Indigenous Family: Traditional Values and the Urban Experience (#1203)

Working in collaboration with Cyndy Baskin from the School of Social Work, Toronto Metropolitan University, this simulation focuses on the urban aboriginal family experience.

A grandfather or grandmother, father, mother, adolescent son or daughter and their adopted niece will face challenges inherent in the struggle to maintain traditional values while navigating critical relationships with professionals including: nurses, social workers, early childhood educators and youth workers.

Note: This diverse simulation works with learners from these disciplines: Social Work, Child and Youth Care, Early Childhood Education, Nursing or other counselling disciplines.

• Agenda setting 
• Rapport and trust building 
• Acknowledgement
• Empathy
• Active Listening 
• Various questioning styles 
• Clarifying needs 
• Collaborative decision making
• Assessment of strengths
• Supports and the impact of personal and structural colonialism on the family

This flexible simulation can be adapted to meet the learning needs of your group by adjusting which family members are present during the meeting.  All four family members can be present (the young niece will have a full story but will not be portrayed) in order to work with and manage the challenges inherent with group dynamics and family struggles; or learners can meet and facilitate the individuals by managing any pairing of characters, or the characters could come in as individuals for a one on one interaction with learners. The specific scenario will be chosen and discussed in advance with the professor. Regardless of the chosen scenario, these characters’ rich histories lead to their concerns and challenges in the present moment. They require your help and guidance to understand the best course of action for their situation.