clarify how directors of social-justice-oriented social work schools engage in academic leadership in the context of new managerialism. We were especially interested to know how this engagement affects them. Our data come from five interviews and one focus group with five directors of schools of social work in Canada. Four themes emerged from the data: directors’ fight for resources; directors as agents for resource management; directors as ‘buffers’ to shield their faculty from stresses associated with resource cuts; and resistance through relationship-building. Pushed to act as resource managers, directors’ efforts are largely unknown and sometimes unappreciated by faculty members. Our findings will be useful to professional schools negotiating their future in the university system, especially at a time when social work faculties struggle to motivate individuals to take on leadership roles. Overall, the findings of this study help clarify the nature of leadership practices in schools of social work, contributing to a better understanding of the current situation, the requirements of leadership, and how to support leadership.MotivĂ©es par des principes nĂ©olibĂ©raux, les nouvelles exigences managĂ©riales d’austĂ©ritĂ© et de responsabilisation redĂ©finissent les pratiques des directeurs des Ă©coles canadiennes de service social. La prĂ©sente recherche visait Ă  clarifier la façon dont les directeurs et directrices d’école de service social axĂ©e sur la justice sociale exercent leur rĂŽle dans le contexte du nouveau modĂšle de gestion. L’article s’intĂ©resse particuliĂšrement aux rĂ©percussions de ce rĂŽle sur eux. Les donnĂ©es sont tirĂ©es de cinq entrevues et d’un groupe de discussion rĂ©unissant cinq directeurs d’une Ă©cole de service social au Canada. Quatre thĂšmes sont ressortis des donnĂ©es : la lutte pour les ressources menĂ©e par les directeurs; le rĂŽle d’agents de gestion des ressources assumĂ© par les directeurs; le rĂŽle de « tampon » jouĂ© par les directeurs pour protĂ©ger le corps professoral du stress occasionnĂ© par les compressions de ressources; et l’établissement de relations comme moyen de rĂ©sistance. ForcĂ©s d’agir comme gestionnaires des ressources, les directeurs dĂ©ploient des efforts qui passent grandement inaperçus et qui ne sont parfois pas reconnus par les professeurs. Nos rĂ©sultats seront utiles aux Ă©coles professionnelles qui nĂ©gocient leur avenir dans le systĂšme universitaire, surtout Ă  une Ă©poque oĂč les facultĂ©s de service social peinent Ă  convaincre quelqu’un d’accepter un rĂŽle de direction. Dans l’ensemble, l’étude aide Ă  clarifier la nature des pratiques de direction dans les Ă©coles de service social, ce qui contribue Ă  mieux comprendre la situation actuelle, les exigences du poste de direction et la façon d’appuyer la personne qui l’occupe

    Community support, community values: The experiences of Lesbians diagnosed with cancer

    No full text
    The study reported in this article was initiated in response to the paucity of literature focused on Canadian lesbians with cancer. The aims of the study were broadly defined: to increase understanding of Canadian lesbians' experiences with cancer and cancer care, and to suggest directions for change such that lesbians with cancer might be better supported by service providers and lesbian communities. The qualitative study, set in Ontario, Canada, employed a participatory action research model. Twenty-six lesbians were interviewed about their experiences of cancer and cancer care. This article reports research participants' narratives about lesbian community. Findings reveal the complex and sometimes contradictory ways that lesbian community unfolds in the lives of lesbians with cancer. While most participants experienced robust and competent community support, participants also reported instances of isolation and disconnection linked to fear of cancer, homophobia in the broader community, and patterns of exclusion within lesbian communities. As well, while lesbian community norms and values appeared to buffer the negative effects of treatment-related physical changes, such norms also manifested as prescriptions for lesbians with cancer. Findings affirmed the value of creating networks among lesbians with cancer within a context of increased accessibility to mainstream cancer services. Copyrigh

    Process as Labour: Struggles for Anti-Oppressive/Anti-Racist Change in a Feminist Organization

    No full text
    Even though anti-oppression social work practice (AOP) and social change has been central to the literature of social work surprisingly little has been witten about how worlcers struggle daily to integrate anti-oppressive agendas. In this paper we illustrate how in a progressive feminist organization individuals committed to social justice continue to struggle as they work towards anti-oppressive change. Through the results of a case study with a feminist organization that bases its vision on an anti-oppressive and anti-racist model of practice, we make the case for a focus on process as a critical component of the labour of anti-oppression work. Through this lens, we are able to outline some of the ongoing struggles that occur within progressive organizations as organizational members work toward anti-oppressive change. Part of the job of progressive social service workers is to reflect upon the process of working together within an organization as well as the purpose and nature of their work. Our research finds that the processml nature of antioppression work is ongoing, open ended and irresolvable. That is, struggle is to be expected when agencies are working to implement anti-oppressive pactices. Mgme si lu pratique anti-oppressive du travail social et le pogr2s social sont au CEUT &S e'crits en service social, curieusement, on trouve tr2s peu de textes sur lu nature des combats quotidiens de l'anti-oppression. Duns cet article, les auteurs illuscrent comment, dans un organisme progressiste fe'rniniste, la re'sistance au changement anti-oppressif persiste. Parmi les actiuite's du travailkur social progressiste, on trouve la re'flexion sur le processusdu travail de collaboration azi sein cl'un organisme ainsi que le but et la nature des t&hes h accomplir. La nature pocessuelle du travail anti-oppressif selnble &re inde'termine'e et impossible h re'souclre. Sur la base des re'sultats tire's d'une e'tude de cas sur zm organisme fe'ministe qui fonde sa vision sur un mod& de pratiques anti-oppressives, les auteurs prgconisent de cibler le processus en tant que comnposante critique des activite's du travail anti-op~ressifA. travers ce pr i sm, nous po~~uondskg ager certaines des re'sistances qui sz~rviennent au sein &S organismes progressistes et qui agissent contre les progres anti-oppressifs

    Homophobia and heterosexism in cancer care: The experiences of lesbians

    No full text
    This participatory, qualitative study examines "what is lesbian" about lesbians' experiences of cancer and cancer care. Twenty-six lesbians were interviewed about their experiences of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and support, and their feelings and perceptions about shifts in identity, body, sexuality, and relationships. This paper highlights how homophobia and heterosexism, in contemporary nursing practice and as historical features of the health-care system, shape the experiences of lesbians with cancer. A minority of participants were targeted, denied standard care, or had aspects of their identity and social context relevant to cancer care dismissed. The majority commented on the lack of attention to lesbian realities in psychosocial support. A legacy of heterosexism appears to prompt strategic efforts to avoid homophobia and also appears to foster gratitude for equitable care. Nurse educators, practitioners, and policy-makers have critical roles to play in the accessibility of cancer care
    corecore