Members' Resource Page

National Election and Voting Resources for Social Workers

Contribute to Your Profession AND Work Towards Your CPD Goals! Consider Volunteering as a Board Director

BCASW invites members to participate on the Provincial Board and on local Branch Executive Committees. This is an opportunity to serve your profession through provincial and local leadership. Each year positions become available on the Provincial Board and local branches welcome participation. Please contact BCASW if your are interested in nominating or serving. Terms begin following the May AGM.

The Board consists of the Past President, President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and up to four Members-at-Large, all elected by the Members; one representative from each Branch each appointed by Members of that Branch or, in the case of an inactive Branch, the Board may nominate a Representative; a Student Representative; an Indigenous Liaison Representative; and the CASW Representative.

 Duties of the Executive Committee: Past President, President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Indigenous Liaison Representative, and CASW Representative

 President

• Performs the usual duties and exercise the usual powers of a presiding officer as defined in Robert's Rules of Order subject to the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association and any special rules adopted in accordance with them.
• Exercises the overall governance of the executive functions of the Association.
• Represents the Board between its meetings and report to the Board on these interim actions.
• Presides at the AGMs and Executive Committee meetings.
• Attends Presidents meetings of CASW.
• Is ex-officio, a member of all Standing Committees.
• Is available to staff for consultation on Association matters.
  

Past President

• Acts as an advisor to the President and perform such other duties as are assigned by the President.
• Performa such duties and exercise such authority as shall be delegated or assigned by the President.

 Vice-President

• Performs the duties of the President in the President's absence and such other duties as assigned by the President.
• Assists the President in performing the duties of office.
• Performs such further duties and exercise such authority as assigned or delegated by the President.
  
  Secretary

• Is responsible for all records of the Association except those related exclusively to finance.
• Keeps or causes the Executive Director to keep a register of the members of the Board and the Members.
• Prepares and keeps or causes to be prepared and kept the minutes of Meetings of the Board, the Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee.
• Ensures that all Members are notified of all general and other meetings of the Members.
  

Treasurer

• Oversees the financial affairs of the Association.
• Proposes an annual budget to the Board.
• Reports to the members and Board regarding the finances of the Association.
• Ensures that the annual review is conducted.
  

Indigenous Liaison Representative

• Supports the BCASW Board to achieve the goals of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples of British Columbia.
• Provides culturally appropriate advice, perspectives, and ideas on Indigenous historical, geographical, cultural, or linguistic matters to aid the Board in developing enhanced decisions.
  

CASW Representative (Application Requirements Here)

• Ensures that the Board is well informed of the activities and directions of CASW
• Is informed as to the directions and activities of BCASW adequately to be able to represent BCASW’s interests at the CASW table. 

Please contact BCASW for further information.

Other Boards and Volunteering

If you are a BCASW member and work with an organization looking for board members, please send the information including a link to the organization's website to BCASW by email to request that the position be considered for posting as a continuing professional development opportunity.

Volunteer to Serve on BCASW Committees

Contact BCASW for more information on participation on the following committees:

Awards

Professional Development

Nominations Committee: Identifies potential Executive members at least 90 days prior to the Annual General Meeting. This is a standing committee of the Board chaired by the Past President of BCASW.

BCASW Collegial Webinars

BCASW's Professional Development Committee seeks proposals for collegial webinars. The webinars, hosted by BCASW, are designed for members to share skills, knowledge, and practice strategies with colleagues. There is specific interest in proposals that relate to clinical social work, ethical practice, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Please use the template found here for your webinar proposal. Once the pdf fillable form has been filled out, it can be submitted to the BCASW PD Committee by emailing cpd@bcasw.org with "Presenter Application" in the subject line. Your proposal will be forwarded to the BCASW Professional Development Committee for consideration.

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University of British Columbia

An Introduction to Satir’s Systemic Family-Centered Therapy (May 9) - Virtual

(Part of a future Certificate in Family Practice)

Teaches an updated Satir Therapy approach for assessment and intervention with both individuals and families from a body-oriented and family-centered perspective.

Description link: Intro to Satir Therapy

Registration link: Intro to Satir Therapy Registration Link

Journey to Wholeness: An Indigenous and Virginia Satir Approach (June 5-6) - In-Person

(Part of a future Certificate in Family Practice)

Explores the intersection of Indigenous knowledge systems and the Virginia Satir Model for personal growth and family therapy.  Indigenous facilitators, including elders, will guide learners on how to use relationality, balance and connection to land, among other Indigenous approaches to healing.

Description link: Satir Therapy An Indigenous Approach

Registration link: Satir Therapy An Indigenous Approach Registration Link

Call the BCASW office for a 10% discount code

The British Columbia College of Social Workers (BCCSW)

Volunteer Opportunities

Membership on the College Committees is a great opportunity for registrants to contribute their expertise to the regulation of the social work profession in British Columbia, in the best interest of the public. The College is anticipating possible vacancies on the following committees in 2025:

Quality Assurance Committee (3 positions)

Registration Committee (2 positions)

Discipline Committee

Inquiry Committee (5 positions)

Indigenous Council

For more information click here.

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Disaster Psychosocial Services (DPS) Volunteer Network

Volunteer with the Disaster Psychosocial Volunteer Network in your community and/or travel BC with your existing emotional support skills and experience to communities affected by disasters. Individuals you would be supporting include evacuees, emergency response workers, and other volunteers by offering psychological first aid.

With the support, guidance, and training from the Provincial Disaster Psychosocial Team at Provincial Authority (PHSA), you will: give back to communities; gain disaster response experience; build connections with other like-minded volunteers; and earn professional development credits for your career by: 

• volunteering with a professional organization - DPS Volunteer Network deployment opportunities offering psychological first aid post-disaster
• preparing and delivering teaching - DPS Volunteer Network offers psychological first aid workshops facilitated by experienced and previously deployed volunteers to communities
• attending webinars - DPS Volunteer Network offers monthly virtual speaker series on disaster psychosocial-related topics

Visit to learn more by clicking here.
Apply to be a DPS Field Volunteer by clicking here.
Connect with the Coordinator by emailing ryan.good@phsa.ca or call 604-319-0196 (M-F).

Perspectives Newsmagazine

View a list of articles in Perspectives newsmagazines. Members can download digital copies of back issues of Perspectives in the Virtual Resource Room by contacting BCASW for the entry code. 

Book Reviews and Articles

Write a book review and submit for review for publication in an edition of Perspectives. More information here.

Write an article to share with your colleagues. More information here.

Podcasts/Courses on Social Work Topics

Each episode of the podcast features meaningful conversations between UBC social work faculty and their community partners, showcasing their collaborative initiatives and aiming to highlight the successes, lessons learned, and impacts of community-engaged research.

The Knowledge Exchange: A Partnership-in-Action Podcast 

• inSocialWork
•  The Social Work Podcast

 Gender-Affirming Relational Practice

Gender-Affirming Relational Practice (GARP) is a two-hour course designed specifically for care providers, delivering an overview of how they can combine clinical practice, relational practice, and gender-affirming care principles to improve access and suitability of care for trans, Two-Spirit, and non-binary clients. 

Care providers can register for the course for free directly on the new Trans Care BC learning management system or browse the full suite of courses available in the Education Centre.