FOUR SOCIAL workers were honoured at a Social Work Week event yesterday at the UNBC campus.
Dan Poulin, Lori McPherson, Frank McMullen and Angela Mercer received the Copper Shield award to mark their achievements as social workers.
Rob Hart, who emceed the event, said copper shields were given as gifts in past cultures and were a mark of great respect and great honour.
A story went with the shield, he added.
“Social work as a profession has many many stories,” he said to the small group gathered in a classroom at the university campus.
It's all about the power in humans to overcome great obstacles, he said.
The copper shield signifies one of the basic rules of the profession, which is to protect people, to shield them, he said.
The shield is given to a social worker who has enriched the profession and is given for a particular fine piece of social work,which can be starting new services, a particular event or a number of other things, said Hart.
“A social worker who receives a shield is expected to wear it on public occasions and needs to be prepared to tell the story behind it,” said Hart, adding that other social workers who see someone wearing a copper shield have the right to ask to hear the story.
“Be mindful of how many good stories there are.”
Dan Poulin, who works for the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), was nominated by Rob Hart but couldn't attend the ceremony due to work commitments.
Lori McPherson,who works with Children and Youth with Special Needs, was nominated by Stacey Szepat, and received her pin from Anne Johnson as Szepat couldn't attend.
Frank McMullen, who works for the MCFD, was nominated by Jennifer Mitton, who presented him with his pin.
Angela Mercer, who works for Nisga'a Child and Family Services, was nominated by Elizabeth Steindel.