Research Project
Overview of Research Project
The research project, Embodying Structural Social Work in Practice, was inspired by, and derived from, Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students who consistently seek practical wisdom and stories of local structural social workers to gain insight into how to maintain and practice structural social work in predominantly conventional settings. The research sought to fill a gap in structural social work research, education, and practice. The overall goal of the research is to provide BSW students, and practicing social workers, with practical wisdom, advice, and inspiration for maintaining structural social work, offering examples of applications of structural practice in an Atlantic Canadian context.
“You have to reflect inside who you are, what you have, what you’re all about as a social worker, and what brought you here in the first place.“
“We’re the ones who want to see justice, we’re the ones who believe that it’s possible to have justice and to have a better world so you just- you can’t. No matter how tired you get, you can’t stop believing that that’s a possibility.”
Research Participant’s
Research Question:
How do practicing social workers in Atlantic Canada maintain and embody structural social work in daily practice while working in predominantly conventional settings?
Participant Demographics
28 Interviews
494+ Cumulative practice years of experience
2-40+ Years experience
Average 17.5 years of practice experience
1 Nova Scotia, 2 Prince Edward Island, 25 New Brunswick
Participants represented a wide-range of practice
Participant Demographics
Practice Areas
Mental Health
Addictions
Hospital and Heatlh
Adult Services
Integrated Service Delivery
Intimate Partner Violence
Psychiatry
Employee Assistance Program
Military
Government Leadership
Palliative Care
Justice
Non-Profit
Housing
Disability
Outreach
Private Practice
Policy
Rehabilitation
Grief & Bereavement
Key Findings: How to Embody Structural Social Work in Practice
Thank You to the Participants
Thank you to each participant for your gift of time, wisdom, and sharing of stories. This research would not be possible without you, and we are so thankful for your continued commitment to structural social work and social justice.
Thank You to the Funders
We would like to thank and recognize St. Thomas University and the Harrison McCain Research Foundation for generously funding this research project.
Research Ethics Approval
REB2022-10