The Inspiring Social Worker of the Year Award was created in memory of Paul Cheng, a Social Worker who immigrated from Hong Kong and dedicated himself over forty years to supporting new immigrants, refugees, youth in care, street youth, people with addiction, and many other groups, in Hong Kong and Canada. Paul left a lasting impact on both the social work community and beyond. In memory of Paul, this award celebrates and recognizes Social Workers in British Columbia who, like Paul, demonstrate exceptional dedication to serving people from marginalized communities and inspire others to care and contribute to the promotion of social justice.
We congratulate the recipient of this year’s Inspiring Social Worker of the Year Award: Dr. Richard Vedan (Chiteleqches) (Secwepemc First Nation). We also extend our congratulations to the 3 other remarkable individuals who were also nominated: So Han Yip, Bella Cenezero and Amanda Amaral.
Each of these outstanding professionals has made a significant impact, and we are honored to celebrate their dedication and contributions.
THE INSPIRING SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR 2024 – Dr. Richard Vedan
Dr. Richard Vedan, (Chiteleqches) MSW, PhD, RSW, is a member of the Neskonlith Band of the Secwepemc First Nation. His great grandparents, grandparents, and father were survivors of the Indian Residential School System. His father, Hector, was also a WWII Veteran who served overseas.
Dr. Vedan served eleven years with the Royal Canadian Air Force; he trained as a navigator and served as a Social Work Officer. Clinical practice included marital/family, drug and alcohol treatment programs, and complex intergenerational trauma and First Nations traditional healing practices. Following retirement from the military, he served as Director of Health and Social Development for the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.
Dr. Vedan was an instructor, department chair, Division Chair / Dean of Instruction at Langara College from 1979 to 1994, and was a member of the Executive Academic Council that established Langara College as an independent institution in 1992. In 1994, Richard was appointed Associate Professor at the UBC School of Social Work. He was a past Director of the UBC First Nation House of Learning, and was the inaugural Senior Advisor to the UBC President on Aboriginal Affairs.
Active with professional bodies and Aboriginal agencies throughout his career, Richard has served on boards and advisory committees at the local, regional, and national level and is a past member of the Board of Accreditation for the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work.
In 2012, Dr. Vedan was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for community service, and for service as an Aboriginal Veteran.
Dr. Vedan’s research activities include: BC Yukon Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) for the Health Canada Wunska Aboriginal Children and Youth Tobacco Research Project; Co-PI for the BC Aboriginal Capacity and Developmental Research Environments (ACADRE) Project in health care; Aboriginal Health Research Networks (AHRNET) providing graduate student fellowships and mentoring to Aboriginal students; Co-PI for International Collaborative Indigenous Health Research Project (ICIHRP), a six-year project to build capacity and resilience in Indigenous Health Care Professionals in Canada and New Zealand; and membership with the International Network of Indigenous Health Knowledge Development. With Cree Scholar Dr. Cora Weber Pilwax of the University of Alberta, Richard Co-Chaired the Traditional Knowledge Task Force for the Canadian Aboriginal Health Research Network.
Upon retirement in 2014, Richard was appointed Associate Professor Emeritus with the UBC School of Social Work, and currently serves as Elder Scholar and First Nations Advisor for the School. He also serves as Elder Scholar for SFU’s Faculty of Education, and is a member of the Indigenous Education and Reconciliation Council.
Over the past three years, with colleagues Dr. Judith Hall, Emerita, UBC Medicine and Dr. Marv Westwood, Emeritus, UBC Counselling Psychology, Richard has been developing, coordinating and presenting the Senior Lecture Series “Intergenerational Effects of Psychological Trauma.” Sponsored by UBC’s Emeritus College in partnership with Green College, the lecture series was followed by a second phase: “Trauma Now Resilience,” and will continue into the fall 2024 semester. In collaboration with Dr. Marv Westwood, Richard has developed and presented at several workshops on “Late Adult Stage Development in Men.”
Across the past several years, Dr. Vedan has engaged in numerous broadcast radio interviews with CBC and Global News. He was profiled in the Vancouver Sun and Province articles on the role of Aboriginal Veterans, and interviewed by Neetu Garcha for a Global National feature on Aboriginal Veterans. He was also content advisor and presenter for two feature length documentaries: Canadian Geographics “Returning Home” directed by Sean Stiller and Eagle Vision/Corus ’True Story; Part Two” directed by Dinae Robinson, both of which present the history and contemporary circumstances of Indigenous people in Canada.
THE INSPIRING SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR 2024 – NOMINEES
So Han Yip
So Han Yip is a distinguished Social Worker with over thirty years of experience in the field. Her career has been marked by a strong dedication to adult guardianship work in B.C., where she has significantly advanced support and protection for vulnerable adults. As both a clinician and educator, So Han has provided crucial interventions in cases of adult abuse and neglect and has played a key role in educating and mentoring other professionals. Her ability to apply the principles of the Adult Guardianship Act in practice, while maintaining a supportive and calm approach, highlights her impactful work in the field.
So Han graduated with her Bachelor of Social Sciences (major in Social Work) from the University of Hong Kong in 1988 and worked as a family counsellor before coming to Canada in 1990. Since her arrival, So Han has held various roles, including psychiatric social work and adult protection education. Her innovative approach to training, such as using role-playing to enhance clinician education, and her advocacy for increased resources and improved practice in adult protection, have made a significant difference. Her work with Vancouver Coastal Health, including her contributions to the React Adult Protection program and her research on emergency interventions, reflects her commitment to both frontline practice and systemic improvement. So Han’s dedication to person-centered, trauma-informed care extends beyond her professional responsibilities into community education, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to supporting and protecting vulnerable adults.
Bella Cenezero
Bella Cenezero is a Registered Social Worker in BC and the Program Manager for Education and Support at Parent Support Services Society of BC (PSS). Over her 29-year tenure at PSS, Bella has consistently demonstrated a profound commitment to social justice, significantly impacting the lives of immigrant and refugee communities. Her professional journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of inclusivity, community engagement, and empowerment.
From the start of her career, Bella recognized the need for greater diversity within PSS and initiated efforts to transform the organization. She facilitated the creation of Parent Support Groups in multiple languages and established partnerships with Aboriginal Community Agencies to support Indigenous families. Bella’s advocacy work extends to organizing community consultation meetings, forming Indigenous Parenting Groups across BC, and developing programs for incarcerated fathers and the 2SLGBTQIA community. She also played a key role in incorporating Anti-Oppressive Practice into PSS’s Facilitator Training program. Through her leadership and mentorship, Bella has significantly enhanced PSS’s impact and supported the next generation of social workers and community leaders.
Amanda Amaral
Amanda is an exceptionally skilled Social Worker and dedicated community activist with a diverse educational background, including a BSW from UBC and MSW the University of Calgary. Currently, she serves as the Acting Director of Operations for Specialized Provincial Services at the Ministry of Children and Family Development, where she demonstrates exemplary leadership and commitment to improving services for children and families.
Amanda is known for her integrity and humility. She modeled and supported her team to work towards decolonizing social work practice in partnership with the shishalh Nation. Amanda’s involvement in spearheading various community activities demonstrates her leadership and passion for social change; notably, her work with the Sunshine Coast Pride in the Park and the annual youth solstice dinner for kids in care. Amanda has actively contributed to her community through various volunteer and board member roles and her unwavering commitment to social justice, community engagement and advocacy highlights her exceptional contributions to social work.
