NVIT’s social work class is celebrating Social Work Week (March 8 to 14) by holding a career fair in conjunction with area agencies involved in social work.

The idea is to show people who drop by the college between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 11) that there’s more to being a social worker than child apprehension.

Other careers a social work degree can prepare people for are in health care, mental health, drug and alcohol counselling, and even probation services.

“You can work in long-term care as a social worker, [in] victim services,” social work department head Elaine Herbert said. “It’s such a generalist degree. A [bachelor of social work] gives you a good foundation to go into other fields.”

Fourth-year student Effie Wilson said she’d like to work in the prevention side of social work once she graduates.

The career fair reflects Social Work Week’s national theme, which is professional choice.

Herbert said the job fair is a collaborative effort in order to raise the school of social work’s profile in NVIT and the community.

This year, 63 students are enrolled in NVIT’s social work program full time between its two campuses in Merritt and Burnaby. Another five students are taking classes on a part-time basis.

The program is accredited through the Canadian Association of Social Work Educators.

Herbert said NVIT’s social work curriculum is integrated with critical race theory and aboriginal knowledge, which equips students to handle a diverse range of situations upon entering the workforce.

The department is also hosting a panel discussion called “Creating safe spaces: challenging sexual harassment” on March 12, in which a panel will discuss topics related to violence against women.

The panel will be comprised of NVIT instructor Sharon McIvor, who’s done plenty of work around missing and murdered indigenous women; RCMP officer and community liaison Tracy Dunsmore, who will define sexual harassment in terms of the law; and elder Amelia Washington, who will present on healthy relationships.

The panel discussion is one piece of many that fits into community or family violence, and all relates to social work, Herbert said.

“It’s a prevalent social situation that we all find ourselves working in at some point in our lives,” Herbert said. “It’s really community violence.”

While that forum is only open to NVIT staff, students and faculty, it is potentially the first in a series of forums on topics surrounding community violence, Herbert said.

“Part of social work is community involvement, community collaboration and working with community because that’s how you create change,” she said.