Wednesday, March 11^th, 2026, FSS 4007

Description of activities

The School of Social Work, the Association of Social Work Students (ADETS), and the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (CÉDI) of the School of Social Work invite you to participate in various activities organized as part of the University of Ottawa's Social Work Day, with financial support from the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS – volet Université d’Ottawa).

All events will be in French and in person. You are welcome to bring your children. 

Social work promotes inclusion and the development of intervention approaches that reflect people's realities. Diversity is increasingly being emphasized in interventions, and we are also seeing the development of a new field of intervention: eco-social or nature-based intervention. Interesting reflections can be made on social inequalities, colonialism, systemic racism, access to land, and migratory movements, which feed into the search for solutions and interventions to be developed. The theme chosen for Social Work Day 2026 is: “Social Work: Inclusive by Nature.”

This theme highlights the need to broaden our methods and adopt and discover new and diverse tools in order to create environments that are more conducive to the well-being of the different individuals and communities we work with. 

Spread out over the course of a day, the activities offered will allow you to enjoy a variety of experiences related to your program of study while giving you the opportunity to meet teaching and administrative staff from the School of Social Work, social workers, students enrolled in various programs offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences, and members of the community. Most activities are open to anyone in the community who is interested in participating.

Opening Activity

By the Interim Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Nathan Young, and the Chair of the School of Social Work, Stéphanie Garneau. 

By the Chair of the School of Social Work, Stéphanie Garneau 

During this event, students currently enrolled in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in social work, as well as faculty and administrative staff from the School of Social Work, will come together to discuss and develop their knowledge of various social issues. The event program includes oral presentations by students at all levels who have been selected through a screening process. 

• 9:10 a.m to 9:35 a.m. - Eunice Feza (Bachelor – 4^th year): ‘Cross-cutting vulnerabilities and access to psychosocial services: experiences of French-speaking asylum seekers in minority contexts in Canada’ 
• 9:35 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. - Maude Mainville (Bachelor – 3^rd year): ‘Experiences and life journeys for people with intellectual disabilities’
• 10:00 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. - Karianne Cliche (Bachelor – 3^rd year): ‘Supporting the community: a matter of justice and social accessibility’
• 10:25 a.m. to 10:40 a.m - Break
• 10:40 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. - Mathieu Collins (Bachelor – 1^st year): ‘My Journey Living with Borderline Personality Disorder’
• 11:05 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - Lauriane Bariteau (Master – 2^nd year): « Anxiety disorders in adolescent girls: causes, symptoms, and comorbidities’
• 11:30 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. - David Ongala (PhD – 1^st year): ‘Focus and equity in mental health: analyzing the impact of language barriers on access to care for young racialized Francophone immigrants in Ontario’ 

Light refreshments will be served

Prizes in the form of scholarships

Door prize draw

Event open to the community

In a friendly setting, this event will allow students, administrative staff, and faculty members of the School of Social Work to share a simple meal together. You will have the opportunity to discuss your academic journey, identify a professor who could be your future master's dissertation or doctoral thesis director. 

A table representing the Association des personnes étudiantes en travail social (ADETS), a book donation table, and the Clinique interdisciplinaire en droit social de l’Outaouais (CIDSO) will also be on site.

Light refreshments will be served

Door prize draw

Event open only to TSO students, administrative staff, and TSO faculty

This activity aims to equip social workers with innovative approaches that complement traditional methods. Led by professionals in the field, these workshops will offer practical and concrete tools that can be applied in various intervention contexts. Participatory techniques such as ‘social work on stage’ (improvisation), nature-based intervention, and art therapy will introduce participants to new ways of supporting people in vulnerable situations. The focus will be on practical application, experience sharing, and critical reflection to promote more appropriate, inclusive, and effective intervention. 

Social work on stage: between ideals and reality

This activity combines improvisation, theater of the oppressed, and charades to reflect on social work issues in a fun and engaging way. The goal is to stimulate reflection on social work while developing creativity, collaboration, and humor.

Two teams of about five people each will be formed, with participation on a voluntary basis. Different themes for the improvised skits will be prepared, and someone from the audience will pick a theme and read it aloud. The teams will then have 30 seconds to huddle and prepare their general idea for the scene. The skits will be presented in a comparative format: each team will have 3 minutes to present their scenario on the same theme.

The audience will then vote by applause, not to determine which is “best,” but to highlight what impressed them the most or made them think. 

Art therapy: An initiation through practice

This one-hour workshop offers an immersion in art therapy, combining a concise theoretical introduction with a concrete exploration. After a presentation of the basics of this approach , its objectives, methods and framework, you will be invited to participate in two guided artistic exercises. These activities, simple and intuitive, will allow you to experience the creative process as a means of expression and reflection. The session will end with an individual feedback time and a collective exchange to share your observations and impressions. A moment to discover, create and exchange, in a benevolent atmosphere and without judgment. No artistic experience is necessary.

Kim O'Bomsawin, Director

Kassandra Sioui El-Dib (student, master, 2^nd year), Co-facilitator

Aïcha Ducharme-Leblanc, (student, PhD, 2^nd year), Co-facilitator

This year, in collaboration with CÉDI, we invite you to an evening screening of the documentary ‘Sewâtsiwin: They Are Sacred’, accompanied by a delicious Indigenous dinner and followed by a discussion with CÉDI and Kim O'Bomsawin, the film's director. This film, released in 2025, explains that ‘in Indigenous traditions, differences were not seen as a handicap, but rather as a strength that could benefit the entire community. This was true for autistic people, who were considered to have unique gifts and a connection to the spirit world. As our peoples reclaim our traditional knowledge and philosophies, we also face a critical lack of resources adapted to our new reality. Through intimate encounters with Anders, ‘Sewâtsiwin: They Are Sacred’ gives viewers unique access to the world of an autistic child and allows them to follow his father’s journey, dedicated to bringing traditional First Nations perspectives into our contemporary world. 

The discussion that follows the presentation of the documentary will provide a valuable opportunity to further explore the social issues raised by the film. This approach goes far beyond a simple screening: it offers an immersive and interactive experience, allowing students to explore not only the dynamics of neurodiversity, culture, and Indigenous identity, but also to better understand the challenges of support and social integration in this context. This evening will thus be a unique opportunity to learn, share, and raise awareness about the realities of neurodivergent people.

Indigenous dinner will be served

Door prize draw

Event open to the community

Closing of Social Work Day 2026

* Important Notice

During the day of activities, the University of Ottawa will take photos or videos of events that may be used for promotional or archival purposes. You may therefore be recognizable in one of these photos or videos. By participating in these events, you agree to be photographed and filmed and authorize the University to use the images in print, digital, video, or electronic form for publicity or archival purposes. Before a photo is taken, participants will be notified and will have the opportunity to move out of the shot. Participants will also be notified if a video recording is being made.