-excerpts from Deborah Pedersen’s
acceptance speech after receiving
the North Branch of the B.C. Association
of Social Workers’ Bridget
MoranAdvancement of Social Work
in Northern Communities Award,
March 17, 2017
It was a surprise and an honour to
be nominated for this award, more
so to have been selected for this
award. It’s particularly meaningful
to me because I knew Bridget
who was a friend of my family.
To be considered for this award
has made me reflect on my career
which has spanned more than 40
years, beginning before some of
you were born in Quesnel. Having
been hired as a social worker with
what is now called MCFD at the
age of 22 with a bachelor of history
degree. At that time, I was one
of four social workers. The area
was divided into four geographical
quadrants; I was responsible for
all social work services including
adoption, financial assistance and
the full range of child welfare services
in the area from the city limits
north to Hixon, east to Barkerville
and Wells and all the territory in
between. I would take all my amazing
social work skills, jump in my
government Chevy Nova and go
off into the bush and complete the
annual visits required for recipients
of social assistance, deal with child
protection concerns, recruit and
support foster parents, deal with
struggling teenagers, etc.
You won’t be surprised that I
found it overwhelming! From time
to time, frantic with some concern,
I would go to my supervisor who
was patiently waiting to retire; he’d
squint one eye to keep the cigarette
smoke out and tell me that it didn’t
really matter what I did, it would
probably turn out the same in the
end! I wouldn’t have lasted the three
years I did without the guidance
and mentorship of Jeff Dinsdale
who worked there at the time. I decided
I was going to need a bit more
of a foundation and left to get my
BSW at UBC. On my separation
slip my supervisor wrote “burned
out”. I guess there must have been
a few embers still smoldering.
I realize that was a long time
ago but I’m still amazed at how
far we’ve come as social workers in
the north since then. Imagine that
now social workers can be educated
in the north and find fascinating
and challenging work in so many
different settings in the north. Our
work and education is informed by
research done in the north; Canadian
authors publish about Canadian
experiences. I’ve been very happy
to have been able to make a small
contribution to that.
However, we still have lots to do
in furthering the profession here in
the north and elsewhere. Thank you
so very much