The Blanket Exercise traces the relationship between Europeans and Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Participants will respond to various cues and read prepared scrolls.  The blankets used represent “Turtle Island” or to most Canadians, Canada and what was life for Indigenous people pre-contact.  By the end of the exercise participants will have a visual representation of what Canada looks like now for Indigenous people and the impacts that colonization has had over the years.

Workshop Time: 

1:00 am - 4:00pm

Presenter:

Derek Chewka, MSW, RSW
 

Derek Chewka started his Social Work career after graduating from MacEwan’s Social Work Program in 1992. Since that time Derek’s passion and focus has been on building positive working relationships with First Nations and Metis communities as well as urban Indigenous individuals, communities and agencies in an effort to merge Western philosophies of Social Work (helping) with an Indigenous world view (healing). This process incorporates the notion of many ways of knowing and the amalgamation of Indigenous ceremony and knowledge with practice to the forefront of service delivery systems.
Discovering his own Metis ancestry late in life and achieving his MSW through the University of Calgary’s School of Social Work delivered on site at Blue Quills First Nation College (now University) it reignited his passion for advocating for change. In 2011, he left his career with the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate to become one of the Senior Managers of Aboriginal Supports and Services with Children’s Services, Edmonton Region. During that time he has become a Sessional Instructor in Social Work at both the University of Calgary and MacEwan Universities. Over the last six years his time has been dedicated to reviewing government policies and challenging the system to try new ways of working together with Indigenous children, youth, families, communities and Nations.
As of today’s date, Derek is transitioning into a new role as Educator at MacEwan University as an Instructor in the Social Work Program of the School of Social Work. Derek is also the current Chair of the Indigenous Social Work Committee of the Alberta College of Social Workers.

Attendance Requirements:  

In order to receive the 3 Category A credits participants must attend the entire workshop.
Partial credits will not be provided.

Fees (Include Light Refreshments):

$30 for RSW and ACSW members

$20 for ACSW student members

$25 for other social work students

$60 for all other participants

Please be sure to indicate any dietary concerns.


Maximum Participants:  40 

Due to the low registration fee NO refunds for cancellation will be given.