RDC social work students ‘Bringing Change to Life’

A variety of social work student-art was also on display in the Forum at RDC along with other interactive and multicultural activities.

Shendaruk says social work students are involved in a wide-range of issues throughout our community.

“We’re involved in addictions, victim services, different programs with children, with the senior population, shelters and a lot of different levels as well,” Shendaruk points out. “So we’re involved in policy and then on the ground level, front line kind of work, working as case workers or in outreach support programs, things like that.”

In terms of public misconceptions about social workers, Shendaruk’s experiences reveal many people seem to think she works for Child Welfare and wants to take people’s kids away.

“That’s one of the biggest misconceptions about social work,” says Shendaruk. “Yes, that is one of the bigger fields that we do work in but there’s just so much more that people don’t know about. Our outreach services and all the different support services that we’re involved in like art-therapy, music-therapy, pet-therapy, cognitive-therapy, there’s just so many wide ranges.”

As for herself, Shendaruk is working towards becoming an Art Therapist.

“I can do that through social work and use art as a practice, as a way for people to cope and to counsel people in that way,” Shendaruk explains.

She points to a number of local organizations that have social workers providing numerous types of programs that many in our community access for a variety of supports.

“Women’s Outreach in town, Victim Services, the different shelters, Immigration Services, things like that,” adds Shendaruk. “A lot of those jobs are social workers to offer that kinds of support, it’s not just child welfare.”

Social Work Week in Alberta runs March 4 – 10.

by Sheldon Spackman

RDC social work students ‘Bringing Change to Life’

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