Ontario Association of Social Workers

06/12/2026

The findings of this research study from Australia can also inform our understanding of Ontario's child protection system: it argues for an "Aboriginal-specific testing of attachment theory as a foundation for culturally informed child protection practice." As social workers, we know that providing equitable health services to Indigenous peoples requires decolonizing our systems of care and the decision-making systems that underpin it. Read more here: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/BBRMBRHRVQD3HAIIKPRZ/full?target=10.1080/13284207.2026.2682255

06/12/2026

At OASW, we value bringing our Board of Directors and staff team together each year to connect and learn about the ways in which we provide value to our members and advocate on behalf of the social work profession.

We were grateful to welcome and learn more about our newest board members: Ann Seymour, Lisa Mishibinijima, Kelly McNaughton, and Jocelyn Hunt. Their diverse expertise and lived experiences will strengthen and expand OASW's leadership team.

OASW's Board of Directors, which began its new term in May, is energized for the year ahead and equipped to engage in important conversations about the future of social work in Ontario.

Learn more about OASW's Board of Directors: https://oasw.org/EN/Web/About-OASW/Board-of-Directors.aspx?hkey=45b51108-244b-4d99-bdf5-f1ae4329e8a3

06/11/2026

Traveling to work or for your next business trip? Get 7.5% off with your OASW membership.

VIA Rail offers an exclusive discount to all OASW members, plus three additional travelers, on corporate and leisure travel. Find out more on how to access this sweet deal - https://www.oasw.org/EN/Web/Join-Now/Benefits-Services.aspx

Not a member yet? Join now to access all of our amazing benefits and discounts - https://www.oasw.org/EN/Web/Join-Now/Members/Create-Account.aspx

06/09/2026

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!

Join our upcoming OLC webinar on June 22 to explore how Ontario’s Provincial Framework for Palliative Care is being operationalized within long-term care (LTC) settings, and what this means for social work practice across the broader health system.

Participants will gain a practical understanding of how a palliative approach to care, focused on early identification, goals of care conversations, and interdisciplinary care planning is being integrated into LTC as a core model of care.

EVENT DETAILS
Date – Monday, June 22, 2026
Time – 12:00 – 1:00 pm EST
Online

Find out more details and sign up now - https://www.gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1125&EID=33103

This webinar is FREE for everyone to attend.

MEMBERS SAVE MORE! Become an OASW member and unlock exclusive discounts on event pricing. Visit our website for more information - https://www.oasw.org/Public/Public/Join_Now/Join_Now.aspx

06/08/2026

We're proud to share that OASW CEO Ajirioghene Evi will be joining Fred Phelps, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Social Workers, as a featured speaker at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work Alumni Association Distinguished Speakers Series on June 16.
In celebration of 100 years of CASW, this year’s keynote invites social workers to reflect on the profession’s history in Canada and Ontario, including the ways it has both advanced care and contributed to inequities.

The event is open to everyone (no alumni status required!)
📅 June 16, 2026 | 6:00–7:15 PM
📍 Music Room, Hart House, University of Toronto (or join online).
🔗Learn more & Register:

Launched in 2014, the Factor-Inwentash Alumni Association Distinguished Speakers Series was created to bring leading-edge thinkers to the Faculty to explore avant-garde issues.

06/06/2026

As we move through Indigenous History Month, OASW is inspired by the leaders across Ontario who are celebrating Indigenous teachings, strength and self-determination. Steven Wayne Coptie, a Mental Wellness Social Worker at Wasauksing First Nation, spoke with OASW in the spring about his journey as a social worker and the bold tradition of advocacy that preceded his work.

For Steve, social work is a practice of solidarity. His message for social workers is clear: reconciliation requires not just Indigenous leadership, but allies willing to confront uncomfortable truths and work collectively toward justice.

Read the profile: https://www.oasw.org/TheSocial/The-Social/Social-Workers-Are/sww-reconciliation-leaders.aspx

06/05/2026

As we move through Indigenous History Month, OASW is reflecting on how colonialism and anti-Indigenous racism continues to harm Indigenous communities in Ontario and across Canada.

This new study from Centre universitaire de santé McGill - McGill University Health Centre highlights the interconnected barriers Indigenous people face in hospital settings. Through sharing photographs and reflections of their care experiences, participants in this study documented racialized neglect rooted in colonial stereotypes that dismissed their pain and medical preferences. "Their reflections — that access to interpreters, Elders, traditional healers, and family promote healing — suggest Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination are required rather than mere service improvements," suggests researchers Sahar Fazeli PhD, Ka Man Ho RN, Claudia Mitchell PhD, and Romina Pace MD MSc.

06/05/2026

Cet atelier pratique vous aidera à repérer les critères diagnostics, à mieux comprendre le rôle du travail social et à repartir avec des outils concrets pour soutenir les familles.

Un présentation de: Noémie Hébert-Lalonde, neuropsychologue clinicienne en bureau privé et formatrice au Centre de formation CENOP.

En savoir plus: https://oasw.zoom.us/meeting/register/LvHjbQWvQeu5GHzVC5zISg? #/registration

06/04/2026

“Social Workers are Everyday Heroes” – Dr. Carolyn Mak at the OASW Annual Joan MacKenzie Davies Keynote Presentation, 2026 AGM

Dr. Mak, Assistant Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, delivered a fascinating keynote presentation exploring practices and competencies to help social workers better understand and serve their clients and communities.

Watch the full video now on YouTube and learn how you can use these approaches in your own practice – https://youtu.be/ld5pAeGL4rA

Share your own insights and experience in the comments below. We would love to hear from you.

Want even more insightful content and learning opportunities? Become an OASW member to get access to an extensive suite of learning content and professional development resources. Visit our website to join now - https://www.oasw.org/Public/Public/Join_Now/Join_Now.aspx

06/02/2026

Explore how Ontario’s Provincial Framework for Palliative Care is being operationalized within long-term care (LTC) settings, at our upcoming FREE OLC webinar on June 22

Participants will gain a practical understanding of how a palliative approach to care, focused on early identification, goals of care conversations, and interdisciplinary care planning is being integrated into LTC as a core model of care.

EVENT DETAILS
Date – Monday, June 22, 2026
Time – 12:00 – 1:00 pm EST
Online

Find out more details and sign up now - https://www.gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1125&EID=33066

This webinar is FREE for everyone to attend.

MEMBERS SAVE MORE! Become an OASW member and unlock exclusive discounts on event pricing. Visit our website for more information - https://www.oasw.org/Public/Public/Join_Now/Join_Now.aspx