Heather I. Peters, PhD (Candidate)
Associate Professor, School of Social Work, UNBC
Regional Field Education Coordinator, South-Central Region
BA (Psychology, 1987, University of Saskatchewan)
BSW (1993, University of British Columbia)
MSW (1999, Carleton University)
PhD Candidate (University of British Columbia)
Social Work Practice Experience: Heather has about 15 years of direct social work practice experience in a variety of fields including: community development, Aboriginal treaty negotiations, group work, child and youth work, teaching, consciousness-raising, street-involved youth work, HIV/AIDS prevention, program coordination, program evaluation, affordable housing, as well as management and administration of a non-profit organization.  Much of Heather’s work has been with children and youth, and primarily with marginalized or street-involved youth in various contexts.  Heather worked in Williams Lake for 6 years as Executive Director of the local youth centre.  At the youth centre she worked to create a safe and informal drop-in centre combined with a variety of services and programs designed to support youth.  In addition, Heather worked at a community level for structural changes to improve services and supports to youth in the community and to increase youth visibility at the municipal level.  Heather has been, and still is, engaged in volunteer work with several boards and committees which focus on a variety of issues including HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness, homelessness, and the development of affordable housing.
Research & Teaching Themes: 

Four threads are woven throughout Heather’s research, teaching, and writing:(1)    The importance of social and health policies and the connections between policy and practice.
(2)    Links between social work theory and practice.
(3)    Access to social and health services by vulnerable or marginalized groups.
(4)    Northern, rural and remote contexts as unique environments with implications for service delivery, policy development, and social work practice.
Research & Writing Activities: Heather has completed research and published articles which explore access by marginalized populations to social and health services including an examination of the role of policy in facilitating or impeding such access.  She has also participated in research studies into homelessness in three northern BC communities. Other areas of research interest include youth issues and well-being, and the integration of critical and structural social work theories in social work practice.  (See Heather’s Research and Publications web pages for more information).
Teaching Activities: Heather teaches theory and social policy courses at both the BSW and MSW levels. She has developed and teaches a course on homelessness and housing with connections to policy and practice issues.  Heather also strives to link theory to practice in many of her courses, with a focus on structural and critical theories. 
Other Activities: Heather’s interest in and commitment to northern, rural and remote contexts is also demonstrated in her personal life and extra-curricular activities.  She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Quesnel Shelter and Support Society which developed an emergency and transition shelter in Quesnel.  Heather is also actively involved in many ways in her home community of Quesnel and enjoys numerous outdoor and backcountry activities such as hiking, camping and skiing.