Onajigawin Indigenous Services Courses

In this course, students will be introduced to academic writing styles with a thematic focus on current issues. This course will help students to express themselves clearly and correctly in written form. Students will critically analyse assigned readings and express their thoughts. The course will also focus on the development of an academic paper utilizing the APA style of documentation.

In this course, students will define and discuss concepts of assimilation and the displacement of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Making connections to racist legislation that has informed historical and intergenerational trauma. Continued with exploring 'being displaced' rather than ‘being disordered using the Tribal Theory Framework. Finally, students will gain an Indigenous perspective around holistic health and wellbeing along with the importance of cultural continuity.

In this course, students will recognize that Indigenous Knowledge contributes to the non-Indigenous understandings in the world. Traditional knowledge is part of the inheritance of humankind and thus we have inherent rights, roles, and responsibilities. Students will learn about cultural practices and cultural diversity, the interconnectedness of all things, while understanding the importance of respect, responsible relationships, and relevance, as well as, considering the Seven Generations Principles. Students and future Helpers will learn about the importance of following protocols to build stronger relationships with Indigenous peoples, families, and communities and learn about the different ways of interacting.

In this course, students will develop an understanding and promote positive relationships between the helper and their clients. Students will examine their sense of self, what informs their knowledge, discuss the complex nature of oppression, examine the ideology of racism, and how to apply cultural humility within their work as a helper, while providing culturally-safe care.

This course is designed to help prepare students for their initial placement experiences in the helping field. Students will learn about the roles and responsibilities of being a helper, the various agencies and organizations in which they are employed, and the placement opportunities available that will help facilitate progression towards their goals and aspirations as a helper in various sectors. Students will be introduced to placement search techniques, field placement learning objectives, roles of agency supervisors and college advisors. In order to succeed in this course, students will complete the necessary requirements, forms, and paperwork required for field placement.

This course is the first field experience which enables the student to begin to integrate acquired theory into the work place. Students are observing and working towards taking on responsibilities in working directly with individuals, families, and communities and is learning how to access community resources. Students maybe be involved in direct services, case management, program development and implementation, workshops, presentations, advocacy or any other significant activity that is part of the agency mandate. The student is guided and evaluated in this learning experience by an agency supervisor and the faculty liaison.

This course introduces students to the necessary interpersonal skills required to work in the field of human services. It will examine the nature of interpersonal communication and how is influenced by perception. It will also explore how emotions can be communicated in appropriate ways. It's focus on verbal and nonverbal communication, listening skills, managing conflict, self-awareness and intercultural communications will provide a solid base for students to begin their work in agencies and with clients. Students will be expected to practice and demonstrate these strategies during their field placement. This course will also provide opportunities for dialogue and reflection of issues and experiences working with clients, agencies and communities during the concurrent field placement.

In this course, students will be examining colonialism as an Indigenous Determinant of Health beyond the social and its direct connection to how violence is constructed and understood. Students will explore personal and collective commitment to decolonization approaches within the helping profession to support ending violence in settler colonial context and to bring about healing within Indigenous peoples, families, and communities.

In this course, students will continue to explore cultural specific skills and approaches that are specific to traditional helping with Indigenous peoples. Traditional Indigenous helping practices and culturally appropriate service approaches are explored. Students will also explore promising healing practices, elements, and other values and guiding principles for restoring balance and harmony in families and communities.

In this course, students will be rethinking determinants of Indigenous peoples' health in Canada. Students will examine contemporary ideological and political structures that influence health trajectories of Indigenous children, youth and future generations. Moving through Indigenous Theory students will learn about mino-pimatisiwin, living a good life, as a comprehensive health philosophy shared by several Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island. Students will also discuss traditions and beliefs related to death, dying, loss and grief through a holistic lens.

This course is designed to further prepare students after their initial placement experiences in the helping field. Students will further develop their roles and responsibilities as a soon to be Helper, the various agencies and organizations in which they are employed, and the placement opportunities available that will help facilitate progression towards their goals and aspirations as a helper in various sectors. Students will be engage in field placement search techniques, field placement learning objectives, revisit the roles of agency supervisors and college advisors. In order to succeed in this course, students will complete the necessary requirements, forms, and paperwork required for field placement.

This course provides students with the opportunity to develop basic interviewing, assessment, counseling, and case management skills that are required when working in a helping relationship. An anti-oppressive and strength-based theoretical framework will be used to explore values, ethics and strategies that are necessary to establish meaningful therapeutic relationships with families, youth and children. Students will be encouraged to apply holistic and Indigenous helping principles in the development of these foundational skills.

In this course, students will examine historical development and current political and ideological influences on the social welfare system in Canada. This course also examines contemporary challenges being experienced by Canadians living within the social welfare system and role of the professions of Social Work and Social Service Work in assisting with addressing those challenges.

In this course, students will recognize that the current child welfare system that has operated over decades requires significant reform and transformation shifting from protection to prevention when addressing child and family well-being in community. The course will explore the devolution of provincial child welfare jurisdiction to Indigenous authorities. Students will also recognize that Indigenous peoples have sovereignty, inherent rights, and jurisdiction to determine their own culturally distinct, integrative and holistic community healing approaches to social wellness. The course will highlight the importance of cultural revitalization, self-determination, and Indigenous knowledge systems in promoting the wellbeing and resilience of Indigenous children and communities.

This course provides the cultural and historical foundation needed to work effectively with Indigenous children, parents, and families as a Helper. Students will discuss the importance of 'a sacred family circle' as a process which involves an open discussion of family strengths, while respecting cultural and spiritual differences, with the goal to develop solutions that meet the needs of the child and family. Students will also learn about, engage in, and acknowledge the history and teachings of Indigenous peoples as they begin their parenting journey by using the Medicine Wheel as a unifying force of life and the foundation for many teachings about preconception to parenting. Furthermore, students will discuss the traditional kinship system and how it emphasized familial relationships for the sake of child rearing and imparting traditional values of respect, reciprocity, and balance.

This course is this second field experience which enables the student to further integrate acquired theory into the work place. Students are expected to work towards taking on increased responsibilities in working directly with individuals, families, and communities and is learning how to access community resources. Students maybe be involved in direct services, case management, program development and implementation, workshops, presentations, advocacy or any other significant activity that is part of the agency mandate. The student is guided and evaluated in this learning experience by an agency supervisor and the faculty liaison.

Anti- oppressive social work involves not only direct service with clients and groups but the passion and capacity to understand how to address systemic issues, structural inequalities, and social change. This course examines the use and practices of Indigenous principles within this course of action. Students will focus specifically on ways in which to interact, network and augment activities that promote the agenda of many community development processes already in place. Students will learn about the basic skills of community organizing and development. They will explore the history and types of advocacy carried out by Indigenous peoples in their work within Canadian society for equity, justice and self-determination. They will practice effective group organizing through the identifications of a local social issue of concern, networking with local partners and organizing a community development initiative.

In this course, students will examine community development processes to support Indigenous communities experiencing challenges relating to psychoactive substances. Students will be able to describe the nature, extent and context of these substances in relation to the development and implementation of culturally appropriate treatment programs across various Indigenous communities.