Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being

• Emphasis on traditional knowledge systems, storytelling, ceremonies, and cultural practices.

• Integration of Indigenous knowledge into academic and professional social work.

• Reclamation and resurgence of Indigenous identity, language, and land-based knowledge.

Global Indigenous Solidarity

• Connections between Indigenous peoples in Canada, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Australia, and beyond.

• Shared experiences of colonization, resistance, and cultural revitalization.

• Collaboration across nations to build Indigenous-led models of care.

Decolonization and Reconciliation

• Ongoing efforts to decolonize social work education and practice.

• Truth-telling, critical reflection, and confronting systemic colonial structures.

• Pathways toward reconciliation rooted in justice, equity, and Indigenous leadership.

Community Healing and Intergenerational Trauma

• Addressing trauma caused by residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and other colonial harms.

• Strengthening community wellness through intergenerational healing and resilience.

• Role of Elders, families, and community in healing processes.

Indigenous-Led Social Work Practice and Education

• Development of Indigenous-focused curricula, frameworks, and research methods.

• Training and supporting Indigenous social workers through culturally grounded programs.

• Community-based participatory research and practice approaches.

Youth Empowerment and Intergenerational Learning

• Engaging youth in cultural learning, leadership development, and future-building.

• Importance of intergenerational mentorship and support for youth-led initiatives.

Language Revitalization and Storytelling

• Use of Indigenous languages and stories as tools of resistance, healing, and knowledge-sharing.

• Storytelling as research, pedagogy, and a method for social transformation.

Land-Based Practices and Environmental Connection

• Restoring relationships with land, water, and the natural world.

• Recognizing land as teacher, healer, and central to Indigenous identity and well-being.