Acknowledging harm, deepening understanding, and taking meaningful steps forward.
It is important, for the British Columbia College of Social Workers and for Social Workers registered with the College, to acknowledge the harm the profession has caused First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and to move this acknowledgement into actions; into learning about the histories of Indigenous Peoples, of colonialism on these lands, and of Indigenous-specific anti-racism. This work is crucial in moving forward and in taking up the calls to action included in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Actions, the Reclaiming Power and Place Calls to Justice, and in the In Plain Sight Report’s Recommendations.
The College has committed to decolonial and reconciliatory work with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples in the implementation of a culturally safe, diverse, and accessible Social Work regulatory system that improves public trust and protection. This includes a movement into actioning the calls to action and justice mentioned above. A step the College has taken, that arose through the advocacy and guidance of Indigenous Peoples and the Indigenous Council, is the required cultural safety, cultural humility, anti-Indigenous specific racism, and Indigenous-specific cultural learning within the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program for all Social Workers registered with the College.
There is still much work to be done as the College looks to actioning further calls and recommendations and to its ongoing strategic priorities in Indigenous cultural safety, addressing anti-Indigenous specific racism, and meaningfully engaging with Indigenous Peoples and communities – ensuring a reconciliatory framework grounded in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Whether you are a Registered Social Worker, a member of the public, or working in another field, it is the responsibility of all non-Indigenous people to take up this work and to move our words of commitment into action. We humbly acknowledge that reconciliation is not a one-time act, but an ongoing journey—one that calls for humility, accountability, and meaningful action.
As the College, we affirm our responsibility to learn from Indigenous Peoples, to listen with respect, and to act with integrity. We acknowledge with gratitude that our work takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of Indigenous Peoples across Canada and in particular British Columbia. We are committed to walking this path in partnership, embedding reconciliation and Indigenous-specific anti-racism into all areas of our work, and holding ourselves accountable to the communities we serve.
