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Social Work

Our research

Through the unique lenses of critical enquiry, Indigenous knowledges and anti-oppressive approaches, faculty and students in the School of Social Work make significant contributions to social justice theory and practice.

We are also closely connected to the Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement (CIRCLE). Together, these initiatives make up part of the University of Victoria’s broader commitment to social justice and equity research and Indigenous-led scholarship.

Vancouver Island Drug Checking Project

The Vancouver Island Drug Checking Project has been delivering drug checking services in Victoria since 2019. This free and confidential service provides information on the composition of substances and harm reduction resources.

Services are provided at SOLID Outreach, AVI Health and Community Services and Lantern Services, as well as festivals and community events.  

Read more about the project

Health equity for people with chronic pain

In 2021, faculty members Bruce Wallace, Cindy Holmes and Mehmoona Moosa-Mitha, along with their colleagues, Colleen Varcoe (UBC School of Nursing), Gregg Moor (Pain BC), Maria Hudspith (Pain BC) and Kenneth D. Craig (UBC Psychology) published a collaborative research paper titled "Towards health equity for people experiencing chronic pain and social marginalization." The article was published in International Journal for Equity in Health.

Read the full paper

Community-based research on trauma

Our faculty members, Mehmoona Moosa-Mitha and Bruce Wallace, published a joint research article titled "Lessons Learnt on Designing a Community-Based Participatory Research Study on Trauma: A Qualitative Study with Arabic Speaking Refugee Newcomers and Their Service Providers" in the Canadian Journal of Action Research.

The article followed a 2-year community-based participatory research action study in partnership with community settlement and counselling agencies in Victoria.

Read the full study

Research spotlight

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Learn more

For more information about our faculty’s individual research focuses, visit our faculty page.

Browse faculty listings