School of Social Work

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Message from the Director

Welcome!

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the School of Social Work at McGill University, located on unceded territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabeg Nations. We are thankful for their care of the waters and lands of this area and seek to walk the talk of authentic reconciliation.

I joined the faculty in the McGill School of Social Work in 2006. Prior to becoming the School’s Director, I had the privilege of serving as the Director of the BSW and MSW programs. I am a co-founder of Indigenous Access McGill and Indigenous Field Studies. In addition to these roles, I have been actively working on the establishment of a new BSW program, Inulirijiit, delivered in Nunavik. The first cohort of Inuit students started Inulirijiit this Fall.

I am a mother to 3 young men as well as a researcher, teacher, and community advocate. I have focused my academic career on exploring the lived experiences of refugeed peoples in resettlement contexts and working with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities to support youths’ access to post-secondary education.

I have two central goals for the School of Social Work: First, to proactively work on a sustainable learning environment grounded on social justice, authentic reconciliation and anti-racism; Second, to sustain a progressive School community which strives to engage students and faculty in critical inquiry and promote equity in relationships and practice. I recognize that building respectful, authentic relationships takes time, energy, and commitment. I dedicate myself fully to continuing the process that our previous director, Dr. Nico Trocmé, began.

I am excited to be starting this journey together, with you, as part of an educational community that is actively working to reclaim space for equity-focused social work. Approaching learning from a critical perspective widens the space for inquiry into our own values, assumptions, biases, and social location. I therefore strongly encourage you to self-reflect, exchange ideas openly and respectfully, and engage in critical analysis regardless of the subject matter of the course.

The School’s excellence resides in its people—students, staff, faculty, and community partners. I encourage you to look at our website and explore the rich research and teaching interests of our faculty. You will find someone whose area of interest is aligned with yours. I look forward to engaging collaboratively in improving the lives of those with whom we live, work, and share community. Wishing you all an enriching and fulfilling academic year!

Dr. Nicole Ives,

Director