Topic(s): 
Ethics
Mental Health and Addictions
Webinar event date: 
Oct 15, 2019 1:00 pm EDT
Webinar link

Webinar link is for members only. Please log in.

Webinar Presenters: 

Ajay Hartenfeld Pandhi MSW, RSW, MAIS, Q-Med

At a micro level Ajay Pandhi has worked directly within corrections for the last 4.5 years and with the demographic for over 20 years. He has created and run successful trauma informed programs (group and individual work). Ajay has also created the first ever couples therapy program in Canada in corrections. Pandhi uses all his vast skills (including his expertise in hypnotherapy) to bring therapeutic relief and change into the hearts and minds of incarcerated individuals. At the macro level Ajay attempts to bring change to corrections through his position as President of Alberta College of Social work and also through the National Associations Active in Criminal Justice (NAACJ) where he sits on the executive. Ajay has also provided expert testimony to the Senate committee on human rights where he has advised Senators about mental health in corrections from a social work perspective.

 

Description

For justice to be corrective in the correctional system there is an absolute and dire need for more social workers to be working in the system and for the code of ethics of social work to guide the functional process. Without more social work involvement within our institutions that postulate corrective change we in Canada are lying to ourselves that we are doing anything more than perpetuating oppression and totally failing the most vulnerable of our citizens.  

This webinar looks at the role of social work within corrections and in extension with the demographic as they come in and out of our revolving doored corrective system for minor offences, breaches, addiction, poverty and mental health related issues.    

Key objectives:

  • Providing information about the population and corrections from a social work/mental health perspective
  • Providing justification for the absolute need for increased social work within corrections
  • Providing tools on how to support the incarcerated population
  • Looking at shifts in the politic landscape that could impact corrections
  • Examining trends around the world with correctional programming
  • Examining how correctional social work challenges social workers code of ethics and standards of practice
  • Examining what we social workers can do at a micro/macro level to make the system more just and therapeutic