On January 20, 2021, I had the opportunity to catch moments of the United States presidential inauguration ceremony. I listened intently to poet Amanda Gorman’s stirring recitation of her poem “The Hill We Climb,” in which the youth poet laureate spoke about hope and unity.
Months later, Gorman’s poem continues to resonate with me as it does with millions of others. Her words inspired hope, determination and resilience in a world where so many are experiencing uncertainty, hardship and oppression. Indeed, progress doesn’t always happen all at once; the climb to the top of the hill, to paraphrase Gorman, can sometimes be slow and laborious.
As we learn to adapt during this unprecedented time, we continue to experience new and unforeseen pressures, both professionally and personally. To move forward, we must continue to listen, learn and adapt.
For the College, the past year has been transformative in so many ways. We have adapted our services and operations by transitioning to digital processes, including the launch of an online application portal in February and an online complaint form this spring. Both of these initiatives are in line with the College’s strategic priority to enhance regulatory effectiveness, and are intended to improve accessibility and efficiency for our stakeholders.
We will continue to support you, our members, in your practice as so many of you have had to adapt to providing services electronically. College resources on this topic remain a priority and we are committed to supporting members throughout this challenging time and beyond.
This year – like the previous – is truly marked by continued change and progress. One thing that will never change, however, is the College’s steadfast commitment to its mandate of protecting the public interest through the regulation of the practice of social work and social service work.
I want to thank you for your continued commitment to practising ethically and professionally, and for continuing to reach out to the College. Your feedback is always welcome as we further reflect upon and carefully consider our role as regulator.
In the words of Amanda Gorman, hope is on the horizon but only if “we’re brave enough to see it.”
Sincerely,
Lise Betteridge, MSW, RSW
Registrar and CEO