Peter Smyth Email & Phone Number

I have been a social worker since 1989 and still thoroughly enjoy my work. I completed my MSW in June 2013, which I had been wanting to do for years. My passion is working with youth and being engaged with developing partnerships with community agencies and other government areas that work with youth. I strive to be creative and find ways that are beyond traditional practice in order to better serve youth, children and families. I have spent the past 20 years developing a practice framework for working with marginalized and excluded youth who come from early childhood trauma and who find themselves in high-risk situations. They can be very difficult to engage for good reason and using traditional, punishment-based approaches do not work. They do want connection so we need to find better ways to help our youth take the risk of allowing safe people into their lives.I also have a background in journalism and glad to be be writing about social work topics now (see below for published works including my book, "Working with high Risk Youth: A Relationship Based Practice Framework. It is available through Routledge Academic or through Amazon and the publisher Routledge Academics (and other book sites). I use the book to teach a youth course at MacEwan University, School of Social Work. I am also a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary, faculty of Social Work, at the Edmonton campus.On Canada Day 2020, I was very blessed and honoured to receive the Governor General Meritorious Service Medal, relating to my work with youth. I am so grateful to all of the youth who allowed me into their world and taught me so much. I view their contributions as playing a significant role in making the system better for all youth. I am also humbled as there are so many amazing people doing such great work to help others and make this world a better place, but who are not publicly recognized.I am married to a wonderful and supportive wife and we have four awesome kids.I have had a great run as a social worker and feel good about what I have done, but I will feel I have been successful if I do a good job as a father.

Listed skills include Social Services, Mental Health, Child Welfare, Youth, and 21 others.