Speakers: Hazel Ling, Heidi Meagher

An exploration of social workers’ portrayal in mainstream films. Looking at themes of gender, race, and socioeconomic status using a feminist and intersectional lens provides insight into how little has changed regarding the image of social workers.

Media representation perpetuates stereotypes about social workers, social work practice, and the communities that we work with. How does this ignorance about social work in the community affect our practice and our mental health? What can we do about these challenges - both as individuals, and collectively as a profession?

Resources

Download: Slide deck from presentation

Hazel Ling, MSW, RSW, is a social worker living in Dartmouth, NS. She currently works at the Student Health and Wellness Centre, Dalhousie University. Prior to moving to Nova Scotia, she worked in the field of child welfare for 20 years, primarily on intake teams, in Ontario and the Yukon Territory.

Heidi Meagher, BSW, RSW, is a practicing social worker in Dartmouth, NS and current MSW student at Dalhousie University. She has worked in front line child welfare positions for 6 years. Her current position is Adoption Assessment Social Worker.