Social Work at CBU

Rebekah Mifflin has had more challenges than most over her lifetime. From foster care to serious abuse and addiction, her life has been peppered with struggles that may cause others to crumble under the pressure. Instead, she will be one of the first social workers trained at CBU’s new social work program. She began classes in September of 2023.

After a disruptive and discouraging childhood with her biological family in western Canada, Rebekah and her entire family moved to Cape Breton in 2012 for work. She struggled in school and at home and was eventually taken from her family and placed into foster care. The social worker who had her case did everything in her power to give Rebekah a fighting chance and she never forgot that. That was the start of Rebekah’s pursuit of a career in social work.

Her school experience was rough. She lacked basic skills as a result of a turbulent childhood. Rebekah had been to 27 schools over 16 years. She recalls stealing a copy of ‘Hooked on Phonics’ from a school library because she never properly learned to spell.

After graduating from high school in Cape Breton in 2014, Rebekah finally felt rooted in a community for the first time in her life. Cape Breton made her feel safe. “I never felt as settled anywhere in my life. Here, I finally felt at home, safe and secure in Cape Breton.”

Rebekah wanted to stay here, so she applied and was accepted to Cape Breton University. She knew that this would give her a chance to break the cycle of addiction and abuse that she was born into. In fact, she was a candidate for a program that child welfare offers and 100% of her tuition was covered. The financial barrier that makes it nearly impossible for many children who lived in foster care was no longer in her way.

Rebekah graduated from CBU in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts, Major in Communication and Minor in Psychology and she knew she wanted to follow in the footsteps of the many social workers who changed her life. She applied and was accepted to a program in Ontario, but the anxiety surrounding leaving her safe space, Cape Breton, made her doubt herself. She was reserved to the fact that she may not be able to become a social worker.

On February 13, 2023, Cape Breton University announced a new Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program, with the inaugural class to begin their studies in September 2023. Rebekah was once again hopeful.

Designed to prepare social workers with practice-ready skills to address social and systemic inequities, this program will use a trauma-informed lens to position graduates for success in the ever-evolving field of social work. This is precisely the program Rebekah needed and she was certain it would give her the skills and training to help others, just like her, to find success despite life’s circumstances. “It was as if this program was designed for me, and in a sense, I think it was. It was designed for people like me to help people like me.”

The 16-month program, pre-accredited through the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE), is being delivered full-time, on campus, and offers two field practicums. In addition to the foundational knowledge of environmental impacts of health, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the decolonization of social work practice, students will also explore a variety of topics such as generational dimensions of poverty and addiction as well as advocacy and social justice work for marginalized and underrepresented communities.

Rebekah applied and was accepted to CBU’s inaugural Social Work program. One of 33 students who began in September, her story will not define her studies, but it will instead give her an opportunity and a framework to help others. She is fully funded to pursue this program through the post-care tuition waiver – removing the financial barrier, helping break the cycle and encouraging those with lived experience to help others.