Innovation
New approaches and new directions
Start Something
Since implementing A Place to Gather (2022-27 Strategic Plan), we've prioritized cultivating innovative ideas and solutions that create social value and foster human connection. This has led to the creation of multiple transdisciplinary professorships, including the new Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professorship in Youth, Sibling, and Community Engaged Research (Dr. Linda Nguyen) and a new transdisciplinary professor, Roz Zulla, both of whom will leverage diverse perspectives to make a meaningful impact.
These positions are supported by the Reciprocity Project, which integrates research, teaching, and service to promote social justice.
In February 2024, Dr. Caroline Tait's Cafe Scientifique exemplified this innovation by bringing together academics, individuals with lived experience, policymakers, and community groups to address organ transplant and donation policy across Canada.
The Reciprocity Project:
Linking the Faculty of Social Work to the heartbeat of the community
As part of our A Place to Gather Strategic Plan (2022-27), we committed to fostering research collaborations that drive social change. To realize this, we developed the Reciprocity and Human Connection Project, which is already being implemented by our professional development team to deeply connect the Faculty of Social Work with the community.
The Reciprocity Project supports transdisciplinary teams in working with the community to design and implement initiatives that advance systems change and social justice. It operates under three key streams:
- Teaching, learning, and professional development
- Action-focused research and knowledge hubs
- Community initiatives driving systems change
By working in a non-extractive. integrated. and reciprocal manner, the Reciprocity Project is a powerful model for creating transformative, community-focused change.
Growth
2024 Azrieli Accelerator Professorship hired
2024 First edition of Transformative Social Work published
2024 Distress Centre Calgary Knowledge Hub created
2024 Reciprocity: Belonging for Second Generation Youth project launched
2024 New partnership model allows faculty to offer BSW in ULethbridge classrooms with new integrated space for faculty and staff.
2024 New transdisciplinary professor hired
2023 Knowledge Hub with Immigrant Services Calgary launched
2023 Knowledge Hub with Luna Child & Youth Advocacy Centre launched
2023 Non-profit leadership program launched
2021 Field Education Rotational Practicum pilot
2019 Transforming the Field Education Landscape national/international project
2019 Indigenous Circle and Lodge within the Faculty of Social Work created to support Indigenous students, incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and being, and work to decolonize the profession
1981 Faculty pioneers social work distance learning with Learning Circles
Innovation Spotlights
Non-Profit Leadership Course Making an Impact
In December 2023, the faculty launched the Non-Profit Leadership Development Program for community-based organizations. The program equips non-profit leaders, many from grassroots organizations, with the skills and knowledge to lead effectively.
"Through this program, we’re creating equitable opportunities for leaders and supporting marginalized communities," says Yared Belanyeh, professional development lead.
The program blends skills development with mentorship and a community of practice, empowering leaders to create lasting change. "It’s about transforming perspectives and building capacity to drive meaningful impact," adds Aylin Arzola Salazar, program manager.
Field Education
Our field education team is pioneering approaches to create meaningful practicum experiences while reducing the supervision burden on social workers. The rotational practicum, piloted with Alberta Health Services, allows students to rotate through multiple roles, offering broad exposure while easing demands on individual practitioners.
Other innovations include partnerships with faculties like Nursing and self-directed practicums, enabling students to align their field experiences with their passions or research interests.
Remote Work-Experience Placement with Beaverlodge
A pilot project is connecting UCalgary Social Work and Nursing students with the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) agency in Beaverlodge, Alberta—virtually. Launched in fall 2023, this innovative practicum allows students to remotely engage in rural community health and social services, expanding their interdisciplinary perspectives.
Supported by a UCalgary Teaching and Learning Grant, a three-year study will explore how this flexible online model can be sustained.
Multi-Sensory Storytelling Research Studio
2023 marked a significant year for Dr. Kathleen Sitter, PhD, Canada Research Chair in Multisensory Research and Knowledge Translation. Besides earning the Dorothy Killam Fellowship, Dr. Sitter opened the online Multi-Sensory Storytelling Research Studio.
The studio fosters inclusion for people with disabilities by using sensory experiences—touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell—to help marginalized groups fully participate in society.
Innovation Spotlight: Luna Transforming Child-Advocacy Landscape
A partnership between the faculty and the Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre aims to improve child advocacy services by using research to answer critical frontline questions. Led by Dr. Naomi Parker and Dr. Gina Dimitropoulos, the project collaborates with child advocacy centres (CYACs) across Canada to establish a national research hub.
This approach ensures that research is grounded in the realities of daily service delivery, ultimately shaping better outcomes for children and adolescents who have experienced abuse