The Fu Hui Education Foundation and students from the Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency field of study gather in person for dinner

Posted on January 23, 2023
Categories: Alumni + Friends, Students

The Fu Hui Education Foundation — a dedicated and generous supporter of the unique Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency (ITR) field of study at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) — hosted dinners for first and second year ITR students and their instructors on January 9th and 16th. It was the first time the Foundation and the students that they sponsor were able to meet in person since the start of the pandemic.

“The Fu Hui Education Foundation has a distinguished record of supporting and empowering communities through education, and we are deeply grateful for their incredible support of our program and its students,” says Charmaine Williams, Dean and Professor of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty. “The foundation’s generosity has had an immeasurable impact on our graduates, many of whom are now working within their communities and beyond to provide trauma-informed and culturally appropriate support as social workers specializing in areas such as community mental health, cultural preservation, trauma-informed organizations, research, and law.”

First year ITR students and faculty joined Fu Hui Foundation donors and supporters, including Stanley Kwan, Chair, Fu Hui Education Foundation; Diana Lun, Fu Hui Education Foundation Board Member; and Keith Kwan, Fu Hui Education Foundation Volunteer.

The first of its kind in North America, FIFSW’s two-year Master’s program specializing in Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency is dedicated to preparing advanced social work professionals to work with individuals, families and communities who have been affected by historical and generational trauma. Grounded in the North American Indigenous values of belonging, cooperation, respect and kindness, and inspired by indigenous traditions from around the globe, ITR emphasizes the strong connection between personal, cultural, professional, and academic development — and the importance of building on existing strength and resilience. Support to ensure the program is accessible to Indigenous students from communities across Canada, including those that are remote, has been essential to the field of study’s success. That’s where the Fu Hui Foundation has come in.

Each year, the Foundation aids students from the ITR program through scholarships and bursaries to assist with expenses and travel, making the prospect of receiving a graduate degree in social work possible for those who may not otherwise have considered it an option. The long-term impact of the field of study extends further. Developed through a collaboration among the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC), the Middelton-Moz Institute and the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW), the program has now equipped students to work for and with individuals, families and communities experiencing high levels of intergenerational trauma.

Second year ITR students, faculty and staff joined Fu Hui Foundation donors and supporters, including (in white golf shirts, left to right): Cindy Zhang, Fu Hui Volunteer for the Fu Hui Education Foundation Leadership Scholars Program; Wesley Kam, Fu Hui Education Foundation Board Member; Matthew San, Fu Hui Volunteer; Jessica Feng, Fu Hui Education Foundation; Bing Wu, Fu Hui Education Foundation Board Member; and Judy San, President, Fu Hui Education Foundation.

The charitable organization’s commitment to education runs deep. The Fu Hui Foundation first launched as a registered charitable organization in 2004 to support the education of children growing up in impoverished areas of China. In 2015, it expanded its work further, by providing support to Indigenous communities in Canada, through nutrition programs in schools and, later, by building libraries in First Nations communities across the country. The Foundation’s partnership with FIFSW’s ITR program began in 2018.

FIFSW is deeply grateful to the Fu Hui Education Foundation for its generous support to help sustain this important program and its students.

Related: