Introduction to Social Welfare

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Describe the relationship between economics, politics, and the historical development of Canadian social policy;
2. Define and apply concepts of relative and absolute poverty, and analyze the social, psychological, and economic impacts of poverty;
3. Explain the intergenerational impacts of residential schools and the historical relationship between colonial policies and contemporary social inequities affecting Indigenous people;
4. Critically analyze how social policies and policy structures shape access to services and outcomes for marginalized and oppressed groups;
5. Describe the delivery of income assistance in British Columbia, including relevant legislation and eligibility criteria;
6. Evaluate social welfare policies based on their implications and outcomes, with particular attention to equitable outcomes for marginalized and oppressed groups;
7. Apply policy analysis skills to contribute to the development and implementation of more equitable social welfare policies;
8. Identify and compare social welfare policies designed to support women, immigrants, refugees, children, seniors, and Francophone communities in Canada;
9. Analyze social welfare policies affecting Indigenous Peoples in Canada, including reconciliation-focused frameworks such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.