When

     Monday, March 2, 2026, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. ET

Where

Rideau Hub Cafeteria - at 815 St. Laurent Blvd.

Costs

 Free

Event Description

In recognition of Social Work Week, a panel will feature Dr. Karen Sewell (Carleton University), Clara Freire (CSSD Manager, City of Ottawa), Bill Dare (Royal Ottawa) and Magdalene Cooman (Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership -Equity Ottawa), exploring at a local level how social workers strengthen social infrastructure through advocacy and practice.

Panelists will share the strategies, tools, and processes they have identified in research and practice to sustain hope, overcome systemic and community challenges, and persevere during this tumultuous period. Attendees will gain practical insights into fostering resilience, promoting equity, and driving meaningful change. Through candid discussion, the panel will celebrate social workers’ commitment to advancing social justice, building stronger communities, and nurturing hope even in challenging times.

Location: Rideau Hub Cafeteria - at 815 St. Laurent Blvd.

(there is free parking at the side and back - cafeteria is immediately to the right of the front entrance)

Agenda:

3:00-3:30: Register and network

3:30-4:45: intro, Mayor Proclamation of Social Work week, Panel Discussion

4:45-5:15: Q&As

5:15-5:30: Closing, wrap up

Panelists bio: 

Clara Freire is Manager of Community and Social Services at the City of Ottawa, where she leads programs that strengthen social infrastructure and advance equity, inclusion, and community well-being. With a foundation in social work, Clara applies anti-oppressive and social justice strategies to design initiatives that reflect the needs and voices of Ottawa’s diverse communities.

She excels at connecting municipal systems with community expertise, translating social work principles into actionable strategies that enhance access to services, foster resilience, and support community-led solutions. Clara’s approach emphasizes collaboration, cultural responsiveness, and systems thinking, ensuring programs are both effective and sustainable. Guided by values of dignity, self-determination, and collective care, she brings ethical leadership and practical social work strategies to strengthening Ottawa’s social fabric.

Dr. Karen Sewell is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a registered social worker with over 20 years of experience in community-based children’s and youth mental health. Her research focuses on advocacy strategies in social work, exploring how practitioners can address systemic barriers, advance equity, and respond to the social determinants of health. Dr. Sewell has led studies on effective advocacy in human services organizations, helping to strengthen access to supports and empower communities. She is committed to translating research into practice, fostering socially responsive and ethically grounded social work. Through her teaching, scholarship, and service, Dr. Sewell champions advocacy-informed approaches that make tangible differences in the lives of individuals and communities.

Magdalene Cooman   is the Executive Director of the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP), where she leads cross-sector efforts to advance equity, social justice, and systems change for immigrants and refugees in Ottawa. With over 20 years of experience, Magdalene’s work closely aligns with social work values, including anti-racism, community accountability, and structural approaches to wellbeing. Through initiatives such as Equity Ottawa, she supports collaborative action to address systemic inequities in employment, health, housing, and access to services. An immigrant herself, Magdalene brings lived experience, policy insight, and community-based practice together to strengthen inclusive, trauma-aware, and rights-based responses. She is deeply committed to collective care, dignity, and equity-informed practice across systems that impact newcomer lives. 

Bill Dare, MSW, RSW  is a dedicated community mental health social worker with over 21 years of practice supporting individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI). Through his work with the Step Down from ACT Team in the Community Mental Health Program at The Royal, Bill has walked alongside clients and families as they navigate complex systems, advance their recovery, and address the social determinants of health that shape everyday life.

In collaboration with colleagues at The Royal and Carleton University’s School of Social Work, Bill contributed to the development of an evidence-informed advocacy approach designed to strengthen outcomes for people living with SMI. His work reflects core social work values — dignity and worth of the person, social justice, and the importance of human relationships.

A trusted community connector and systems advocate, Bill is committed to amplifying client voices and strengthening community-based practice. He also contributes to knowledge sharing through Social Health Practice Ottawa, supporting collective learning across the profession.

Moderator:Jenny Sawanohk, Mihko-Asiniy-Kinepik-Iswew, is a proud member of Moose Cree First Nation, born and raised in Moosonee, Ontario, within the James Bay Lowlands and Omushkegowuk territory. Now residing on the unceded Algonquin territory in Ottawa, she is the founder of Misiwe Ni Relations Healing Lodge and operates her private practice, Red Stone Snake Woman, as an Indigenous healer and registered psychotherapist.

Jenny holds an Honours BA in Psychology and a Master of Social Work, with extensive experience in Child Welfare, Children’s Mental Health, and Indigenous Social Work. She is widely recognized for developing culturally grounded, land-based programming for Indigenous youth-in-care and for her province-wide training work as a Truth and Reconciliation Specialist, educator, and advocate.

NOTE ABOUT REGISTRATION QUESTIONS:

OASW is committed to inclusion and promoting a diverse range of identities, experiences, perspectives, and voices across all areas of the Association. As such, the registration contains some optional questions that are intended to assist us to better understand our social work community and ensure that our work is reflective of the diverse membership of OASW and our profession.