ID: 2172
Presenting Author: Mary Kelly
Session: 634 - The Other Side of Misinformation: When Collectors Create Bias
Status: pending
Explore the ethical burden, invisible competencies, and legitimacy of social practitioners in impact assessment. Join a Solution Room to co-create strategies for recognition, advocacy, and resilient,
Social practitioners stand at the crossroads of community, business, and policy, bearing an ethical burden that is often unseen by other disciplines. Their reputations—and sometimes their well-being—are at stake as they navigate colonized processes, advocate for culturally grounded design, and translate social concerns into business language. Despite their pivotal role, social practitioners frequently encounter a lack of understanding and appreciation from technical and managerial peers.
This interactive Solution Room session invites participants to collectively explore the personal and professional responsibilities that define social practice. Key topics include the realities of qualitative research, ensuring rigor and trustworthiness, and confronting ethical dilemmas such as bias, confidentiality, and power imbalances. The session will also address the mental and emotional toll of social practice, including exposure to trauma and the importance of self-care.
A central focus will be on increasing the legitimacy of social practitioners through frameworks like the Social Practitioner Competency Framework and articulating the shared value they bring to multidisciplinary teams. Parallel discussions led by experienced practitioners will surface the invisible competencies that underpin effective social performance, highlight barriers to recognition, and co-create strategies for building trust, advocacy, and shared value.
The goal is to share the burden and articulate a collective vision for the future of social practice—one that is ethical, resilient, and recognized as essential
Social Performance and Indigenous Partnership Leader, advancing ethical impact assessment, Indigenous engagement, and culturally grounded strategies. Championing shared pathways, youth development, an
Coauthor 1: Brigitte Masella