The Nova Scotia Association of Social Workers (NSASW) is the professional support organization and regulatory body for all social workers in Nova Scotia. The Association provides policy-related advocacy to support the profession’s commitment to social justice, provides professional development opportunities, and has mechanisms in place to receive and act on complaints from the public. There are approximately 1,800 social workers in Nova Scotia; all must be members of the NSASW, which is a member of the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW).

As a partner with On the Move, the NSASW will be working closely with On the Move Partnership team members in Nova Scotia. Recent national legislation has made employment-related geographical mobility an important consideration for professional regulatory bodies. As the legislated regulator for social work practice in Nova Scotia, the NSASW is required to ensure the public receives the services of competent, qualified social workers, while also ensuring that there are no barriers to movement for social work professionals within Canada. Many graduates from the province’s social work granting universities move elsewhere in Canada for work. At the same time, Nova Scotia is home to social workers trained in other provinces and countries. Further, many social workers move from place to place within the province, and many commute long distances to and from work. Some social workers may also live in one province, but use communications technology to serve clients in other jurisdictions. In this context, research undertaken by the On the Move Partnership will be valuable to the Association, its members and their clients.

Partner representative: Alec Stratford, Executive Director/Registrar, NSASW
Partner website: www.nsasw.org