Insite = Social Work Practice

At Insite, the individuals that help facilitate the program are predominately nurses
and program workers. Although the site is not officially a social work organization,
the services that are being provided and the ways in which they are delivered in
encompass the very essence of social work practice. The following are social work
theories, methods, and frameworks that I have identified at Insite.

Social Justice- Harm reduction practices are pragmatic and allow for social justice
to occur. Substance users are often placed into a deviant role in our society. Often,
individuals consume illegal substances, even having to commit crimes to obtain said
substance. However, these view actions do not define who a person is and therefore
they should not be cast aside and demonized for it. As a society, we often ignore
those suffering from addiction issues and place them in a category of the
undeserving poor.

Anti-oppressive practice The staff at Insite seem to have anti-oppressive skills
pre-programmed into them. When working with colleagues, it has been evident that
they understand the different levels of oppression many of the participants have
and continue to experience. When observing the ways in which Insite has structured
its programming, they have created a truly low barrier service and acknowledge all
the difficulties IDUs (Intravenous Drug Users) experience. In being mindful of these
barriers, Insite creates an environment of anti-oppressive practice. No one is ever
banned for life at Insite. If an individual does not adhere to policies, they are given a
temporary bar and are asked to speak with staff before being allowed back to use
the facility.
In addition to this, program workers at Insite have evolving outcome expectations.
When working with people it is hard to set rules and guidelines that will fit with all
the needs of diverse populations. Insite sets goals that our obtainable and

Client Centre- At Insite, the client, or as they call them, participant, is in charge of
what they hope to seek from the facility. Some participants choose to use dangerous
spots on their bodies to inject. Nurses at Insite, although they provide learning
opportunities about vein care, will assist someone based on their wants. If someone
wants to use their jugular vein to inject, they dont interfere with that individuals
decision.
Many of the participants who use Insite, also use Onsite detox. Participants are
allowed to return to the detox program as many times as they wish. This practice is
client centered in that it allows for the client to be met where they are at, rather
than someone elses expectations. If a client is ready to try a go a detox again, they
should be praised for this and provided the opportunity. Onsite facilitates this
superbly.

Top down meets bottom up (Grassroots/Bureaucracy)- Insite is unique in that
blends together two forms of development. Each form left to operate on its own
might struggle. For example, grassroots NGOs can find funding a challenging
conquest, while bureaucracies often lack ground level knowledge. Together, as it
happens at Insite, the two forms complement each other.

Structural Social Work- When considering any societal issue, it is important to
encompass systems theory. Systems theory can be defined as follows, those
concepts that emphasize reciprocal relationships between the elements that
constitutes a whole. These concepts also emphasize the relationships among
individuals, groups, organizations, or communities and mutually influencing factors
in the environment. Systems theories focus on the interrelationships of elements in
nature, encompassing physics, chemistry, biology, and social relationships (general
systems theory, ecological perspective, life model, and ecosystems perspective)
(Syers & Boisen, 2003). Given this definition, as colleagues at Insite have continuously
pointed to, the systems that exist affect the participants that access the site. One of the
most striking examples is the increased activity that comes along with Cheque day. Since
many individuals in the DTES community rely on government assistance, cheque day is
known throughout the community as a busy day. Overdose rates increase on this day and
the days after. Many colleagues have also alluded to intense behaviours following cheque
day. Typically, a stimulant user would buy their drugs on cheque day, spend three days
awake, at which point the mind tends to become less clear and behaviours intensify.
Another example can be found on the seldom days the site has no one waiting to use the
facility. In speaking with colleagues and participants, this can be due to the fact that no
one is out yet distributing substances. Each system whether it be the government or the
underground market, are all interconnected and are influential to the other. Insite
recognizes this and builds these concepts into their programming and understandings of
the issue.
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