Opening doors for social work advocacy and leadership
Friends, I am delighted to share the work that the College achieved in 2018. Through the work of our six amazing staff and nearly 100 volunteers we have achieved a great deal during the past year. At last year’s AGM, the membership voted to adopt an ambitious five-year strategic plan aimed at laying the foundation for the new College of Social Workers in order to protect the public while guiding the profession towards a high achievement of ethical standards. In our first year of implementation I feel incredibly proud of what we have achieved. Our goal to regulate the profession by ensuring the highest standards of professional and ethical social work practice for the people of Nova Scotia is off to a good start. Last year we launched and revamped the Candidacy Mentorship Program (read about it on page 24), providing clarity and support through the new webpage which went live in October. The new design features activities, resources, and a framework to achieve the objectives of the program. We were able to embed the NSCSW Standards of Practice into our website, making them more searchable and easier to find for both social workers and members of the public. Through the work of our communication team we also updated and revamped the complaint section on our website to support both members of the public and the College, and to build an understanding of the process and what is to be expected. To support both the candidacy and complaints processes we have been building the capacity of the new NSCSW database, which launched in the summer of 2018, towards a more streamlined digital reporting system. The new database, which certainly had glitches upon launch, was well received by members who reported that it was far more intuitive and easier to use then the old system.
Alec Stratford, MSW, RSW Registrar/Executive Director
We have also made strides towards greater labour mobility. At a national level, all provinces have agreed to implement a tele-practice policy, allowing social workers to practice through phone and internet services with greater ease. We continue to see discussion with our Atlantic neighbours towards a similar agreement to ensure physical mobility throughout the Atlantic provinces. Our goal to become a recognized leader in advocacy and social justice working to protect Nova Scotians has also taken big steps forward. Over the last year the NSCSWÂ has committed itself to working with the progressive community to use scholarly research, public education, and advocacy to promote discussion and pose substantive questions that are central to the political dialogue in Nova Scotia. As an organization, our goal is to provide new ways to understand social issues and offer political positions that are in solidarity
6 Connection | January 2018
