Community Practice: Working in Aboriginal Communities

This course provides students with an overview of the richness and diversity of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada, including Metis and Inuit, with a special emphasis on working with children, youth and their families. The first part of the course focuses on basic historical background, looking at the geographical culture areas of various native groups, their contributions to mainstream society, and their traditional teachings that encapsulate the Aboriginal world view. The second part of the course focuses on the impact of colonial history particularly in the areas of religion and education as these have most affected children, youth and family life, and explores effective and promising strategies and trends for community work. The degree to which the individual learner, through immersion in Aboriginal topics and teachings, is able to let go of the mainstream world view, including its ways of learning and knowing, and experience even temporarily the Aboriginal world view, will determine the degree of value of the course for that person, as this understanding will greatly enhance effectiveness in working with Aboriginal children, youth and families.