Research on LGBTIQ inclusion in Asia is advancing human rights and addressing the root causes of HIV

FIFSW Professor Peter A. Newman, centre, with (from left) Chia-Wei Shiu, Director of Community Resources, Tongzhi Hotline; Chih-Liu Peng, Vice Secretary General, Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association; Deng-Min Chuang, Assistant Professor, National Taiwan Normal University (and FIFSW Alum); Suchon Tepjan, Research Manager, VOICES-Thailand Foundation

After more than two decades spent studying HIV prevention among sexual and gender minorities in Asia and North America, Peter A. Newman is well-acquainted with the factors that increase vulnerability to HIV infection: discrimination, stigma, violence, and marginalization in education and employment, to name just a few. Now he’s investigating those root causes directly, through a global partnership that’s advancing LGBTIQ inclusion and human rights in the region.

“While individual health behaviour is a critical area of HIV research, we’re focusing on the social and structural conditions that place people at higher risk,” says Newman, a professor at U of T’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. “In Canada, with progressive support for LGBTIQ rights, we may forget that consensual adult same-sex acts remain criminalized in 64 countries and punishable by death in 6 countries — monumental obstacles to accessing healthcare.”

Newman is the lead researcher on a multidisciplinary team made up of collaborators from the social sciences, medicine, fine arts, community-based organizations, and UN agencies. The Partnership, called Mobilizing for a Research Revolution to Ensure LGBTIQ Inclusion in Asia (MFARR-Asia), is gathering data on the degree to which LGBTIQ people enjoy full and free participation in the economic, social and political life of India, Thailand, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

In general, Asia — home to 60% of the world’s population — lags in human rights protections for LGBTIQ people compared to Western nations.

“The only way we’re going to end the HIV epidemic is if sexual and gender minorities are no longer excluded and stigmatized in mainstream systems and laws,” says Newman. “We’re focusing on inclusion because the ability of LGBTIQ people to participate fully and equally in society is fundamental to health and human development, yet is understudied and lacks data.”

MFARR’s overarching aims are to create an evidence base on the state of inclusion of LGBTIQ populations in each society, and then use that data to identify research gaps, inform community-engaged interventions, and advocate for government programs and policies to protect and ensure human rights.

Despite launching just before the pandemic, MFARR has already had a significant impact in the region. In India, for example, Newman has been working with his research collaborator, Dr. Venkatesan Chakrapani, and community partners such as The Humsafar Trust for over 20 years. MFARR co-sponsored India’s first public-facing national LGBTIQ health symposium and co-authored the subsequent symposium report and action plan, which led to the landmark inclusion of gender affirming hormone therapy and surgery in the Prime Minister of India’s Health Insurance plan. “This expands health insurance coverage among the estimated 4.8 million trans people across India, including access to gender affirming care,” says Newman.

India’s Ministry of Health also endorsed the symposium report recommendation to develop and implement anti-discrimination policies for LGBTIQ people across government healthcare. “The road to implementation for both of these policies will be bumpy, and communities will still have to advocate, but the policies have real teeth now,” Newman says.

Meaningful engagement with community partners is embedded in every aspect of MFARR’s work. “There are always things we can learn from LGBTIQ communities that don’t show up in the research literature or government policies,” says Newman. “To get the full picture, we integrate the knowledge we gain in focus groups and community forums with our strong empirical foundation on inclusion indicators.”

He points to same-sex marriage in Taiwan as an example. As the first jurisdiction in Asia to legally recognize same-sex marriage, in 2019, Taiwan demonstrated ground-breaking progress in societal inclusion. Yet community input from the Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association revealed challenges faced by many individuals in Taiwan, where all marriages are officially registered in local Household Bureau records. Many who would like to get married don’t exercise their right because of anticipated stigma and fear of exclusion by their own families and local communities. “We can learn from the Taiwanese experience to better anticipate implementation challenges in places like Thailand, where the Parliament has indicated initial approval for a marriage equality bill.”

MFARR’s influence is also evident in its collaborations with community organizations across the region, both through sharing research evidence to support effective programs and providing training and capacity-building for staff and volunteers.

During the pandemic, MFARR reacted quickly, knowing the heightened vulnerability of LGBTIQ communities in the absence of human rights protections. MFARR collaborated with academic and community partners to develop and test #SafeHandsSafeHearts, a peer-delivered online eHealth intervention in Bangkok and Mumbai designed to increase COVID-19 protective behaviours and reduce psychosocial distress among LGBTIQ populations. “Our team trained 50 community members as peer counselors, who reached over 850 LGBTIQ people,” says Newman. “The results were very positive, such as reducing levels of depression in participants after just a few sessions.” Now several of MFARR’s community partners, including a major HIV clinic in Bangkok and Women’s Health in Women’s Hands in Toronto, have adopted this model to expand services to thousands of clients.

MFARR’s global partners include universities, community organizations and UN agencies, with multiple funders, led by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). “Our longtime community partners were overjoyed when we initially proposed a research program on LGBTIQ inclusion — not solely HIV focused — because they’ve always known that it was a crucial element in HIV risk and prevention, and broader LGBTIQ wellbeing,” says Newman.

The partnership is helping to build the next generation of researchers on LGBTIQ human rights issues in Asia. “Part of the vital progress we’re making in the region is through the development of our own team, students and trainees,” says Newman. Already, the partnership has provided training to over 80 students and community organization staff. “In Canada, we sometimes accept as a given our ability to openly pursue LGBTIQ scholarship and advocacy, but this is not the case in many academic institutions in Asia.”

When Newman approached the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which had initiated work with the World Bank to create an LGBTI Inclusion Index, they were extremely supportive of MFARR’s work — and even provided funding for MFARR’s initial development meeting in Bangkok — because they recognized a critical need for more research and data. To date, MFARR has completed five comprehensive reviews of the research on LGBTIQ inclusion across Asia. Based on this evidence, the MFARR team built on the UNDP-World Bank work to include a new domain in the Index. Family, which is centrally important in Asia, is now proposed as a new domain, in addition to education, economic wellbeing, health, personal security and violence, and political and civic participation.

In preparation for a regional symposium in June, MFARR is currently surveying experts and people with lived experience in Asia and worldwide to develop and prioritize indicators of LGBTIQ inclusion in each domain.

“Something we learned a long time ago in HIV research was that if we didn’t have data, we couldn’t prove there was a problem,” says Newman. “And if we couldn’t prove there was a problem, we couldn’t get the resources to address it. Now that we’re gathering more and more evidence to demonstrate the challenges around LGBTIQ inclusion, and models of success, we’re starting to see and track progress, and real-world transformation.”

By Megan Easton

Publications

For those interested in learning more, below is a list of selected recent publications by Professor Peter A. Newman and the MFARR-Asia team.

Wong, E. M. Y, Chan, R. C. H., Suen, Y. T., Tepjan, S., & Newman, P. A. Inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in Hong Kong: A scoping review. Sexuality Research and Social Policy. [Accepted].

Huang YT, Hang YC. (2024). Relational well-being among lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults in Taiwan: Before and after the legalization of same-sex marriage. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 21:240-52.

Chakrapani, V., Newman, P. A., Shunmugam, M., Rawat, S., Mohan, B. R., Baruah, D., & Tepjan, S. (2023). A scoping review of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people’s health in India. PLOS Global Public Health, 3(4): e0001362.

Newman, P. A., Akkakanjanasupar, P., Tepjan, S., Boborakhimov, S., de Lind van Wijngaarden, J. W., & Chonwanarat, N. (2022). Peer education interventions for HIV prevention and sexual health with young people in Mekhong Region countries: A scoping review and conceptual framework. Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 30(1), 2129374.

Reid, L., Newman, P. A., Lau, H., Tepjan, S., & Akkakanjanasupar, P. (2022). A scoping review of LGBT+ inclusion in Thailand: Policy proposals and recommendations. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 19, 1731-1746.

Chakrapani, V., Newman, P. A., Sebastian, A., Rawat, S., Mittal, S., Gupta, V., & Kaur, M. (2022). Mental health, economic well-being and health care access amid the COVID- 19 pandemic: A mixed methods study among urban men who have sex with men in India. Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 30(1): 2144087.

Chakrapani, V., Newman, P. A., Sebastian, A., Rawat, S., Shunmugam, M., & Sellamuthu, P. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on economic well-being and health outcomes among transgender women in India [Perspectives].Transgender Health, 7(5), 381–384.

Chakrapani, V., Scheim, A. I., Newman, P. A., Shunmugam, M., Rawat, S., Baruah, D., et al. (2022). Affirming and negotiating gender in family and social spaces: Stigma, mental health and resilience among transmasculine people in India. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 24(7), 951–967.

Newman, P. A., Prabhu, S. M., Akkakanjanasupar, P., & Tepjan, S. (2022). HIV and mental health among young people in low-resource contexts in Southeast Asia: A qualitative investigation. Global Public Health, 17(7), 1200-1214.

Newman, P. A., Reid, L., Tepjan, S., & Akkakanjanasupar, P. (2021). LGBT+ inclusion and human rights in Thailand: A scoping review of the literature. BMC Public Health, 21, 1816.

Strategic planning: Join an upcoming strategy hive

Thank you to everyone who has provided input into FIFSW’s new strategic plan. We are now moving to the next phase of the consultation process! In May, the Faculty will be hosting five strategy hives, where we will co-create the priorities, intentions and shared commitments for our next strategic plan. 

Below is an overview and detailed information on each hive. FIFSW faculty, students, staff, alumni, program partners and collaborators are encouraged to register for as many as possible!

Strategy hive dates

All hives will be online, except May 17. Click the links below to register.

• May 1st, 9:00 to 11:30am
• May 1st,  2:00 to 4:30pm
• May 9th, 1:00 to 3:30pm
• May 16th, 1:00 to 3:30pm
• May 17th, 9:30am to 12pm

Overview

Throughout the “pollination” phase of the strategic planning, we heard many perspectives about FIFSW’s strengths and impact — across global leadership in research, excellence in clinical practice, a supportive community and a shared ethos of continuing to work for a more just world. The conversations surfaced a profound commitment to continual evolution and shared learning, and appreciation for a space that “balances evidence-based approaches to practice with principles of anti-oppression.”

As we move into the next phase of planning, we shift from surfacing ideas, hopes and needs to co-designing intentions and priorities for FIFSW’s future.  In a series of five “strategy hives,” we will explore key strategic questions to shape the strategic framework.

Strategy hives are 2.5 hour sessions where mixed groups develop shared intentions, priorities and initial and ideas for actions around strategic questions.  These topics are NOT the ultimate strategy framework, but overlapping conversations that surface the core strategic themes and priorities.  Underpinning all of the Hives are the conceptual questions of:  Who are we and why does what we do matter?  What is the future and story of social work?  How do we shape our research, teaching, partnerships, collaborations, advocacy and relationships to achieve our highest purpose?

Between each Hive, we will synthesize the highlights from the previous sessions, which will allow the conversations to build on each other.

Participants are welcome to one or all of the Hives – the best sessions have a diversity of participants and perspectives. Please register for the hives you are interested in attending via the links below.

Strategy hive topics

All hives will be online, except May 17. Click the links below to register.

How do we shape the future of social work as a discipline?

Hive #1 (May 1^st 9:00 to 11:30am) – ONLINE

The Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work is recognized for fostering strong clinical practice and world renowned research, nested in a deep commitment to supporting individuals while continually evolving a more just, equitable and inclusive social world.  Against this foundation, the discipline of social work is in significant transformation.  In this Hive, we will explore how FIFSW can lead in shaping the evolution of social work, recognizing shifting context around practice environments, decolonization, the role of professions, increasing transdisciplinary work, economic sustainability of practice, opportunities for novel partnerships and how to evolve greater understanding of the value and impact of social work. 

What does the future of applying critical EDI lenses to research, teaching and delivery of social, human and health services look like?

Hive #2 (May 1^st 2:00 to 4:30pm) – ONLINE

Anti-oppression, decolonization and structural equity are at the core of all of the work of FIFSW.  As we shape the next strategic plan, setting intentions about the next evolution of these principles fundamentally influences all priorities.  In this Hive, we will explore the next iteration of EDIA, across research and teaching practices, holding and evolving our ethos in a polarized world, and creating a truly inclusive community where everyone can  “feel in their bones that they belong,” (as one focus group participant expressed).

What experience of “learning and becoming” do we want to create in classrooms, fieldwork and other learning spaces? 

Hive #3 (May 9^th 1:00 to 3:30pm) – ONLINE

FIFSW is continually evolving and innovating the learning experience for everyone connected to the Faculty, balancing curriculum needs, practicum experience, regulatory shifts, inclusion and accessibility, evolving practice environments and the space for learners to increasingly define and shape content.  As the profession of social work evolves and as the Faculty continues to challenge and transform power structures, what does the evolution of the learning experience look like? In this Hive, we will explore the future of truly inclusive curriculum and classrooms, expanding ways of knowing and demonstrating knowledge, generative space for reflexivity and “becoming”, the evolution of accessibility, sustainable fieldwork and other opportunities to “live” our ethos in innovative ways.

Where is FIFSW being called to lead in the research and practice of Social Work?

Hive #4:  (May 16^th 1:00 to 3:30pm) – ONLINE

The research, practice and advocacy led by FIFSW faculty, students, staff, alumni, and other collaborators are fundamental in evolving global understanding of critical topics that influence social worlds.  As we look forward to the next several years, the FIFSW will be called on the shape and influence issues that influence everyone’s lives, including Artificial Intelligence, climate justice and sustainability, sustainable and accessible public healthcare, policing, and commercial determinants of health.  In this Hive, we will explore the impact FIFSW wants to have in these and other critical areas, and what innovations, partnerships, collaborations and other approaches to action will make the biggest difference.

What impact do we want to have and what do we want to be known for?

Hive #5 (May 17^th 9:30am to 12pm)  – IN PERSON (location at FIFSW to be confirmed shortly)

In almost every conversation throughout the “pollination” phase of strategic planning, people observed that the FIFSW is regarded as “#1 in Canada” and a global leader – and yet people also noted that they aren’t fully certain what the reputation specifically refers to.  In this Hive, we will synthesize and build on insights from the previous four to explore what “#1” will mean five years from now – and how to deepen these intentions across all dimensions of the Faculty.

Learn more about the consultation process for FIFSW’s new strategic plan

A new lab at FIFSW will help children and youth exposed to trauma thrive

Professor Ramona Alaggia will soon be opening the doors to the new Child and Youth Trauma Research Incubator (ThRIve) lab thanks to support from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Research Fund – Research Infrastructure.

Part of a new network of eight Canadian universities, the ThRIve lab aims to make a difference for children and youth exposed to trauma. Bringing together researchers, practitioners, community partners and students, this research incubator will further the mission of the Canadian Consortium on Child and Youth Trauma to improve the lives of mistreated children and youth. Research from the lab will inform provincial policies and practices to “create consistency in the training provided to social workers, police officers, legal professionals and health care providers working directly with the children and families involved”.

“Nurturing, non-violent families and communities are the bedrock of healthy child development,” says Alaggia. “The ThRIve lab is a powerful way to use research for providing leading edge information and best practices to professionals and caregivers for responding to and preventing childhood trauma.”

Alaggia will lead the ThRIve lab from the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, together with Dr. Delphine Collin-Vézina, who is heading the national hub at McGill University. They are working in partnerships with Dr. Steve Geoffrion (Montreal), Dr. Melissa Kimber (McMaster), Dr. Sheri Madigan (Calgary), Dr. Lise Milne (Regina), Dr. Tristan Milot (UQTR), and Dr. Elisa Romano (Ottawa), making this the first pan-Canadian collaboration for child and youth trauma.

Alaggia is the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Chair in Child and Family. Her body of research focuses on gender and violence; child sexual abuse disclosures and mental health effects; intimate partner violence and structural barriers; and promoting ways to foster resilience processes in children, youth and adults exposed to violence.

Locally, Ramona has been instrumental in leading research and evaluation on the wellbeing of children, youth and their families. She supports prevention and intervention programs, and helps develop innovative models of service to enhance children’s mental health. Internationally she provides training on trauma and resilience informed approaches to mental health service providers in the UK and Ireland to ensure leading-edge research for families, communities and systems to support the optimal growth of children. Her co-edited book Cruel but not Unusual: Violence in Families in Canada (3^rdE) is widely read by students and practitioners across the country.

Related:

• Social workers experienced depression, PTSD, and anxiety at alarming rates during pandemic
• FIFSW professors rank among the world’s most impactful social work scholars
• Cruel But Not Unusual, co-edited by Ramona Alaggia, provides an updated look at violence in families in Canada

New research, led by Professor Ka Tat Tsang, explores inter-ethnic relationships in Canada’s settlement sector

Members of the research team for the SSHRC-funded project “Exploring Inter-Ethnic Relationships in the Settlement Sector in Canada”

On March 13th, 2024, SSHRC-funded research, led by FIFSW Professor Ka Tat Tsang, took center stage at the Metropolis Conference in Montreal. Supported by a team of dedicated researchers from across Canada, as well as international collaborators from Hong Kong and Taiwan, the project delved into the complexities of inter-ethnic relationships in Canada’s settlement sector.

The panel at the conference offered a glimpse into the study’s preliminary findings, which challenge traditional assumptions about immigrant adaptation in Canada. To date, the researchers discovered that, rather than conforming to a Euro-American mainstream, newcomers to Canada find themselves navigating a richly diverse tapestry of cultures and ethnicities. The study is also unique in its inclusion of Indigenous communities, whose experiences have often been sidelined in immigration research.

Drawing on data collected from settlement services and extensive outreach efforts within Indigenous communities in Montreal, Sudbury, and Toronto, the research sheds light on the dynamic interactions between various ethnic groups. These findings hold significant implications for Canada’s immigration agenda, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and accommodating the diverse needs of newcomers and Indigenous populations alike in the nation-building process.

Visit the project’s website Inter-Ethnic Relationships in the Settlement Sector to delve deeper into this pioneering research.

Opportunity to contribute to the research as a work study student

The research team for this project is excited to extend an invitation to current MSW students to join their ranks as part of a work-study opportunity for the summer of 2024. This presents a chance to actively contribute to a project that is at the forefront of shaping policies and practices in newcomer services and inter-ethnic relationships.

Interested students can apply for this unique opportunity via CLNX (Job ID 233915). Save the Job ID and apply on CLNX starting April 2. Prospective applicants and those with further inquiries are encouraged to reach out to Jemima Utami, Project Coordinator, at jemima.utami@mail.utoronto.ca.

Don’t miss this chance to be involved in a groundbreaking research initiative that promises to make a lasting impact on Canada’s diverse and inclusive society. Apply now and become a part of shaping the future of settlement services and inter-ethnic relationships!

Empowering youth as researchers to improve access to abortion

While abortion services and accurate information on reproductive health are vital to our health and wellbeing, access to affirming care isn’t equitable. Stephanie Begun, an associate professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, aims to change that — and is empowering youth researchers to take the lead. 

“Youths’ intersectional perspectives are essential to building optimal approaches to care,” said Begun in Spring 2023 when the Government of Canada announced more than $4.2 million in funding to strengthen access to abortion services. The funding was received in part by the University of British Columbia’s Contraception and Abortion Team (CART-GRAC), where Begun serves as director of social work research. 

Working with youth through the Youth Wellness Lab (YWL), a research collaborative that she co-founded and co-directs with Associate Professor Bryn King, Begun and a team of youth researchers set out to identify new ways to make abortion information and services more accessible, affirming and comfortable for equity-deserving groups, including youth. They are also aiming to develop curricular and continuing professional development materials on abortion information and care for social workers. 

“As someone who identifies as non-binary, abortion discourse and advocacy have often felt women-centric. At times, it has even felt transphobic,” says Cam Bautista, youth research coordinator with YWL. “This work highlights the important intersection of reproductive justice, queerness, and trans healthcare that so often is acknowledged merely on a superficial level. Now more than ever, we need to name trans and non-binary identities within abortion work as integral voices in discourse and active collaborators in this space.” 

During the Summer and Fall of 2023, six YWL researchers under age 29 engaged healthcare and allied helping professionals, including family physicians, OB-GYNs, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, social workers, and abortion navigators from across Canada, in focus groups and individual interviews. The youth-led conversations sought to better understand, compare, and contrast professionals’ efforts in the abortion care workforce, collecting providers’ interdisciplinary perspectives on abortion care practices, while also inquiring about barriers that they see being faced by equity-deserving groups as they seek abortion information and care. A scoping review, led by postdoctoral Research Associate Preetika Sharma, on social work’s role in abortion care, was also carried out and will soon be published.  

The Youth Wellness Lab research team at the Summit in Ottawa. From left to right (standing): Cam Bautista and Ruby; Ayla Arhinson, Sarmitha Sivakumaran, Hajar Seiyad, Preetika Sharma, Stephanie Begun and Anysha Reid-Henry. From left to right (sitting): Ali Pearson, Temulun Bagen, Gaja Ananthathurai

In February the research team presented its findings at a knowledge exchange summit in Ottawa. Common themes unearthed included the need for more resources to support safe and non-judgmental abortion care for transgender and non-binary abortion-seekers and to increase youths’ understanding of their rights to privacy and confidentiality in abortion care. In addition, social workers reported challenges when helping people who are also navigating substance use, under-housing and homelessness, and family and intimate partner violence. They also reported challenges for newcomers lacking health benefits and systems-navigation experience, and youth lacking accurate information and safe situations in which they can exercise their rights to abortion decision-making. 

“Speaking with healthcare professionals to learn about their unique experiences in providing abortion care allowed me to comprehend the barriers and enablers present within both urban and rural communities,” said Sarmitha Sivakumaran one of YWL’s youth researchers. “These conversations, along with the insights gained from the Summit in Ottawa, further inspired me to explore additional avenues for the effective dissemination of comprehensive and meaningful resources to equity-deserving groups.” 

In addition to presenting their research findings, the research team shared knowledge translation resources and tools, such as infographics, provider checklists and youth friendly guides that they are developing as a result of their research. All materials and research findings will eventually be hosted on the YWL website and social media sites, as well as CART web-based platforms. 

“As a proud contributor to this project, I am thrilled to witness its profound impact on reshaping the abortion landscape in Canada,” said Sharma. “It’s especially gratifying to see it address the needs of trans and non-binary individuals, voices too often unheard. This project represents a vital step towards inclusivity and progress, and I have learned so much about the barriers faced by underserved populations in our healthcare system. Together, we are breaking down barriers and paving the way for a more equitable future.”  

Related:

• FIFSW researchers breaking new ground in partnership with U of T’s Institutional Strategic Initiatives
• Stephanie Begun partners with Second City to explore how improv can cultivate confidence in marginalized youth

• Engaging youth as researchers: The Youth Wellness Lab flips the script

#SocialWorkOpensDoors — how FIFSW faculty, alumni, students, partners, and collaborators are opening doors for the communities they serve

March 4 to 10 is Social Work Week, and March is National Social Work Month. This year the Ontario Association of Social Workers is celebrating by highlighting the many ways that #SocialWorkOpensDoors.

We asked FIFSW faculty, alumni, students, partners, and collaborators to share how they are opening doors for the communities they serve and shared their answers below.

(Scroll to the bottom to learn how you can also contribute.)

How do you open doors for the communities you serve?

Michael Adia

MSW 2018
Co-Founder, Hope Leads Mental Health Care
Wellness Counsellor and Coordinator, Health & Wellness, University of Toronto

As a social worker, opening doors for me means meaningful mentorship. By providing support and relevant opportunities for future social workers to thrive, we can create a community of practice that values empowerment, generosity, and supportiveness. Through this we can contribute to ensuring the continuity of care for people’s well-being across the province and beyond.

Learn about FIFSW’s EDI workshop, which Michael Adia co-facilitates and read about his involvement with Hope Leads Mental Health Care, which offers inclusive care to racialized and queer communities.

Ashley Quinn

MSW 2007, PhD 2016
Assistant Professor, FIFSW, University of Toronto

I am opening doors as a social worker by partnering with our students, such as Karima S. Jaffer, to co-create diverse and innovative perspectives that enrich Indigenous learning in social work education and practice. Coming together with a Two-Eyed Seeing approach, Karima and I have worked on projects that promote the Medicine Wheel, Seven Grandparent Teachings, and IQ Principles to find proactive solutions to the world’s biggest problems impacting Indigenous communities. This includes topics such as challenging food insecurity, literacy and numeracy rates, and the need to enhance Indigenous child welfare research through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Jordan’s Principle, and Shannen’s Dream. We also hope to create pathways where we understand how to better engage students and other professionals to better the systems impacting these populations. By mentoring students like Karima, I hope to work with the new generation to bring restorative justice through such collaborations.

Read how Ashley Quinn’s research is promoting cultural connections and identity for Indigenous children in the child welfare system.

Elo Igor

PhD student, FIFSW
RISE YBMen, Toronto Project Coordinator
Centre for Research and Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims

In every role I assume as a social worker, I have had the absolute privilege of hearing peoples stories. It is my responsibility to honour each person I have worked alongside by making space and amplifying their narratives to advocate for social change. I truly believe that community makes the world go round; we need each other. By keeping the door open for one another, we will eventually break it down.

Learn more about RISE YBMen and The Centre for Research & Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims (The CRIB).

Dillon Dodson

MSW 2013
Field Instructor & Adjuct Lecturer, FIFSW
Director, Social Work, Toronto Humane Society

Learn how to become a FIFSW Field Instructor, like Dillon Dodson.

Vivian Zhang

MSW 2016
Field Instructor, FIFSW
Founder, Clinical Therapist, Vivian Therapy

The concept of therapy was considered taboo in the Asian community, even in 2016. Since then, with the rise of awareness in Asian mental health, more knowledge and empowerment has been given to individuals around the supports they seek and with more visible representation in mental health providers. As a social worker, my hope is to continue to destigmatize the use of therapy by making it easy and approachable as well as be a point of connection for clients and future social workers/therapists in their mental health journey.

Read about the benefits of becoming a Field Instructor at FIFSW.

Laura Tamblyn Watts

Sessional Lecturer and Assistant Professor, Status Only
CEO, CanAge

Read about Government of Canada funding to help prevent and address the mistreatment of older adults in Ontario — a project that Laura Tamblyn Watts is also involved with.

Michael Sullivan

MSW 1998
Policy Analyst, Accessibility Directorate of British Columbia
Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

I work through the Accessible BC Act which establishes a statutory framework for government to work in partnership with people with disabilities and the broader community to identify, remove and prevent barriers to the full and equal participation of people with disabilities. I worked on the development of the legislation and the regulation. We are currently working on the first two accessibility standards which will have implications for the private and public sectors:

• Employment Accessibility Standard – to ensure that barriers in hiring, training and retention for persons with disabilities are identified, removed and prevented.
• Accessible Service Delivery Standard – to ensure that events, activities, and the process of buying goods are provided in accessible ways that enable the inclusion of people with disabilities.

Learn about FIFSW’s combined Law and Master of Social Work (JD/MSW) program.

Kaitrin Doll

PhD Candidate
Co-chair of the Canadian Regional Research Network, INQYR
Course Instructor, FIFSW, University of Toronto

I contribute to ‘opening doors’ in social work research by highlighting the importance of cultivating inclusive and empowering spaces where sexual and gender diverse (SGD) communities can thrive. My research is focused on the lived experiences of SGD groups and the significance of community belonging, social support, and connectedness for mental well-being. My doctoral work investigates the positive impacts of sports participation in affirming environments. By examining roller derby as a case study, I hope to highlight its role in affirming identity, fostering community, building resilience and enhancing mental health and experiences and joy among SGD individuals. Over the past four years, I have been a part of the International Partnership for Queer Youth Resilience (INQYR), a collaborative initiative aimed at strengthening the resilience of SGD youth through interdisciplinary and international research efforts.

Read about Kaitrin’s research project, Reimagining Roller Derby, on INYR’s website.

Zahra Alysha Wells

MSW student, CAMH Social Work Student
Member of the Core Engagement Team for the FIFSW Academic Strategic Plan
Vice-Chair of MSW Studies Committee
Y1 Student Representative for Faculty Council Committee
Past Co-President of the FIFSW Graduate Student Association

Learn about the launch of the consultation process for FIFSW’s new strategic plan and how you can provide feedback.

Photo: Zahra Wells, left, at a community event hosted by Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA Canada)

Jeremy Reinblatt

MSW 2019
Field Instructor and Adjunct Lecturer, FIFSW, University of Toronto
Social Worker, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

As a social worker, I strive to be a strong advocate for the clients I work with, who might otherwise not be able to advocate for themselves. Community supports, housing, and re-integration is a large part of my role, and I see and respect the part that social work plays in helping vulnerable individuals achieve these goals. I strive to bridge gaps for complex client populations, including those with dual diagnoses in the forensic mental health system. I also value the importance of learning, and therefore enjoy giving back to the social work community by supervising social work students who will one day continue to open doors to communities.

View the upcoming professional development schedule for FIFSW Field Instructors.

Vithusan Arunakirinathan 

MSW Student, Mental Health and Health Field of Study, Year 2
Placement Student, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, Complex General Psychiatry and Forensic Community Reintegration Unit

As a Social Work student committed to equity, social justice, and anti-oppressive practice, I am opening doors for individuals and communities by fostering collaborative relationships and engaging in interprofessional collaboration. By demonstrating active listening, understanding diverse needs, and advocating effectively, I work collaboratively with individuals and families to address the barriers and systemic inequities they face. Through these efforts and by building partnerships with members of the interprofessional team as well as individuals and families, I strive to cultivate a wholistic network of care that supports them in navigating their pathways to healing, ensuring they have equitable access to the opportunities and resources necessary to thrive.

Learn about the University of Toronto’s Interprofessional Education Curriculum, which provides health professional students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for collaborative interprofessional practice.

Adriana Shnall

MSW 1988, PhD 2014 
Program Director Koschitzky Centre for Innovations in Caregiving
Assistant Professor, Status-Only, FIFSW, University of Toronto

I’m passionate about making a real difference in the lives of older adults and their families. As the Program Director at Baycrest’s Koschitzky Centre for Innovations in Family Caregiving, I’ve spent over three decades working closely with older adult and their families. Whether it’s through teaching at the University of Toronto and training the next generation of social workers, or leading innovative research and initiatives to support family caregivers, I’m committed to opening doors to improve the quality of life for everyone I have the privilege to serve.

Check out the project Understanding Resident-to-Resident Interactions (URRI) in Ontario Long Term Care, c0-led by Adriana Shnall.

Farai Gore

Field Instructor, FIFSW
Program Manager, Delta Family Resource Centre
Faculty Advisor, York University

I am working to open doors by supporting individuals, families, and marginalized communities, who are often isolated due to limited access to resources. I do this by challenging and addressing barriers that have existed, and continue to exist, through time, and by creating learning opportunities and empowering communities through advocacy. With the knowledge that many who have come before me created spaces that I can walk through today, my hope is that many who will come after me can say that I have been able to work intentionally to support their pursuits in navigating the field of social work.

Read insights and advice from FIFSW Field Instructors.

Stephanie Begun

Associate Professor, FIFSW, University of Toronto
RBC Chair in Applied Social Work Research

My work with youth researchers, particularly through participatory, arts-based, and qualitative research designs, has been so inspiring. Though I mentor young people on how to get involved in research, I certainly learn far more from them than they do from me. Their brilliant efforts serve as important reminders of all that is lost when systems and policies are designed for young people without their input.

Hogan (Chi Ho) Lam

MSW 2022
Diversity and Inclusion’s Specialist, Ontario Disability Employment Network

As a macro social worker, I work with the disability communities, businesses, non-profit professionals, and the government to co-create a more inclusive and accessible work environment for people with disabilities. At Ontario Disability Employment Network, we open doors not only for people with disabilities, but also for businesses and other stakeholders to build their disability awareness and confidence – social work opens doors for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

Read a report that anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic that Hogan Lam co-authored in 2023.

Svetlana (Lana) Popova

PhD 2006
Senior Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
Associate Professor, Status Only, FIFSW, University of Toronto

My overarching goal is to prevent alcohol and other substance use during pregnancy. Alcohol is a teratogen and can cause permanent brain damage, resulting in neurodevelopmental impairments, intellectual disability, and mental health problems in prenatally exposed people. My education and intervention initiatives target children, adolescents, childbearing age and pregnant women, their partners and families, parents of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and communities around the globe. Alcohol and Pregnancy DON’T Mix!

View Svetlana Popova’s profile on FIFSW’s website.

Steve Lurie

MSW 1973
Adjunct Professor, FIFSW, University of Toronto

During my 45 year career in community mental health, I focused on working to reduce stigma and homelessness by advocating for funding to increase evidence based community programs such as Housing First. There is no health without mental health.

Steve Lurie is part of the Core Engagement Team for FIFSW’s Strategic Plan. Learn about the engagement process and how you can share your feedback. 

Hannah Jackson

MSW 2020
Learning Strategist, Accessibility Services, University of Toronto
Psychotherapist, private practice

In February 2024, I initiated a Black History Month panel within the Accessibility Services Office. After years of working with Black disabled students who felt they had to choose one identity or the other, I felt compelled to leverage my positionally to create an inclusive and uplifting space for these intersections. I am grateful to have had a supportive team that helped bring this idea to reality.

Learn about learning strategist support offered to U of T students through Accessibility Services.

Celissa Vipond

MSW 2010
Clinical Director, Virtual CBT Psychotherapy
CBT Consultant & Faculty Member, Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program

In 2023, I won an award for “Innovation” with Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care for helping increase access to free therapy for priority populations by making small changes over time in their marketing and operating plans. I am also opening doors through a virtual private practice I co-founded that has helped hundreds of people receive specialized cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) from the comfort of their homes. My team consists of 9 therapists with a variety of cultural backgrounds, education and specializations.

View information on the five fields of studies offered to MSW students at FIFSW.

Reshma Dhrodia

MSW 2012
Field Instructor, FIFSW
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) Director, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto

To develop and enhance EDI-related strategies, policies, programs, and practices within postsecondary institutions — to open doors for folks who belong to equity-deserving groups — involves acknowledging that access was intentionally closed or limited to countless equity-deserving communities for generations. It means knowing that barriers continue to exist to achieving full access and a felt sense of belonging for women, folks with disabilities, BIPOC and racialized communities, 2SLGBTQ+ folks, Muslims, Jewish community members, and so many others. I focus on building trust, developing a deep understanding of the needs of our Faculty’s communities, working collaboratively across difference, and ensuring I stay grounded and humble so I can nimbly adjust my approaches to the work as needs evolve over time.

Read more about Reshma and U of T’s other EDI Leads.

Shelley Craig

Professor, FIFSW, University of Toronto
Canada Research Chair in Sexual and Gender Minority Youth

As Canada Research Chair in Sexual and Gender Minority Youth, I am opening doors for 2SLGBTQ+ youth by leading the International Partnership for Queer Youth Resilience (INQYR), an interdisciplinary and multilingual global partnership designed to support the resilience of sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth through technology-engaged research. I also lead AFFIRM, an affirmative cognitive-behavioural group intervention that empowers 2SLGBTQ+ youth to embrace their authentic selves in the face of discrimination.

Jennifer Burt-Yanoff

MSW 2003
Field Instructor, Adjunct Lecturer, and ATC Vice-Chair, FIFSW, University of Toronto
Professional Practice Leader, North York General Hospital

I open doors for new and existing Social Workers by supporting the delivery of high-quality clinical services, by offering coaching and mentoring, and by creating robust orientation schedules for new hires and graduate learners. I serve as a practice resource to social workers and team members, collaborate with internal and external leaders and community partners, participate in program and clinical team meetings, and conduct research and program evaluation. By opening doors I hope to elevate the role of social work within the healthcare landscape and help create space for leadership opportunities.

Valeria Ciric

MSW student
Graduate Research Assistant for Bordering Practices Research Project
Team Lead at the York Region Supervised Parenting Time Program
MSW Intern at The Children’s Aid Society of Toronto & St. Michael’s Hospital

My current professional roles involve developing evidence-based practices for interagency collaboration and bolstering support for families affected by intersecting systems (i.e., child welfare, health care, and/or family law). As a Graduate Research Assistant at the FIFSW, I also contribute to projects, such as Bordering Practices which seek to address systemic issues equitably and meaningfully, valuing different ways of knowing to best meet the needs of community members. My focus is on providing direct care that is culturally responsive and trauma-informed, while advocating for underserved and under resourced communities.

Emma Silver

MSW 2015
Clinical Social Worker, Child & Adolescent Outpatient Program, NYGH & Family Psychology Centre

As a Social Worker, I see opening doors for the communities I serve as a collaborative effort aimed at eliminating barriers to accessing care. In the context of children’s mental health, this involves amplifying the voices of caregivers, who play a pivotal role in supporting their loved ones. It involves implementing innovative interventions, tailored to meet the unique needs of young individuals, many of whom may not respond to conventional talk-based therapeutic approaches. It involves advocacy for essential resources and providing support across all aspects of a young individual’s life, be it at home, school, or within the broader community.  Above all else, opening doors involves empowering young individuals to recognize the multitude of possibilities available to them, ultimately increasing their sense of hope, nurturing resilience, and expanding their horizons of what is achievable.

Shawnette Thompson 

How are YOU opening doors for the communities you serve?

Let us know! We will be accepting submissions for consideration throughout the month of March

Members of FIFSW’s community who work in the social work field are invited to respond to dale.duncan@utoronto.ca with the following:

• Your name
• Your professional title
• Your place of work if applicable
• Your relation to FIFSW (ex: student, faculty member, sessional instructor, alumni, field instructor)
• If you are alumni, you could include your year of graduation
• Your photo (high resolution if possible)
• A 1-3 sentence description of how you, as a social worker, are opening (or hope to open) doors to the communities and individuals you work with. (If it is possible to point to the impact of your work, that would be wonderful.)

Share your feedback on FIFSW’s future

In February, Dean Charmaine Williams formally announced the launch of the consultation and engagement process for the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work’s new Strategic Plan.

We want to know what you value about the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, what makes us unique, and how we should evolve to shape the discipline of social work and make a difference in the world.

The Government of Canada announces funding to help prevent and address the mistreatment of older adults in Ontario

From left: Chenell Small, Laura Ostler, Andie MacNeil, Laura Proctor, Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Marta Hajek, David Burnes, Charmaine Williams, Ramona Alaggia, Steph Conant, and Andria Allen

On February 22, the Government of Canada announced nearly $800,000 in funding for the University of Toronto to implement and evaluate RISE, a community-based program working to prevent and respond to the mistreatment of older adults across Ontario.

Led by David Burnes, the RISE program has been designed to reduce harm, respect autonomy, restore relationships, and advance justice among those experiencing elder abuse and self-neglect.

Support for this work is vital. Research has shown that the mistreatment of older adults can have serious health and psychosocial consequences, including premature mortality, poor physical and mental health, diminished quality of life, and increased rates of emergency services use, hospitalization, and nursing home placement.

Professor David Burnes, Canada Research Chair on Older Adult Mistreatment Prevention, RISE team

“One in ten older adults living in the community across Canada experience some form of elder mistreatment each year, which translates to nearly 900,000 older adults who fall victim,” says Burnes, who is also a professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. “Unlike other domains of family violence, we currently do not have an organized system of response in the community for cases of elder mistreatment. In fact, most people have no idea what to do if they have a concern about a family member or neighbour who may be experiencing elder mistreatment.”

RISE, in partnership with Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario, provides an evidence-based solution to this problem and a way to address gaps in the system. As Canada Research Chair on Older Adult Mistreatment Prevention, Burnes (who also co-leads the RISE program in the United States) has been uncovering the prevalence of elder abuse and identifying risk and protective factors through his work.

The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Labour and Seniors

The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Labour and Seniors, made the funding announcement on behalf of the Honourable Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health in FIFSW’s student lounge. “Seniors deserve to age with dignity and choice,” O’Regan says. “That can’t happen when seniors are fearing for their safety. Research in elder abuse is how we’ll build the tools we need to stop it.”

Marta Hajek, Chief Executive Officer of Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario

Marta Hajek, Chief Executive Officer of Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario, joined Burnes in expressing gratitude for the federal government’s support. She credited RISE for its high levels of client engagement. “Already we are seeing positive impacts on the life of those who are supported through RISE,” Hajek said. “Clients are grateful for this lifeline. When they are at their lowest and have no one to turn to, RISE is making a difference.”

Dean Charmaine Williams, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Charmaine Williams, Dean of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, also provided remarks as part of the announcement. “On a day like today, you just have to be so glad that there are people who are so committed to the cause,” she said. “If I think of my own parents, and as I think about my own path to being an older person, it is reassuring to know that people are innovating and working on these issues.”

Learn more about RISE via its website and follow RISE on X.

View a video of the announcement below.

Related:

• New Government of Canada report, led by David Burnes, provides actionable steps for preventing and addressing the pervasive mistreatment of older adults
• One in ten adults aged 65 and over experience some form of elder abuse each year in Canada
• A new study by David Burnes and colleagues identifies incidence and risk factors of elder mistreatment

Joelleann Forbes’ journey to becoming a leader in culturally attuned care

When Joelleann Forbes took a social work elective during her undergraduate degree, it was like finding a missing puzzle piece. “I’d been working and volunteering in the mental health field, where I saw that racialized people were seeking help but not accessing it or receiving inappropriate care,” she says. “I was looking for a career that would allow me to help these communities connect to meaningful care, and I knew I’d found it in social work.”

Barely a decade later, Forbes (MSW 2018) is helping to break down barriers for Black communities in the mental health care system as a social work educator, researcher, private practitioner, and consultant. From teaching students about anti-racist practices and contributing to research on health equity to providing direct care for racialized individuals through her new private practice, Forbes’ body of work is meeting a rising demand for mental health services designed to empower racialized and queer communities.

It wasn’t always a straight or easy path to get to this point. Like many young Black women, Forbes was “put into a box” by those who did not expect or encourage her to excel. However, she didn’t let this stop her. “When I decided to give myself a chance and see whether I could dismantle those expectations by trying a little harder, I became a high achiever,” Forbes says.

Always fascinated with health care, she opted for a bioethics degree at U of T and excelled. But Forbes wasn’t sure about her career path until she met Professor David Brennan, who taught the undergraduate social work elective. “He recognized my interest in the field and encouraged me to explore it, and the more I learned about the profession, the more I became passionate about how I could support the African, Caribbean, Black community with social work.”

Forbes chose to specialize in Mental Health and Health in the Master of Social Work program at U of T’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Based on her firsthand knowledge of the mental health care system as both an employee and client, she was motivated to explore it through the lens of equity and diversity. “I’ve had experiences of trying to access support but again getting put into a box,” she says, describing how service providers relied on false assumptions and categorizations about her. “The interventions and assessments weren’t informed by racialized communities.” As a student research assistant to social work Dean Charmaine Williams, she learned about anti-racist, culturally-adapted approaches to mental health care designed to increase access and a sense of belonging for Black communities.

In her field placement, Forbes worked at Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre in Toronto, an organization known to be a leader in equity-based care. “I felt very aligned with the Centre’s mandate to provide culturally safe care to racialized women,” says Forbes, who landed a job as a therapist at the centre after completing her MSW and rose to become the manager (interim) of the population health team.

Throughout these years in the field, she’s maintained strong links to the faculty, working as a sessional lecturer and a research coordinator for Dean Williams’ Family Caregiving Project. The project, which has produced educational resources for mental health professionals and caregivers, aims to increase awareness of how mental illness impact families, including barriers to support stemming from structural violence.

In 2023, Forbes expanded her contributions to the Faculty by co-developing and facilitating a new equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) workshop that’s now a degree requirement for MSW students. “What we want students to take away is knowledge of how to be a social work student, and eventually a social worker, who embodies anti-racist, anti-oppressive practices in the classroom and the environments they’ll eventually practice in,” she says.

Michael Adia (MSW 2018) and Joelle Forbes (MSW 2018). Photo by Maria Vega @maria.vega.photography.

Since Forbes started her MSW in 2016, she says she’s observed a shift in the Faculty from viewing EDI as supplementary to essential. She’s also witnessed a growing commitment among mental health care organizations to embed EDI principles across their operations. In August 2023, she and her former classmate Michael Adia (MSW 2018) co-founded Hope Leads Mental Health Care, a private practice that offers inclusive care to racialized and queer communities in addition to program consultation for mental health organizations. “I’ve witnessed a lot of humility in leaders and social work teams who are very motivated to ensure their services are accessible to underserved communities,” she says. “We work with them to see how they can create environments that provide appropriate care for these populations.”

Since they opened Hope Leads, Forbes and Adia have seen rising demand for their services, including individual and group therapy and trainings on topics such as as anti-Black racism, anti-Asian racism, 2SLGBTQ+ mental health and case management, health equity, EDI, mood disorders, and psychological safety.

“We’re very purposeful about Black and Asian allyship, and demonstrating how this looks in practical terms,” she says. “At the same time, we’re aware that many people have overlapping identities that can make it hard to find the right support. So we created a practice where every client’s intersectionality, whether they’re queer and/or racialized, is welcomed and never judged. I think this is what makes us really unique.”

Forbes’ therapeutic method relies in part on Afrocentric practice, which emphasizes clients’ voices, their ties to their communities, and the connection between the mind, body and spirit. “Afrocentric practice is a response to generational trauma, but we also celebrate generational wisdom, joy and love,” she says.

In all of her work, Forbes aims to create mental health spaces and services where racialized people never feel boxed in or shut out. “Rather than confronting stereotypes and having doors closed everywhere they turn, I want community members to have the autonomy to choose the services that feel like a fit for them,” she says. “On the other side, I want organizations to have the capacity and understanding to make everyone feel safe and supported.”

By Megan Easton

Related:

• Black History and Liberation Month at U of T
• FIFSW’s new EDI workshop takes equity, diversity and inclusion to the next level in the Master of Social Work curriculum
• The Family Caregiving Project shares online resources to improve mental health care for families
• Join us for Invisible Wounds: Stories of Survivorship, February 28

Alumna invests in strengthening and expanding access to palliative and hospice care through student fellowships

Inspired by the potential of palliative and hospice care to facilitate a dignified death for all, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work donor and alumna Kasia Seydegart (MSW 1973) invests in this evolving area of practice by supporting student fellowships

When Shuruthii Thiyagasoruban worked in a Toronto hospital intensive care unit during the COVID-19 crisis, she saw families struggling to navigate death and dying while separated because of the pandemic.

“One person passes away, but there are so many people who are affected by that,” she says. “Not being able to physically spend final moments with loved ones can be devastating.”

Her experience connecting patients with their families through virtual platforms, and being present at the bedside when relatives could not, prompted her to pursue training in palliative care as part of her Master’s in Social Work program. When her own grandmother died in 2021, her interest in palliative care became even more personal.

“My grandmother had aggressive care measures at the end of her life, and we know that’s not what she wanted,” she says, reflecting on the language barriers and misunderstandings around palliative care options her grandmother experienced — systemic issues common to racialized and immigrant communities.

Currently in the second year of her program, Thiyagasoruban is the recipient of the Seydegart-Spears Fellowships in Palliative Care for People who are Dying in hospice, in the home or on the street, an award created to spark new thinking and expand access to palliative and hospice care. In addition to course work in palliative care, Thiyagasoruban also had the opportunity to pursue a practicum at Providence Healthcare’s palliative unit.

A highlight of life

“Death can be a highlight of life, if it’s treated with respect and kindness,” says donor and FIFSW alumna Kasia Seydegart (MSW 1973), who established the student fellowships with her husband George Spears. “I hope these awards will stimulate thoughtful and creative approaches to palliative care, including for those people who are at the margins.”

After completing her FIFSW Master of Social Work, Seydegart began her career as an outpatient therapist at CAMH (then the Addiction Research Foundation), before moving into social policy research and launching ERIN Research. Committed to community impact, she helped launch East Wellington Community Services in Erin, Ontario. Following the deaths of her parents, Seydegart became involved in the establishment of Bethell Hospice in Caledon, Ontario. (Both her parents have University of Toronto student awards in their names — Stanislaw Seydegart Award in Healthy Aging and Life long Learning honouring her father, and the Janka Seydegart Scholarship in Feminist Studies, her mother.)

Seydegart has seen the difference palliative and hospice care can make. As a long-serving volunteer and former Chair of the Foundation Board at Bethell Hospice, she is inspired by the potential of death to be experienced as a significant milestone.

“Bethell Hospice enables people to die in a dignified, peaceful and as pain free as possible way, surrounded by their family and friends,” she says, contrasting the hospice experience with the challenges she and her sister faced when their parents died in hospital. With its comforting atmosphere, space for children and family members and holistic approach to palliative care — captured in the Bethell Hospice Story film, which Seydegart helped produce — the hospice is far from the fast pace and constant noise of a hospital environment.

Increasing access to palliative care

Recently, Seydegart had the opportunity to learn about Toronto’s Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless (PEACH) program and recognized the need to broaden access to palliative and hospice care to marginalized populations.

“Bethell is a place for people to die if they cannot die at home in a dignified, comfortable way. But what about people with no homes — people who are unhoused?” she says. “How do we become more inclusive?”

Seydegart sees social workers playing a key role in both palliative and hospice care, as well as in outreach to vulnerable individuals, including certain refugee and immigrant populations and unhoused people. And indeed, FIFSW graduates have gone on to work in both Bethell Hospice and the PEACH program.

“Palliative and hospice care are growing areas of social work practice,” says clinical social worker, palliative care expert and FIFSW instructor Susan Blacker, who teaches the popular Social Work in Palliative Care course in the Master of Social Work program. She notes an increased awareness of the importance of palliative care and improved access to services, especially for those with diagnoses other than cancer.

“Today’s model of care is focused on identifying palliative care needs earlier than in the past — even at the time of diagnosis of a serious illness,” says Blacker, who is also Senior Director, Cancer and Palliative Program Planning and Performance at Sinai Health System and Provincial Clinical Co-Lead for the Ontario Palliative Care Network (OPCN).

“Many patients will want to pursue all of the medical treatments that are possible, but at the same time they may also be worrying about the ‘what ifs?’ she says. “Others may be struggling with physical, psychosocial and practical problems that are impacting their quality of life and can be managed with the holistic approach that palliative care provides We need to start having those conversations earlier.”

Equipped with increasingly specialized skills and competencies in palliative care, social work graduates can be instrumental in helping ensure patients are well supported across different care settings, including serving communities with palliative care gaps, such as unhoused populations. This training is not only crucial for students in the faculty’s gerontology field of study — social workers may be supporting populations with life-limiting illnesses at all stages of life.

“The benefits of an interprofessional approach to palliative care can be so significant, especially when we can get involved earlier in someone’s journey,” says Blacker. “We can often decrease the chance of that person needing to come into a hospital or to come to the emergency department in a crisis.”

By working in partnership with patients and families to understand the impact of the illness on their family system, facilitate access to community resources, address caregiver needs, provide grief and bereavement support and much more, social workers play a key role on the palliative care team.

Investing in the future of palliative care

“It is such a rich and unique area for social work practice, and we have so much opportunity to make an impact,” says Blacker. “I’m inspired to be training the next generation of leaders who will not only be caring for clients, but also developing new programs and approaches to providing care.”

Seydegart established the student fellowships with this same goal — by supporting future leaders in the field such as Thiyagasoruban, who hopes to improve understanding of palliative care among the South Asian diaspora and help more people benefit from it.

“Hospice and palliative care is not finished, we keep learning,” says Seydegart. “I hope the awards help stimulate thinking and action around this, because this type of care must keep growing and becoming wiser and broader, more inclusive.”

By Carolyn Morris

To learn more about supporting students at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, please contact Development Officer Jijo Quayson at jijo.quayson@utoronto.ca or 416-946-8339

Related news:

• FIFSW alumna, Leeann Trevors featured on Global News for her work with the PEACH (Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless) program
• FIFSW Professor Amanda Genier authors book on late life homelessness
• View the Bethell Hospice Story film

The Artificial Intelligence for Justice (AIJ) Lab celebrates its 4th Anniversary at the University of Toronto

The Artificial Intelligence for Justice Lab (AIJ) at the University of Toronto marked a significant milestone on January 27, 2024, as it celebrated its 4th anniversary. Founded in January 2020 by Assistant Professor Jia Xue, the lab has made remarkable strides in research and training since its inception.

In the realm of research, the AIJ Lab has produced 43 research papers, firmly establishing itself as a leader in computational social science with a focus on human-centered data science. Notably, a remarkable 75% of these publications involve student contributions, showcasing the Lab’s commitment to training. In total, 45 students have benefited from the Lab’s mentorship, with 26 unique students actively contributing to publications.

The AIJ Lab’s mission encompasses a wide range of topics, including Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Assault, School Bullying, Health Information Communication, Computational Social Science, Information Communication Technology, App/Mobile Design, Data Mining, Human-Centered AI, and Human-Centered Data Science. 

During the 4th-anniversary event, the Lab recognized exceptional individuals with five prestigious awards, including the Publication Excellence Award (Chengda Zheng, MI), Lab Leadership Award (Qiaoru Zhang, BA), Creative Branding Visionary Award (Wenzhao Zhang, Kehan Tan, MI), Critical Thinker Award (Bolun Zhang, Doctoral student), and Data Wizard Award (Hong Shi, MI).

Photos by: Jielin Lei, Siyu Zha, and Miao Xi

Related:

• Jia Xue receives the 2023 Ivan Sun Outstanding Young Scholar Research Award.
• Mining social media data to better understand the public’s changing reactions to the global pandemic