KEYNOTE SPEAKER, Chief Dr. Robert Joseph,

“Let us find a way to belong to this time and place together. Our future, and

the well-being of all our children rests with the kind of relationships we

build today.”

Chief Dr. Robert Joseph shares his journey of reconciliation, including his

childhood experience at St. Michael’s Residential School. He speaks about

the important role of reconciliation in moving forward through trauma, and

will address the work that Reconciliation Canada is doing to build

meaningful relationships among all Canadians through transformative

experiences.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond,

The Representative for Children and Youth will bring her unique

perspective to current issues impacting child welfare and the important

role that social workers play in ensuring that the needs of B.C.’s young

people are met and their rights respected. Touching on her recent work

and related topics, she will speak to questions and matters affecting

both her Office and social workers across the province.

BCASW CONFERENCE AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Expanding Our Capacity: Skills for Meeting Today’s Challenges

Friday, and Saturday October 17-18, 2014

Coast Plaza Hotel and Suites, 1763 Comox Street, Vancouver BC

MORNING PLENARY, October 17th, 8:30AM – 10:00AM

AFTERNOON PLENARY, October 17th, 1:15PM – 2:15PM

MORNING PLENARY Saturday October 18th, 8:45AM – 10:00AM

Panel Discussion ETHICS IN ACTION:

Engaging Colleagues in Ethical Decision Making

Moderator, Shannon Torhjelm

What is happening in your area of practice/region?

What is working & what’s not?

What are your recommendations for good collegial decision making?

Audience Q & A will follow.

1. PART ONE: LEADERSHIP AS A PERSONAL PRACTICE

FRIDAY OCTOBER 17TH

– MORNING WORKSHOPS 10:30 – 12:00

Choose one from the following five:

KIDS COUNT is a school-based resilience building group for children aged 7-10 years affected by family violence.

The program focuses on encouraging resilience in children by creating an awareness of their strengths, coping

strategies and understanding of how they can plan for unsafe situations. This workshop will be interactive and

experiential.

Skills gained:

Acknowledging and normalizing children’s feelings.

Encouraging resilience in children.

Exploring with children about healthy relationships.

Encouraging an awareness of the many ways conflicts can be resolved without violence.

Exploring with children what they are and aren't responsible for.

Creating a supportive environment where children can learn and practice new skills.

Patti Custance, BSc, Family and Relationship Violence Victim Support Services, Hollyburn Family Services Society

2. CRITICAL ETHICS IN RURAL HEALTHCARE Fri 10:30 – 12:00

How do social workers manage ethical decision making in rural healthcare? How can social workers maintain

regulated standards of practice in isolated and irregular settings? When is it feasible to apply a critical lens to

ethical principles in light of the special qualities of rural communities?

Participate in dialectic around the unique dilemmas in rural social work; dual-relationship with clients, indistinct

scope of practice in a small town, and the blurred lines of where social work ends and community responsibility

begins.

In particular we will focus on the BCASW Code of Ethics and the various provincial Acts that govern healthcare

decision making, including Adult Guardianship and Healthcare Consent.

Betty Owen, MSW, RSW, Sunshine Coast Home and Community Care, & Cayce Laviolette, MSW, RSW, St.

Mary’s Hospital, Sechelt, BC.

1. THE KIDS COUNT PROGRAM Fri 10:30 – 12:00

What do we know about hope and why it is important to understand and work with this construct in trauma-

informed practice? Find out how to build a practice rich in hope for and with clients.

Learn About Hope Theories:

• Neurobiology of hope: mediating pain both emotional and physical

• Internal loci of hope: independent cultures

• External loci of hope: interdependent cultures

• Holding hope: Hoping with, not for

• Communicating hope

Practicing Hope:

• For ourselves

• For our clients

• For our communities

Alison Granger-Brown, PhD, Consultant

In our work with clients/families, we are often called upon to advocate on their behalf, or to provide support

and encouragement to enable them to advocate for themselves. What enables us to be effective in these

situations? Gain practical skills you can use in your day-to-day practice.

In this workshop, attendees will:

Understand advocacy and explore the role that it plays in social justice (and thus social work).

Hear descriptions of examples of successful individual advocacy.

Look at characteristics of effective advocates and see advocacy as a component of “strength-based”

social work practice.

Consider barriers to effective advocacy.

Explore specific skills related to advocacy (finding common ground, understanding the system,

negotiation, mediation, problem-solving, goal-setting (appropriate to level of energy/skill), recognizing

the difference between aggression and assertiveness.

Ponder ethics and advocacy.

BCASW’s Health Advocacy and Health Practice Enhancement Committees: Susan McMillan, BSW, MSW, RSW,

Janet Coghlan MSW, RSW, and Carol Ross, MSW

3. PRACTICE’N HOPE Fri 10:30 – 12:00

4. INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY Fri 10:30 – 12:00

5. INDIGENOUS MEETING SPACE Fri 10:30 – 12:00

This year we have booked meeting space for those of you who work within First Nations communities and /or

are partners with First Nations social workers throughout our province.

This is an important space to network, strategize, and strengthen partnerships for Indigenous children, families

and communities.

Kundoqk, Jacquie Green, Director, School of Social Work, UVic.

In artist Dylan Thomas’s words, the spindle whorl entitled Balance and designed for BCASW depicts

“four people participating in a collection, all contributing to the centre, to create balance in the community.”

This workshop will identify long-term sexual impacts of violence, therapeutic approaches to assist with sexual

healing, challenges to discussing personal sexuality issues in a group setting, and tools for overcoming these

challenges. Prospective attendees should be aware that the subject matter is of a highly sensitive nature and

could be triggering for some people.

Presentation Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the long-term sexual impacts of violence.

2. Identify therapeutic approaches to assist with sexual healing for survivors of sexual violence.

3. Examine the challenges to discussing personal sexuality issues in a group setting, as well as tools for

overcoming these challenges.

Lauren Shay, BSW, MSW Student, UBC

I. Transracial Adoption Planning for Aboriginal Children

This presentation looks at the experiences of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal social workers. The over-arching

theme is the stress that occurs when social workers are faced with conflicting values within their everyday

practice.

Susan Burke, MSW, PHD Student, UNBC, Adoption Social Worker, QKF Permanency Planning Unit, Prince

George, BC

6. RECLAIMING OUR SEXUALITIES: SEXUALITY SUPPORT GROUPS FOR SURVIVORS OF

VIOLENCE Fri 2:45 – 3:45

FRIDAY OCTOBER 17TH

– AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS 2:45 – 3:45

Research Presentations & Student Meeting 2:30-3:45

Choose one from the following five:

7. QMUNITY AGING OUT: SKILLS BUILDING AND RESEARCH TO BETTER SERVE LGTBQ

SENIORS IN CARE Fri 2:45 – 3:45

This workshop is based on QMUNITY’s (completed) 3 year project to increase the inclusion of queer and trans*

seniors in residential care and assisted living. Various aspects of research and resulting policy

recommendations will be presented, as well as specific tools used to reach all those involved with the project.

Real life case studies will allow participants to understand the gaps in serving this population.

Participants will increase their knowledge and develop their skills in working with LGTBQ seniors.

Meera Dhebar, MSW, RSW, Consultant and Educator

8. RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS - GROUP A Fri 2:30 – 3:45

Welcoming social work students to network, discuss student issues, and discover the benefits of BCASW

Student Membership! Students will also elect the provincial student representative to the BCASW Board for the

2014-2016 term. Conference Registration is not necessary in order to attend the Students’ Meeting and the

AGM. Contact Benjamin Kearney, outgoing student representative, for more information at

bcaswstudents@gmail.com.

9. RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS - GROUP B Fri 2:30 – 3:45

10. 2014 STUDENTS’ MEETING AND ELECTIONS Fri 2:30 – 3:45

I. Prenatal Testing Practice: Mothers’ Experiences of Continuing With a Pregnancy After Prenatally Receiving

a Diagnosis of Down Syndrome

This study describes how parents made their decision to continue the pregnancy, how their adjustment evolved

over time, and what services helped with adjustment and preparation for the birth of the child.

Sevinj Asgarova, PhD Candidate in Social Work, UBC

II. Effects on Social Work Practice When Health Social Workers Become Recipients of Healthcare

This study used a cross-sectional exploratory design to examine how personal experiences of receiving

healthcare services may affect the professional perspectives of healthcare social workers.

Shannon Torhjelm, MSW, RSW, Social Work Practice Leader, Abbotsford Regional Hospital & Mission Memorial

Hospital

III. People Diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder Describe Their Healthcare Experiences

There is a pervasive negative attitude towards people with BPD in health care, as people with BPD are perceived

as “difficult.” The purpose of this study was to speak with people who have a diagnosis of BPD to hear their

descriptions of experiencing the healthcare system and opinions on how to improve care for people with BPD.

Emma Wolchok, BSW, RSW, MSW Student, UBC

II. Getting Comfortable (And Proficient) Working With Clients: Developing Relational Practices Over Time

This study investigates how social workers negotiate variations in closeness and limits to mutuality and

reciprocity in their relationships with clients.

Carla Alexander, MSW, PhD, RSW, Instructor Douglas College

III. BSW Students and the Need for Communication Skills in Practice

We compare BSW programs across Canada in terms of their communications courses, with particular focus on

the skills building components within a general helping process.

Jennifer Murphy, MSW, PhD, RSW, Lecturer, TRU, School of Social Work and Human Service & Trish Archibald,

MSW, Assistant Professor, TRU, School of Social Work and Human Service

During a one-year period, over 40 seniors and elders were trained as community mentors, increasing

community capacity to support community members with mental health, addictions and/or criminal justice

system involvement.

The focus was on supporting participants to grow and share their strengths, and empowering them to make a

difference in their communities. The project engaged multiple partners including two First Nation reserves,

several community social services, higher educational institutions and the Health Authority.

The presentation will cover project planning, partnership development, curriculum and facilitation, the mentor-

lead community projects, as well as success and challenges. We will share the community development training

manual used for the project.

Skills gained:

Leadership and community development in a community context, partnership development, relationships with

First Nations Reserves, building client capacity with vulnerable populations

Leya Eguchi, MSW, RSW, Hollyburn Family Services Society

Engage in a discussion about the vision and mission of Board Voice and, in particular, the potential role for social

workers and the BCASW in the development and implementation of a provincial Social Policy Framework.

Board Voice is a province-wide organization representing volunteer board members from community social

service agencies across BC, collaborating to provide innovative approaches to our collective challenges, raising

the profile of the sector, and advocating for needed change with governments. One significant initiative is

bringing awareness to and seeking support for a Social Policy Framework to provide the foundational principles

and organizational plans for developing, sustaining and improving community social services in British Columbia.

It is worth noting that, in Alberta, it was the Association of Social Workers who initiated the work of creating

the Social Policy Framework that is now in place in that province. www.boardvoice.ca

Dawn Hemingway, MSc , MSW, RSW, Associate Professor & Chair, UNBC School of Social Work, Community

Lead, Board Voice, June Preston, MSW, Community Lead, Board Voice

SATURDAY OCTOBER 18TH

– MORNING WORKSHOPS 10:30 – 12:00

Choose one from the following five:

11. INSPIRITING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP WITH VULNERABLE SENIORS: A GROUNDS-UP

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT APPROACH Sat 10:30 – 12:00

12. GIVING VOICE TO THE CRITICAL ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICE SECTOR Sat 10:30 – 12:00

A TED-talk style presentation on adopting resilient attitudes and behaviours, promoting resilience at work, and

living intentionally rather than reactively - all of which help to prevent burnout.

Resilience characteristics will be identified along with attitudes and behaviors that comprise these

characteristics. Mindfulness meditation will be reviewed as a key practice that promotes resilience and

participants will be offered a number of methods on how to practice this skill. The lecture will be concluded

with a therapeutic model, which has been used successfully to treat anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Build your resilience skills which can be applied to the work setting, one’s personal life and to teaching clients

how to become more resilient themselves.

Sandy Faulks, MSW, RSW, Practice Leader, Patient & Family Counselling, Fraser Valley Cancer Centre, BC Cancer

Agency

What do students need to ensure that social work practice is maintained at the forefront of the profession?

What do field supervisors need in order to provide the best opportunity to students?

This workshop highlights key competencies required for social workers to transition to being field instructors.

Lucki Kang, MSW, RSW, Field Education Coordinator, School of Social Work and Human Services, UFV

An opportunity to contribute to the global dialogue on child protection systems, this workshop will present an

overview of the early typology research and provide a forum for dialogue on the development of both provincial

and delegated child protection systems in British Columbia. Participants will be invited to contribute their

thoughts.

Laura Evans, MA, RSW is a BC-based Social Worker recently working as a Child Protection Specialist with

UNICEF, Vietnam.

13. RESILIENCE: HOW TO GROW IT & BEAT BURNOUT Sat 10:30 – 12:00

14. FIELD INSTRUCTORS: WHO ARE YOU? Sat 10:30 – 12:00

15. CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEMS TYPOLOGY RESEARCH: APPLICATIONS FOR BRITISH

COLUMBIA Sat 10:30 – 12:00

In the course of our work, we frequently find ourselves in situations where we are informally mediating

between people with different views. These differences may be between family members, colleagues, or

professionals from different agencies.

This session will provide participants with an interest-based model for mediating conflict and opportunities to

practice mediation skills. Examples will be provided from child welfare, family law, health care, and private

practice situations.

Leanne Harder, RSW, M. Ad. Ed., Quality Assurance Advisor, Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services

Society and Mediator, Trainer, Consultant, Olive Branch Consulting

As social workers, we spend countless hours assisting clients to get their basic needs met. Sometimes we can

accomplish more by advocating for systemic changes that will positively impact whole groups of clients.

This session will be a moderated panel discussion followed by small group breakout sessions, each led by a

panelist. The small group sessions will enable participants to work on specific advocacy skills such as developing

a strategy, writing letters, and using social media.

In this workshop participants will:

• Become familiar with the concept of systemic advocacy

• Learn about best practices in systemic advocacy (with examples of successful campaigns)

• Learn about the skills needed to successfully advocate for systemic change

• Practice systemic advocacy skills

Presenters will share best practices and facilitate skill building in the following areas:

• Developing and implementing advocacy strategies

• Researching , fact-finding, and building the case

• Finding allies and building coalitions

• Working with various forms of media (print, social)

• Negotiating and influencing

BCASW’s Health Advocacy and Health Practice Enhancement Committees

16. MEDIATION SKILLS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS Sat 1:15 – 3:45

SATURDAY OCTOBER 18TH

– AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS/MEETING

Choose one from the following five: 1:15-3:45

17. SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY Sat 1:15 – 3:45

Two presentations for those interested in policy and families with mental health challenges.

FAMILIES AT THE CENTRE: A CALL TO ACTION FOR PUBLIC SYSTEMS TO REDUCE VULNERABILITY WITHIN

FAMILIES TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE PROBLEMS

The multi-disciplinary British Columbia Family Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force has created a cross-

sector action planning resource—Families at the Centre—to address risk and protective factors and to

encourage family-centred approaches. Learn more about this call to action.

Stephen Smith, MA, Director of Mental Health Promotion & Prevention of Mental Disorders, British Columbia

Ministry of Health

STRATEGIES FOR FAMILIES AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS

The mental health system is transitioning to better welcome the involvement and wisdom of supportive

networks and families. Barriers to collaboration are briefly reviewed. This lecture utilizes implementation

research and suggests ways of enhancing ideological change and shift in practice as we proceed toward Family-

Centred Mental Health Care.

Angela Guy, MSW, RCSW, Social Work Case Coordinator, Project Manager, Safe Relationships Safe Children

Provincial Initiative, (Phase 11, Howe sound Corridor) VCH

Building on the BCASW Webinars (Ethical Conversations & Ethical Decision-Making Models), this workshop will

provide participants the opportunity to further reflect upon their ethical obligations as members of the social

work profession.

Ethical decision-making concepts will be reviewed. Participants will then have the opportunity to work in small

groups to apply an ethical decision-making model to case scenarios, followed by a large group discussion. Case

scenarios will include a combination of individual and system level issues and interventions.

Participants will gain practical skills in ethical decision making, and will collectively cultivate strategies to sustain

actions consistent with professional values within work settings which often have different priorities.

Shannon Torhjelm, MSW, RSW, Social Work Practice Leader, Abbotsford Regional Hospital & Mission Memorial

Hospital

19. SHIFTING TO A FAMILY-CENTRED APPROACH: POLICY &

STRATEGIES Sat 1:15 – 3:45

18. EVERYDAY ETHICS: LIVING OUR VALUES IN DEMANDING WORKPLACES Sat 1:15 – 3:45

In BC, the Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) can become Committee of Estate via court order or the Certificate

of Incapability process. This process is used in urgent situations when an adult's assets are at risk, decisions need

to be made, there is no one else who can assist, and the adult is assessed as mentally incapable.

Part 2.1 of the Adult Guardianship Act reforms the current process by adding new and enshrining a number of

current best practices and will become effective December 1, 2014.

These best practices strive to balance autonomy, administrative fairness, and protection by including;

• Required notifications to the adult throughout the process

• Rights advice

• Access to appeal assessments of incapability through second assessments, reassessments, and court

• Standardized incapability assessment processes based on a legislated test, with medical and functional

components completed by medical practitioners and other Qualified Health Care Providers (QHCPs)

This session will provide an overview of what's changing from a PGT perspective.

Participants will receive a legislative update about this important process for assisting adults who are vulnerable

and have minimal supports.

Alison Leaney, RSW, Provincial Coordinator, Services to Adults, Public Guardian and Trustee of BC

20. BALANCING AUTONOMY, ADMINISTRATIVE FAIRNESS AND PROTECTION:

CHANGES TO BC’S CERTIFICATE OF INCAPABILITY PROCESS Sat 1:15 – 3:45

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

CAN BE VIEWED THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE

RESILIENCE SKILLS

This project on resiliency (www.rlifeproject.ca) provides training and information for social services staff and

others when working with clients and community members and is designed to improve the understanding and

practice of resilience skills. People who have strong resilience skills are sometimes more able to handle the

natural bumps in life with mental wellness and less reliance on substance use. We have found that both those

sharing the information and those receiving it, benefit.

Mary Catherine Williams, Behaviour Consultant to Caregivers, The John Howard Society of North Island

SEXUAL TRAUMA THERAPISTS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES OF UTILIZING SPIRITUALITY IN THE THERAPEUTIC

PROCESS

Previous research has demonstrated the benefit of incorporating spirituality in the therapeutic process. Yet

little attention has been given to sexual trauma therapists’ use of spirituality despite survivors of sexual trauma

seeking professional assistance in their healing process. This research project explores the experiences of

sexual trauma therapists utilizing spirituality in the therapeutic process.

Melissa Pickett, MSW Student, UBC

BREAKING INTO THE CIRCLE AT MOMMY AND ME: How Immigrant Mothers Engage With Canadian Social

Workers

This poster presentation explores the theme of inter-cultural connections with immigrant mothers through the

lens of social work. Through art based on a collage of text and images, the co-authors describe their

immigration and integration experiences, highlighting their experiences with Canadian social workers. The

poster engages women with language barriers through use of multi-media art, and provides rare insight into

the ways in which Canadian social work is perceived by immigrant mothers.

Leanne Gislason, MSW, RSW, Director of Settlement Programs, Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society

BURSTING AT THE SEAMS: Social Workers Meet the Challenge to Resolve Increasing Occupancy Rates in a

Rural Remote Hospital

Social Workers at WGH embarked on a project to take on a greater role in discharge planning and meet the

challenges presented by the “bed crunch”. In a time of increasing healthcare costs, limited resources and

finances, Social Workers came up with a cost-free and effective solution, at the same time expanding

knowledge and respect for the profession and ensuring that patients’ medical care including their emotional,

spiritual and practical needs were met.

Hazel Ling, RSW, Whitehorse General Hospital

FAMILY CAREGIVERS: A Better Understanding

Family caregivers are increasingly discovering that the role can, at times, be overwhelming. There are

significant gaps in many Canadians’ understanding of what the role of family caregiver actually entails. We Care

commissioned a survey to further examine Canadians’ preparedness for undertaking a family care-giving role

and took steps to incorporate the findings in its care process and provide tools to support caregivers.

Jennifer Wright, RN, Client Services Manager, We Care Health Services

Friday, October 17 Saturday, October 18

8:00 AM Registration and Exhibits 8:00 AM Registration and Exhibits

8:30 – 10:00 Welcome and Morning Plenary 8:30 – 8:45

Welcome and Morning Plenary

10:00 – 10:30 Break/Exhibits 8:45 – 10:00 Ethics in Action Panel

10:30 –12:00 Morning Workshops 10:00 – 10:30 Breaks/Exhibits

12:00 – 1:15 Conference Lunch/Exhibits 10:30 – 12:00 Morning Workshops

1:15 – 2:15 Afternoon Plenary 12:00 – 1:15 Conference Lunch/Exhibits

2:30 – 3:45 Students’ Meeting/ Research Presentations

1:15 – 3:45 Afternoon Workshops

2:45 – 3:45 Afternoon Workshops 3:45 – 4:15 Closing

4:00 – 5:15 BCASW AGM

PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE

CLICK TO REGISTER