Class Divides: An Ethnographic Study of Social Service Workers in Canada

Abstract

Drawing upon narratives collected from those working in the fields of social work and child and youth work, this thesis examines the relationships forged between middle-class social service workers and low-income youth and their families. The focal site in this study is a subsidized housing complex, including a small non-profit run community center, located in a mid-sized Ontario city. Both semi-structured interviews and personal reflection were used in the collection of data. This work draws upon the existing body of literature on class and youth, with particular focus on class-based differences in values and parenting styles. Through examination of the naturalization of middle-class practices by participants, it becomes possible to re-examine relationships with working class and poor communities, and to find ways to best serve them.