"The Sense of Solidarity": Relational Ethics, Peer Support, and Specialized Resources for Rural and Indigenous Social Work Education Program Alumni

Authors

Calla Peltier-Olson, Cal Poly HumboldtFollow

Publication Date

2023

College

College of Professional Studies

Department

Social Work

Document Type

Article

Description

Humboldt Social Work Alumni experience unique challenges and exhibit particular strengths as a virtue of the unique focus of the Program and the context of the rural & Indigenous communities served. I assessed how alumni's sustainability in the field might be bolstered, and how their education impacted their practice/values. I facilitated a focus group of graduating Master's students and an online survey open to all alumni, and translated the data into recommendations. I used Indigenous MMR, combining quantitative data, thematic analysis, & relational epistemology. I recommend the creation of a decentralized alumni organization, drawing from other postcolonial-education-focused alumni orgs.