Abstracts
Abstract
Indigenous peoples have been reclaiming jurisdiction over their child welfare services and Western society has been increasingly acknowledging that Indigenous peoples are in the best position to provide these services. While the number of Indigenous social workers has historically been low, especially when compared to the population they serve, their numbers seem to be on the rise. In spite of that reality, most social service organizations continue to operate from a Western perspective, with little attention paid to the ways in which they must change in order to provide space for the Indigenous social workers they employ. This study explores the experiences of nine First Nations and Métis social workers in British Columbia (BC). The researcher, a Métis scholar and former child welfare social worker, conducted data collection and analysis through a Métissage framework, using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed nine themes, including the need for (1) Knowledgeable leadership that supports autonomy; (2) Flexibility in practice; (3) Policy that fits both Indigenous and Western paradigms; (4) Relationships with other supportive social workers; (5) Support to navigate overlap between the personal and the professional; (6) Set standards/experienced co-workers; (7) Equitable workplace resources; (8) Respect regarding Indigenous identity, and; (9) Supports to maintain wellness. Recommendations suggest how this information can be used by organizations to better support the Indigenous social workers they employ.
Keywords:
- Indigenous,
- social work,
- retention,
- support
Résumé
Les peuples autochtones ont récupéré la compétence sur leurs services de protection de l’enfance et la société occidentale reconnaît de plus en plus que les peuples autochtones sont les mieux placés pour fournir ces services. Bien que le nombre de travailleurs sociaux autochtones ait toujours été faible, surtout si on le compare à la population qu’ils desservent, leur nombre semble augmenter. Toutefois, le recrutement et le maintien en poste demeurent un problème. Cette étude explore les expériences de neuf travailleurs sociaux des Premières nations et des Métis en Colombie-Britannique (C.-B.) au sujet de ces questions. Le chercheur, un chercheur métis et ancien travailleur social de la protection de l’enfance, a effectué la collecte et l’analyse des données dans un cadre de métissage, à l’aide d’entrevues semi-structurées. L’analyse thématique a révélé neuf thèmes, y compris le besoin de 1) leadership éclairé qui favorise l’autonomie, 2) souplesse dans la pratique, 3) politique correspondant aux paradigmes autochtones et occidentaux, 4) relations avec d’autres travailleurs sociaux de soutien, 5) soutien pour naviguer entre le personnel et le professionnel, 6) établissement de normes et apport de collaborateurs expérimentés, 7) ressources équitables en milieu de travail, 8) respect de l’identité autochtone, 9) soutien au maintien du mieux-être. Les recommandations suggèrent comment ces données peuvent être utilisées par les organismes pour mieux soutenir les travailleurs sociaux autochtones qu’ils emploient.
Mots-clés :
- Autochtones,
- travail social,
- rétention,
- soutien
Appendices
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