Equity Case Studies Report - School of Social Work - University of ...

UBC school of social work equity and diversity strategic plan: A compilation of case studies 43
attract staff, faculty, and students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds. There
are also a variety of programs offered to persons who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander, such as apprenticeships, and traineeships. Both of the aforementioned
initiatives/strategies are also implemented in the Faculty of Social Work.
Scholarship
Various scholarships and bursaries are available to Social Work students identifying as a
minority at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The financial assistance packages range from
government funded scholarships, University of Sydney scholarships based on secondary school
examination results and other achievements such as leadership and creativity. For example, the
Walter & Eliza Hall Scholarship in Social Work ($6000) is available to persons currently
receiving government financial assistance to “ensure the absence of money does not stand in the
way of a selected person's ability to achieve their maximum potential, in terms of a formal
tertiary education” (The University of Sydney, Faculty of Education and Social Work, 2012).
Curriculum
The curriculum in the Social Work programs integrate equity-related issues into some of
the courses offered, instead of offering separate courses on such topics (See Appendix B for the
program structure and an example of a course description).
Challenges
One of the challenges that the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Sydney is
facing in terms of equity issues is the low number of Indigenous students in the Faculty. There is
currently no concrete policy to guide the Faculty in increasing the number of Indigenous