Masters Application Essay

To begin with I am a First Nations male. I grew up in a small community in northern British Columbia. As a result, I was faced with many experiences of oppression and discrimination due to myself identifying as Aboriginal. In addition, I experienced intergenerational impacts of residential school which led me early in my life to engage in substance abuse in order to cope with stresses of being a First Nations male in a dominant culture and faced with colonial impacts expressed through multi-layer of social systems. Alongside these impacts, turmoil was active in my family systems which led me to experience hardship as an adolescent and as a young adult. As a result of finding my identity in university due to my Indigenous classes and learning about colonialism from a social work, anthropology and sociology, these perspectives helped answer some crucial questions, such as why I experienced what I did growing up. These teachings activated empowerment and healing for myself.

In the same way university helped me deconstruct and reconstruct who I was as an Indigenous person and professional, the University of Victoria’s Master of Social Work program appeals to my interests in further pursuing Indigenous issues because the mission statement claims learning can be experienced in a supportive environment that promotes equity, respect, responsibility, curiosity, collaboration, risk-taking and creativity. These are elements that will support me in pursuing the issues of racism, oppression and social justice using an Indigenous and anti- oppressive approach. Through an educational aspect, I will develop my critical self-reflection skills in developing my approach to working with the populations I will serve. The program identifies as a safe ...

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...r aspects of my wellness. Considering the development of my family currently, it appears like the perfect opportunity to advance my education to a master’s level.

In addition, days I do not have him I can devote more time to studies and social activities. Furthermore, when I begin the practicum placement, this will simply replace my fulltime work schedule, so essentially the role will be similar between full time employee and full time practicum student, the time I am away from work, my sponsorship will provide funds to cover costs of living in absence of work. Underscoring this entire process is my lifestyle and the effort I put into developing balance and holism in my wellness. My youthfulness and maturity allows for my energy to be disbursed into resourceful aspects that will support me in developing holistically as a student, professional and an Indigenous man.