Ambassador Program √
The Association empowers the Social Service Work profession by fostering meaningful connections and collaborations with both the public post-secondary education system, such as Colleges of Applied Arts & Technology, and Indigenous Institutes. In addition, organizations employing Social Service Workers. As the educational providers for Social Service Work, the post-secondary education system is integral to developing the profession’s future leaders.
Through the Education Ambassador Program, the Association will onboard students and faculty from Ontario’s public colleges and Indigenous Institutes, offering recognized Social Service Work or equivalent programs as determined by the regulator. Education Ambassadorship serves as a bridge, granting students, faculty, and colleges access to the association’s benefits, including professional resources, an awards system, a dedicated SSW job board, membership opportunities, and a platform for input and participation in shaping the profession.
Students enrolled in recognized programs at participating colleges and Indigenous Institutes will receive free annual student memberships, provided they maintain eligibility. Similarly, agencies employing Social Service Workers can become Organization Ambassadors, gaining access to Association resources and supports. Employees of these organizations will benefit from a 25% discount on their membership fees (General and Associate).
Through these partnerships, the Association strengthens professional development, enhances career opportunities, and builds a collaborative network dedicated to advancing the Social Service Work profession.
The ‘voice’ √ ⁄ ×
The association empowers the profession of social service work by publishing a distinct and unique social service work journal in partnership with the ambassador program. The association empowers the social service work profession by recognizing the importance of practical research which exemplifies social service work scholarship by those practicing as social service workers and SSW students, colleges and employers. ‘The voice’ will be published by the association, in collaboration of its partners, and supported by the association’s college ambassadors, and a variety of different association members. The voice will aspire to share practical scholarly knowledge that improves the social service work profession, social services, social policy, and the overall social welfare system.
Discrimination √ ⁄ ×
The Association empowers the profession of social service work by acknowledging and addressing the systemic oppression and lived experiences of discrimination faced by Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and other sexual or gender identities). It is committed to amplifying the voices and stories of these communities and Social Service Workers, highlighting their strength, resilience, and contributions to supporting vulnerable individuals and communities. The Association actively encourages the development of Social Service Work (SSW) education programs centred on these contexts, fostering culturally responsive education and training. Through collaboration with stakeholders and its education ambassador network, it will foster the development of these programs.
‘Calls to Action’ √ ⁄ ×
The Association empowers the profession of Social Service Work by recognizing and acknowledging that the profession, alongside other helping professions, has contributed to the harm experienced by Indigenous individuals, families, and communities, whether directly or indirectly. As the voluntary professional Association and unified voice of the social service work profession, we commit to acknowledging these harms, offering a sincere apology, and collaborating with Indigenous Peoples and communities to learn, practice, and promote culturally appropriate ways of helping while advocating for legal and social justice for all.
In alignment with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s ‘Calls to Action,’ particularly under the legacy and child welfare sections, the association recognizes:
• Call to Action 1, subsection (iii): Ensuring that Social Workers and others conducting child welfare investigations are properly educated and trained about the history and impacts of residential schools.
• Call to Action 1, subsection (iv): Ensuring that Social Workers and others conducting child welfare investigations are properly educated and trained about the potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions for family healing.
Although the term “Social Worker” is used in the Calls to Action document, the Association acknowledges that the title of Social Service Worker exists in varying regulatory contexts across provinces and territories, with some being regulated and others not. Recognizing that Social Service Workers frequently operate within the child welfare system, the Association assumes equivalency between the two professions for the purposes of these Calls to Action.
As such, the Association commits to working with Social Service Work stakeholders to address these Calls to Action through advocacy, education, and culturally responsive professional development.
