Values Guide

Throughout the courses six Modules, we engaged readings, discussion questions, and reflection activities/journaling to help elucidate the Values of good practice in relation to questions of social works role in colonial processes and responsibilities for you as a social worker to re-engage the circle of relations on Turtle Island. This assignment asks you to position yourself on the Two Row wholistically by creatively synthesize your understandings; and reflect on what it means for your social work practice with Indigenous peoples/communities and the settler social service agencies you may work within.

This assignment asks that you start with Gratitude as discussed in Module 1. From there, you will begin positioning yourself on the Two Row by introducing yourself: who are you, where do you come from? What lands are under your feet and how has that informed how you engage Indigenous-Settler relations from your position? Throughout this process, you are asked to discuss some of the values outlined throughout the course (e.g., Gratitude, Truth, Friendship) that will inform your social work practice and responsibilities to social work as a whole. Students are encouraged to bring in values that may not have been covered but are central to who they are and defining relational accountability for themselves.

Once you have positioned yourself on Two Row, discuss some values that can inform your social work practice and responsibilities to social work. Students are encouraged to bring in values from the course and/or that may not have been covered but are central to who they are, the teachings they hold, and their own social location. Drawing on course materials, including Indigenous led reports and readings, students are asked to move from knowing to doing. This understanding is central to relational accountability. How will you take what you have learned, be guided by the values you carry and those of the Two Row, into your work as a social worker? Draw upon tangible action and advocacy, relationship building, truth telling, and accountability. Students are asked to move beyond stating facts and move into deep reflection of what social work practice means in the face of truth. Students are asked to identify how to walk in good relationship and how respectful relationships must be maintained.

Guidelines/Heading Ideas: (this format is not mandatory, please format your paper in a way that makes sense to you)

1. Start with Gratitude/Thanksgiving What are you grateful for? Who/what do you give thanks to, why is this important?
2. Positioning/Introduction, who are you, where are you from? Where is your family from/how did they come to be on these lands? What lands are you lifting in your introduction now and going forward in your practice?
3. Values Outline 2-4 values as your approach to relational accountability and sub-titles are optional (explain how you understand the value, what you have you learned about enacting that value (including challenges), and how will you incorporate this into your practice.
4. Moving into the Action of Relational Accountability Based on your positionality and values, what does knowing the relational truth of Social Work with/for Indigenous people mean for your work? What is a TRC call to action you have centered for yourself and your practice? What value-informed actions can you take towards reconciliation and relationship building. If you are a settler, in what ways can you move into allyship and action, what reports can you draw upon, what value-informed tangible actions can you take towards reconciliation/de-colonization and relationship building. If you are Indigenous, what does moving into the action of relational accountability mean for you? What value-informed tangible actions can you take towards reconciliation/de-colonization/Indigenization and relationship building.
5. Conclusion What has changed for you as you continue to intentionally engage ways of walking in good relationship?

• Draw upon your responses from Module activities and assignments in previous sections.
• References: a minimum of eight book chapters and/or articles required across the Modules. Each chapter in the Textbook is considered a separate chapter. APA referencing required.
• This is a reflective and critical piece, so you can use I.

The values are: Gratitude, Truth, Friendship/Sharing, Respect/Honesty, Peace and Our Values