Honouring Innovation in Social Work Education: Talk It Out wins JSWE Best Field Note award
Categories: Alumni + Friends, Faculty, Lin Fang, Partners, Practicum, Programs + Teaching, Research
An article by Professor Lin Fang — and co-authors Catherine Schmidt (PhD 2024), Yu Lung (PhD Candidate), Lynn Nguyen (MSW 2023), Gilda Hui, and Sylvia Delgado (MSW 2019) — has been chosen as the “JSWE Best Field Note of Volume 60” by the Journal of Social Work Education.
Titled “Field Note — Talk It Out Counseling Clinic: A Field Education Innovation,” the piece tells the story of how, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Fang and her colleagues at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work created a new program to support local communities in need of culturally informed mental health support — and to support Master of Social Work students to in need of practicum opportunities.
The dynamic mental health hub delivers counseling services free of charge to residents who face multiple barriers to health and equity, including a lack of relevant mental health services in their communities. It also offers wellness workshops and community initiatives in conjunction with local organizations and institutions. MSW students receive training and supervision needed to provide counseling services and help deliver the programs.
The award-winning article shares an overview of the Clinic’s structure, approach, training, development processes and future directions. It was selected from all articles published by JSWE in 2024.
“When selecting the year’s outstanding articles, the JSWE Editorial Advisory Board looks for originality of thought, sound or innovative conceptualization of the topic, and conclusions and/or recommendations that add significantly to the professional knowledge base and to social work education,” wrote Michele Hanna, the Editor-in-Chief of the journal.
Fang and her fellow co-authors are being honoured at the Council on Social Work Education’s 2025 Annual Conference on October 25th.
Since its launch in 2021, the Talk It Out Counseling Clinic has served over 1,800 individuals, including counseling services to over 400 people referred by 19 community partners across the Greater Toronto Area. It has also provided in-person wellness workshops and programs to over 1,400 community residents and trained over 56 MSW students.
- Read the full article in the Journal of Social Work Education.
- Visit the Talk It Out Counseling Clinic’s website.
- Learn about Talk It Out, Work It Out at the Jane/Finch Centre and at Baycrest.
Talk It Out is sustained through the generous philanthropic support of our community. The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work extends thanks to Janis Rotman for her leadership gift in support of The Clinic. We are also grateful to the many donors who have contributed over the years, including: Joan and Bernard Aaron, Ms. Lynn Belzberg, Ricki Blau and William Reeves, Barbara Ibbitson, Judy San, CIBC, TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, and FIFSW Alumni and Friends.
Join us on November 12!
On November 12, FIFSW presents the Janis Rotman Distinguished Lecture Series on Mental Wellness. All are welcome!