Valuing Diverse Perspectives in Social Work

Valuing Diverse Perspectives in Social Work

Social workers and helpers have an ethical responsibility to practice self-awareness and to explore how their own historical or current experiences and biases impact their worldview and behavior as a foundation for doing good work with diverse populations in diverse contexts. Trauma is widespread and crosses all socioeconomic, racial, and geographic boundaries. It's important for social workers to know how to work effectively with diverse individuals, families and communities that have experienced historical trauma and present day trauma and stressors.

Learners will be provided information and insight on decolonizing trauma, which helps to expand our understanding of diverse ways of knowing and being in the world and nurtures critical thinking around the systems and interventions we have in place and how and if they are working and are effective for all populations. It is also essential to learn about, cultivate, and practice self-care as we do good work with others to ensure that we do no harm to ourselves or those we help through re-traumatization. In this course the concept of wellness is weaved throughout the course and is looked at as a life-long journey that we are all on, both individually and collectively.