Dame Moira Gibb speaks on the UK Framework for Professional Regulation and Improving Practice Standards
The School of Social Work is pleased to present a public lecture by Dame Moira Gibb, chair of the Social Work Reform Board of England, on the UK Framework for Professional Regulation and Improving Practice Standards on Thursday, November 22nd, 2012, 10 a.m.—12 p.m., in Wilson Hall, Room #326. The invite can be read from here.
Congratulations to Dr. Daphne Nahmiash, Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal!
The School of Social Work wishes to congratulate Dr. Daphne Nahmiash, long-time field supervisor for the School, on receiving the precious Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Canadian Association on Gerontology (CAG) for her remarkable contributions to gerontology.
This new commemorative medal was created to mark the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada. The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal is a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country. At the same time, it serves to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians like Dr. Nahmiash who “have made a significant contribution to a particular province, territory, region or community within Canada, or an achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada”.
Dr. Nahmiash has been working in the field of seniors’ health and social services for the past 50 years. She has been part of many government committees and volunteer boards, including at the Quebec Health and Social Services Ministry where she produced government reports on senior abuse, neglect and services to seniors. As a long time field supervisor for the McGill School of Social Work, Dr. Nahmiash has also trained many of our students in geriatric social work practice.
To learn more about this award, please click here.
Prof. Nico Trocmé Receives SSHRC’s Large Partnership Grants
Prof. Nico Trocmé, of the School of Social work, was recently awarded large partnership grants by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) along with another McGill researcher, Prof. Susanne Lajoie, of the Faculty of Education.
These SSHRC grants are designed to foster research partnerships among the academic, private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Prof. Nico Trocmé will receive over $1.5 million over seven years to work with researchers, provincial service associations and direct service providers to gather and analyze information about the child protection services provided in Quebec to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. The goals of the research will be to both gather data about the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in youth protection services and to examine their trajectories within this system. The hope is that by gathering this information, researchers and social service agencies will be better equipped to develop policies to tackle some of the larger challenges Aboriginal youth face.
To learn about these grants, please click here.
Homecoming Newsletter 2012
It’s Homecoming at McGill and the School of Social Work is very pleased to welcome you to join us on Thursday, 11th October at 5:00pm to meet old friends and renew contact with your alma mater. This year’s annual Homecoming honors graduates of years ending in 2 and 7. With the Homecoming comes also an update from Dr. Thomson, the Director, on news about the school. Please click here to read the complete homecoming newsletter 2012.
Homecoming Lecture 2012: Being the Change You Want to See in the World...
The 2012 Homecoming Lecture highlighted the work of four exceptional social work doctoral students whose work spans a diversity of topics and innovative research methodologies. These students, namely, Bree Akesson, Kim Coleman, Tonino Esposito and Edward Ou Jin Lee, demonstrated how evidence-based research can effectively impact programs and policies. Please take a look at our flyer for Homecoming_Lecture 2012 to learn more about their inspiring work.
Dr. Tamara Sussman Shares Her Perspectives on Teaching and Learning with McGill Community at large...
The School of Social Work takes professional teaching and learning seriously and is delighted to have its faculty members get actively involved in University initiatives to enhance student learning. In a recent interview with Teaching and Learning Services, Dr. Tamara Sussman, winner of H. Noel Fieldhouse Award for Distinguished Teaching (2011), shares her perspectives on teaching and learning with colleagues, students and McGill Community at large. In-depth interview with Dr. Sussman more...
Congratulations to Ai Thien Tran, Winner of the Prestigious Canada's Top 25 Immigrants Award 2012!
The School of Social Work is very pleased that Ai Thien Tran is the first Canadian of Vietnamese origin to be selected as one of the winners of the prestigious "Canada's Top 25 Immigrants Award" of 2012. Ai graduated with great distinction from the School of Social Work in 2009. His leadership and outstanding contribution to the School was recognized by his receipt of the Sadie Aronoff award. “I want to share this honor with McGill School of Social Work and all of my professors who have helped me achieve the dream of becoming a professional social worker.” Amongst other winners of this prestigious award are Olivia Chow and K’naan of hip hop fame (Keinan Abdi Warsame).
Mr Tran’s is an extraordinary story of Courage and Resilience to succeed.
It was a long and arduous journey for Ai Thien Tran when he left Vietnam as a 20-year-old boat person. He spent 12 years as a stateless refugee in a refugee camp in the Philippines, facing many hardships as a displaced person. One day, he received a letter from his long lost childhood friend who had been trying to find him for years, even though she had immigrated to Montreal in 1993. The two were married in 2000 and she sponsored him to come to Canada in 2001. When he arrived, Tran faced the typical challenges that most newcomers face, in addition to the psychological and emotional trauma leftover from having lived in isolation. Through it all, Tran has shown great resilience. Eventually, he found a simple warehouse job at a manufacturing company in Montreal, and, within four years, he rose to the rank of human resources co-coordinator for the company.
He also enrolled in the social work program at McGill University to add value to the practical experience he had in the field where he graduated with honours. He was ranked among the top 15 per cent in his class, with a GPA of 4.0. Because of this achievement, Tran was invited to be a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, an organization honouring some of the top university students around the world.
In 2006, he won the Golden Key award that recognizes members who achieve academic excellence while balancing additional commitments such as family and career. Tran was one of 10 students from around the world and the only Canadian student to receive it. He was also selected by Thoi Bao Canada as one of the 10 outstanding students of Quebec to receive a scholarship.“I study hard for my wife. I want to prove to her that she made the right choice. And to thank her for saving me,” says Tran.
Tran says family support, self-motivation and a “can-do” attitude are key factors that helped him succeed in Canada and he strongly believes that those are the very same things that would help other newcomers to Canada, too. Currently, Tran is also actively involved in the Vietnamese Canadian Federation and the Citizen Advisory Committee of the Ottawa Parole Office.
“We’ve all been given a great opportunity here in North America. I’m not going to waste my chance or take it for granted.” To read more about the achievements of the winners, please visit the Top 25 website.
Farewell Party to Liz Ierfino
After more than 40 years of service with the School of Social Work, Liz Ierfino decided to retire. We marked the occasion with a reception in her honor, attended by many alumnae and faculty from near and far.
Congratulations to our Six Social Work Students,Recipients of the 2012 Faculty of Arts Internship Awards!
The School of Social Work wishes to congratulate Léa Bou-Malham (U2), Josiane LaBadie (U3), Joanna Kolb (MSW), Marysabel Moreno (U2) on receiving Hinda Ordower King Awards of Merit and Shaday Lavallée (U2) & Ariane Duplessis (U3) on receiving William Henry Kelly Social Work Summer Internship Award. To read more about their achievements, please click here.
PhD Student Tonino Esposito Receives the Wolfe Graduate Fellowship!
The School of Social Work wishes to congratulate PhD student Tonino Esposito on receiving the Wolfe graduate fellowship. This fellowship is awarded to students whose thesis projects further the mission of the Wolfe Chair. The mandate of the Wolfe Chair is to conduct research, teach and perform public outreach regarding the intellectual foundations, nature and methods of scientific and technological innovation and to provide support to well-rounded students capable of making constructive contributions to debates surrounding science, technology and society. Toni's receipt of the award speaks highly to his accomplishments and current project on out-of-home placement for maltreated children in Quebec. Congratulations Toni!
PhD Student Rosemary Carlton Receives the 2011-2012 Teaching Assistant Award!
The School of Social Work congratulates PhD student Rosemary Carlton, well deserved recipient of the 2011-2012 Teaching Assistant Award! The Faculty of Arts Graduate Student Teaching Awards are designed to recognize outstanding teaching in the Faculty by graduate students.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research names Bill Ryan
one of the Top Ten Researchers in Gender and Health of the Last Ten Years
Bill Ryan, adjunct Professor at the School of Social Work, was recognized along with Line Chamberlain of the Université du Québec à Montréal for the contribution their research has made in changing social policy and attitudes in Québec and elsewhere in Canada. To learn more about Bill Ryan's achievement, please click here: Bill Ryan Named Top Ten Researcher or visit CIHR's Top Ten in Ten Years report.
Publication Launch - Le Québec économique 2011: Un bilan de santé du Québec"
Dr. Wendy Thomson, Director and Professor, School of Social Work, McGill University, annouces the publication of Le Québec économique 2011, a collaborative work with colleagues from CIRANO (Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en analyse des organisations).
To read more, click here.