This article identifies the challenges to incorporating an anti-oppressive practice approach in the field of mental health, which has traditionally utilized a discourse and perspectives of a bio-medical model. Schools of Social Work often teach anti-oppressive and social justice approaches which make it difficult for students to link theory and practice in fields such as mental health. In this article, seven principles of practice are presented as a framework for working with people with disabling conditions of mental health. Specific strategies for implementing these principles are presented.

English This article describes the reflections of three groups of Canadian social work students who participated in a 10-day cultural immersion study tour in Mexico. An analysis of student reflective papers subsequently provides insight into the value of personal and professional transformational experience. Students embraced a new understanding of the connection between structural inequalities and individual experience; and also reported increased understanding of human diversity relevant to their anti-oppressive practice in Canada. French Cette recherche décrit les réflexions de trois groupes d'étudiants canadiens en travail social ayant participé à un séjour d'immersion culturelle de 10 jours au Mexique. L'analyse des réflexions de ces étudiants apporte de la lumière sur la valeur de l'expérience de transformation personnelle et professionnelle. Les étudiants ont développé une nouvelle compréhension du lien entre les inégalités structurelles et l'expérience personnelle; ils ont aussi développé une meilleure compréhension de la diversité humaine qu'ils peuvent appliquer à leur pratique anti-oppressive au Canada. Spanish Se describen las reflexiones de tres grupos de estudiantes de trabajo social canadienses que participaron en un viaje de estudio de 10 días de inmersión cultural en México. Un análisis de sus ensayos clarifica el valor de la experiencia personal y profesional de transformación. Los estudiantes adquirieron una nueva compresión de la conexión entre las desigualdades estructurales y la experiencia individual; también reportaron un mayor entendimiento de la diversidad humana, aplicable a su práctica anti-opresiva en el Canadá.

This article provides an analysis of the importance of self-help groups for women in post-tsunami rehabilitation efforts in Tamil Nadu, India. The finding is one of eight key themes identified in a larger study of the long-term social, economic and gender implications of post-tsunami rehabilitation work. While self-help groups were reported as having provided women with a measure of new social and economic opportunities, status and power, little evidence existed for a substantial reduction of poverty levels or a change in the prevailing patriarchal attitudes. The authors suggest that multiple long-term sustainable approaches to post-disaster reconstruction are needed to provide fundamental social and economic change for women.

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