Supporting Liberation & Self-Determination
SSW 208 The Political Process
Purpose:
To apply the experience and learning from the readings and discussions to practical situations related to liberation and allyship
Learning Outcomes:
The main course outcomes covered by this assignment are:
1) Demonstrate collaborative and effective management of relationships in accordance with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers., Through cooperative and respectful group work as well as working on oppression for anti-oppression.,
3) Develop a familiarity of historical and topical needs and experiences of clients., By identifying groups that have been oppressed how they have been oppressed and the cycle of oppression to make effective anti-oppressive change. Supporting Liberation & Self-Determination,
5) Demonstrate the ability to address clients with dignity by promoting self-worth and in a non-judgmental manner.,
6) Identify and distinguish between strategies and models which when applied garner a fulsome response in anti- oppressive advocacy., Understanding formal and informal sources of power and influence and demonstrating how power structures need to be engaged for effective advocacy.,
8) Identify and implement models for effective advocacy. ,Discern what the injustices are and develop partnerships by identifying the various systemic power structures.
To Submit in Your Report:
Part A – Groups Supporting Liberation from Oppression
Find a group working in Ontario and/or Canada who is supporting liberation and/or self-determination of an oppressed group – this could be groups who are doing activist work, or helping survivors of
certain experiences, or trying to help people avoid the negative impacts of their oppression, etc…. (e.g., Supporting Liberation & Self-Determination
like the group from the video from this module: Cowboys Roaming the Streets of Compton)
Answer the following questions (for each question: minimum of 40 words (approx. 20 seconds for audio/video); references are not required as long as the content is from the group’s website – however, direct quotes or materials from others sources should be cited:
Provide the group’s name and website link. In general, what is their main goal/purpose and what kinds of programs, activities, events and/or supports do they offer?
Pick ONE specific program, activity, event or support this group offers that helps improve conditions for the oppressed group they support – what it is about, who is it for, and how does it benefit the oppressed group?
What are some successes this group has had in terms of fighting oppression – what steps did they take and what is the impact they had? Supporting Liberation & Self-Determination
Part B – The Case of Sam
Sam is a 28-year-old white female who lives for free in her brother and sister-in-law’s basement. Sam identifies as a lesbian; she has been with her girlfriend, Jacinda, for a few years and they want to move in together. They have been holding off on this because neither of them makes a lot of money and they don’t think they can afford to live on their own. They usually have to spend time outside of their homes as Sam’s sister-in-law and Jacinda’s father both openly disapprove of their relationship, specifically because they are dating another woman.
Sam is a high-school graduate and took one year of college. Even though she was able to pass most of her courses, she decided not to go back. Not only was she having trouble finding the money to pay for school, she found that her dyslexia made it hard to keep up with the materials and she often felt confused and frustrated in class, especially if the teacher asked her a direct question that she couldn’t answer. When this happened, she would often skip classes the next few times out of embarrassment. She also felt discouraged to return for a second year as one of the males in her program (and hence would be in most of her classes) would frequently make jokes about her being overweight.
Sam now works part-time at McDonald’s; she likes her job, especially the routine and structure of
making the food and filling the orders. However, she doesn’t like her boss, John. He often makes jokes about her weight and says things like “you’re lucky I let you keep this job, you aren’t very good at it” and “where would you be if you didn’t have me to put up with you”. He also often makes inappropriate jokes about lesbians. He usually follows up these kinds of statements and jokes by saying he’s “just teasing” and doesn’t mean anything by it.
Sam is significantly overweight as she often eats left-overs she gets from work because they are free and it helps her save money. She also has never learned to cook and avoids the kitchen in her house so she doesn’t have to spend time around her sister-in-law. She avoids exercise because she worries other people will make fun of her body if she tries to go to a gym or join a sports team. Read More