Canadian MSW Applicants 2018

[karisma]

44 minutes ago, Saarahh7 said:

Hello! I just got the news yesterday that I was accepted into Lakehead's HBSW in Thunder Bay! Can you offer me any more information on the program? Were you in Thunder Bay or Orillia? I'm looking to find other people who have been accepted so we could start to look at possible housing arrangements! I am so excited!! 

Hi! I didn't do my program there - I actually applied for fall 2018 (got accepted) but will be attending uoft instead  

 

Apologies from my post earlier: I meant that those who go to Orillia can do their placement in Toronto but its still competitive overall to get a placement there due to the numerous schools who have priority. HOWEVER they said their practicums in Orillia and Thunderbay were phenomenal and helped them get jobs after graduation but also secure spots for MSWs. 

 

My mentor (lets call them X) who went to Orillia actually went said that their cohort this year faced numerous issues in the structure of the program; they said that there were somethings they didn't agree with that the orilia campus especially the way they were taught so they would recommend the thunder bay campus. Although Orilia is small, it requires permission from thunderbay for everything! X said that overall, Lakehead does an amazing job providing accessibility. X said that they definitely learned alot and it challenged them in ways that their previous education didn't. They were very interested in going because of their emphasis on a framework  that was general and did a little bit of everything; from the entrance test you could have assumed that! Orillia also has an emphasis on Indigenous education but Lakehead overall supports it and the rural pop; so you'll get a fresh point of view on many social issues! hey said that they have a floor that is specifically for social work students so they got really close to the cohort and you spend time with them everyday so you bond and get so many chances to meet with them for presentations and other stuff like that. They didn't know about the whole social work floor being on one level for thunderbay but definitely look into it BUT overall since both campuses are small; you get to know your peers very well and quickly you become a family. They said lakehead overall does an awesome job providing a class about interviewing and counselling; professors are amazing. There are professors who have diverse backgrounds in social work education so you can talk to them and they are very approachable especially when asking for their opinions or help; the fact that both thunderbay and orillia have small class sizes really helps. They don't have an emphasis on research ; its super diverse - they are working in mental health so theyre with an organization for their practicum that meets their goals. 

 

I also saw above that you were looking at a program that would provide you with clinical skills- lakeheads doesn't focus on clinical but they equip you well for counselling! usually MSW programs focus on clinical work but no doubt you'll pick it up  If you feel hesitant about lakeheads program, also look into the addictions and mental health program at humber! they combine both AOP and clinical so its a good balance!! but I say go for the HBSW- mentors said that its alot of work especially cause its crammed up in a year but itll open doors to other programs & your profs will guide you every step of the way!!

 

 

 

I hope that helps  

Edited March 30, 2018 by karisma

[Hmntrn]

Hello,

I’ve been following this thread for awhile now, but this is my first post. I applied to MSW programs a couple of years ago but didn’t get in so this year I applied to the HBSW program at Lakhead and the distance education BSW from Dalhousie. I’ve been accepted into Lakeheads (Orillia) HBSW program and am trying to decide if I accept or not. I won’t hear back from Dalhousie until May.  I am currently trying to come up with a list of pros and cons for each program... I was wondering if anyone would be able/willing to offer me some insight... (thank you Karisma for the info above)

I realize Lakeheads program is 1 year and Dalhousie is a 2 year program but was also wondering if someone could confirm that both provide the ability to register as a social worker in Ontario upon graduation? 

I am a mature (almost 40 eek!) single mom to a 6 month old and am struggling with the idea of leaving her each day to attend class. However, I also appreciate that attending Lakehead means I could be done my schooling and have a bit more time for her in the future as I would only have to balance parenting and school for 1 year not 2... I thought my anxiety level would decrease not increase when I received an offer of admission! Decisions decisions.... any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

Edited March 30, 2018 by Hmntrn

[nicoleMSW]

15 hours ago, _Nomad_ said:

Thank you for your kind words! Really means a lot.

It is not a disaster of course but still frustrating. It took me almost 6 years to prepare myself for applying to university, get some volunteering/working experience.  I moved 6 yrs ago from another country and it  took me few years to learn English from zero and to understan the system. And honestly I was sure with my professional background and personal experience I am good candidate for this program.

I guess I'm just sad that I missed all these years...

I don’t think you missed any years at all! It only took you six years to get to a point in your life where you can comfortably apply for a Master’s program (not easy) that leads to a career in helping other people (also not easy) after such a major upheaval in your own life (definitely not easy)... I think that’s huge! 

Be proud of your accomplishments and keep persevering

[skd05]

15 hours ago, SW Sevante said:

Thanks for the info

 

Thank you as well. Should i be worried i didnt get a call with that info?

 

Thanks

[skd05]

16 hours ago, SWMommy said:

Hi Everyone!

Did anyone else receive a call from the Laurier’s part time program admissions department today? I got a call around one. She said she would call with the decision on Monday, Tuesday latest. Not sure about the full time program though. 

I feel like this is bad news if i didnt get called i applied to the online program.

[kiki14]

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to say congratulations to everyone who got into their school of choice! I’m looking forward to meeting the U of T students at the Welcome Orientations for Year 1 and Advanced Standing (2 separate events).

 

For those waitlisted at U of T, please don’t lose hope, but like another poster said be cautiously optimistic to protect yourself. A significant portion of my Year 1 classmates were originally waitlisted and the latest I know of personally was mid-August.

Please, please don’t associate your status with your worth or personal qualifications. My waitlisted classmates were just as successful, if not more, than the non-waitlisted students. This is a difficult process that requires a lot of patience, but hopefully we all make it through.

 

[skd05]

16 hours ago, SWMommy said:

Hi Everyone!

Did anyone else receive a call from the Laurier’s part time program admissions department today? I got a call around one. She said she would call with the decision on Monday, Tuesday latest. Not sure about the full time program though. 

Was this from Miljana? If you dont mind me asking.... blah i feel sad lol

[whatdidigetinto]

17 hours ago, SWMommy said:

Hi Everyone!

Did anyone else receive a call from the Laurier’s part time program admissions department today? I got a call around one. She said she would call with the decision on Monday, Tuesday latest. Not sure about the full time program though. 

Did she just call out of the blue to say she's calling again after the weekend?  I also applied for the part-time online program, and no phone calls 

[KJE88]

1 hour ago, Hmntrn said:

Hello,

I’ve been following this thread for awhile now, but this is my first post. I applied to MSW programs a couple of years ago but didn’t get in so this year I applied to the HBSW program at Lakhead and the distance education BSW from Dalhousie. I’ve been accepted into Lakeheads (Orillia) HBSW program and am trying to decide if I accept or not. I won’t hear back from Dalhousie until May.  I am currently trying to come up with a list of pros and cons for each program... I was wondering if anyone would be able/willing to offer me some insight... (thank you Karisma for the info above)

I realize Lakeheads program is 1 year and Dalhousie is a 2 year program but was also wondering if someone could confirm that both provide the ability to register as a social worker in Ontario upon graduation? 

I am a mature (almost 40 eek!) single mom to a 6 month old and am struggling with the idea of leaving her each day to attend class. However, I also appreciate that attending Lakehead means I could be done my schooling and have a bit more time for her in the future as I would only have to balance parenting and school for 1 year not 2... I thought my anxiety level would decrease not increase when I received an offer of admission! Decisions decisions.... any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

These two websites might help with the question about registering as a social worker in Ontario. As Far as I can tell both are suitable programs as they are both accredited (second link).

http://www.ocswssw.org/registration-section/list-of-social-work-programs/

https://caswe-acfts.ca/commission-on-accreditation/list-of-accredited-programs/

 

 

[smntoronto]

16 hours ago, SwagMaster said:

This is an interesting change. Do you mind passing on any information on this legislation I'm interested in reading more about it. Thanks!  

Thankfully OCSWSSW members are qualified to provide psychotherapy services, if that's something you're interested in doing: 

http://www.ocswssw.org/professional-practice/regulation-of-psychotherapy/

[cat_not_kitty]

Hi @CaribbeanSW! I'd definitely look into getting an Airbnb instead of booking a hotel – you'll get way more bang for buck and get a real feel of what it will be like to live in the city!  Pick somewhere with tons of positive reviews (perhaps this is obvious, but I wouldn't want to lead you down the wrong path if you've never used Airbnb before; what I mean is to avoid places that only have a couple of reviews, even if they're positive – it's just too risky). Don't worry about being super close to the university itself, if that ends up being cost-prohibitive. Look for somewhere with good access to the TTC (doesn't necessarily have to be a subway stop – buses and streetcars are perfectly fine for getting you where you need to go as long as you give yourself time and the weather isn't awful...though do keep in mind that we often still have a couple of snowstorms into April ...keep that in mind for packing, too). Things will be cheaper the further out of the city you go in any direction, but if I were staying here (especially for the first time), I'd want to stick to Toronto proper (I don't want to ruffle any Torontonian feathers by delineating specific NESW boundaries, but I'll be honest...I have some in mind ). If you end up narrowing your search down to a couple of places, don't hesitate to private message me – I'll provide whatever feedback I can on your shortlist.

Congratulations on your acceptance!! Toronto is an INCREDIBLE place to live – I'm first generation Canadian (my mum emigrated from India and my father from England), born and raised here. You'll find lots to love/do/eat/drink here once you figure out the ins-and-outs of the city!

On 2018-03-27 at 11:20 PM, CaribbeanSW said:

Thank you guys! @socialwerqer 

 

I am attending the Welcome Session in April and will be staying in Toronto for a week - beside a hotel do you guys have any suggestions for accommodation? I didn’t know much about Toronto and would desperately like some assistance. 

Edited March 30, 2018 by cat_not_kitty
Forgot to quote you!

[cat_not_kitty]

Really pulling for you to make it in off the waitlist @smntoronto!! But so happy for you that you have York already in the bag — it’s a way tougher program to get into, so I’m sure you’re not overly disappointed about your current waitlist status at U of T.

Edited March 30, 2018 by cat_not_kitty
Tagging you

[smntoronto]

19 minutes ago, cat_not_kitty said:

Really pulling for you to make it in off the waitlist @smntoronto!! But so happy for you that you have York already in the bag — it’s a way tougher program to get into, so I’m sure you’re not overly disappointed about your current waitlist status at U of T.

Thank you! It was definitely easier to open this letter (almost sure it was a waitlist) knowing I had somewhere to go in the fall. But of course I'm happy it's York, too - seems like a really good program.  

[sw2018app]

Hey all!  I have a quick question for folks who have applied York?  Has your MyFile been updated?  Mine still says "no decision yet"....  wondering if anyone else is still in the same boat?

[2 Year MSW]

23 hours ago, SwagMaster said:

It's quite rare to get into your MSW directly from undergrad, but there's so much you can do to improve your application. Here are just a few ideas for anyone to improve their chances at the UofT program that I've picked up throughout the years:

- Get more related experience (obviously). UofT really cares about the number of hours (as opposed to the number of months/years), so you should really try to get more direct experience where you can, paid or unpaid. 

- boost your stats mark if it's low. At the information session, they kept pushing that no one got in the past couple years with a stats mark under a B. They recommended retaking it if you need to.  (Angela typically mentions Athabasca university, as you can do it online) 

- College programs. There are lots that you can try. They seem to really like people who have done a SSW diploma (and i think that some have a placement as well?). 

- Research experience. UofT's program is very research oriented -- you can tell just by reading the course descriptions. In past forums, people often talked about how much UofT values research experience (related to SW or not!). I often find some organizations around my community that are recruiting research volunteers. 

- BSW. This makes it way easier to get into an MSW afterwards. I did mine at uWaterloo (Renison). The 10-month program is not online actually. To get in, you need 10 prerequisite courses or equivalent, most (if not all) can be taken online. It can be a bit of a gamble, because you need to pay and take the prereq courses for a chance to get in. I can speak more to this if you have more questions. 

- References. People so often neglect the importance of references, but they are so so SO important and you should take them seriously. At the last information session, Angela said that we would be surprised by the number of reference letters they get that are not positive! Here's my tip: When asking for a reference, always ask if they have the time to write you a positive reference. Better to know then than to submit it in your application. 

- Do more research about what kind of applicant they are looking for and what the program values. This point is really about program fit, and how you can convey that to the admissions committee. For example, UofT values research, so one tip I got from a previous student was to mention what research topics interest you, or say that you would want to do the thesis under the supervision of professor X. Another example is to look at the course description and explain why this program's courses interest you because of your previous experiences. 

I hope I didn't forget anything, but this is the list I had in my head when preparing for my applications. I hope this helps you!

Hey when you say that no one with a stats mark under a B got in, do you mean research methods? Because I remember the website saying that you must have at least a mid b in research methods, nothing about statistics. 

[cat_not_kitty]

Hi spers – congratulations on your waitlist status!! Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing how many applicants will get in off the waitlist because there are just too many variables to take into account, and these change year-to-year. But I thought I would quote in some back and forth posts from way earlier in this season's thread, for additional info.

23 hours ago, spers said:

Hi Everyone! I have been waitlisted for Toronto as well. Does anyone know how many people they accept off the waitlist?

 

 

On 2018-03-05 at 1:53 PM, socialwerqer said:

I've heard the same thing, that U of T's wait list sits around 70 people. It's pretty huge. I remember in a thread from around 2 years ago commenters were laughing because almost everyone who had applied to U of T had been waitlisted (you need to skim the thread from 2016, I think). Like others have mentioned, it is totally possible to move off the wait list but it is rare and I would remain hopeful but cautious. 

I was on the wait list for the 2 year program twice and I was never offered admission, despite sending in updated grades (A+ average) and updated work/volunteer experience over the summer. It really depends on their cohorts and what kind of applicant they might need to balance out diversity/experience/stream placement..etc for that cohort year is my guess. They say they don't rank their waitlists but evaluate everyone holistically when a spot becomes available. Good luck to those waiting! Don't lose hope just yet. It might take a few tries and more experience in the field but it still possible to make it

 

On 2018-03-05 at 6:58 PM, SwagMaster said:

Hey guys, I just wanted to pipe and and say that I second this. 

There have been a lot of questions on here about the size of uoft's waitlist, and the chance of getting in. I wanted to share what I've seen over the years. 

Over the years I've see A LOT of my friends, classmates, co-workers, acquaintances, colleagues, whatever apply for the MSW at uoft (around 30 if you count applications and not applicants). All I can say are that from what I've seen, rejections are far and few (especially for the advanced standing), and that most of the non-acceptances are waitlists. Although I will never definitively know if this is true, it seems that a waitlist result is almost synonymous to a rejection. 

I wasn't going to share this conjecture of mine because I didn't want to bring down people's hopes. But I do think that it's important for those on the waitlist not to obsess (it's not good for your health). I think that you should think of getting off the waitlist as an happy surprise. If you don't get off, that doesn't mean that you're not good enough, but know that the odds really are against you. 

Again, I wasn't really going to post this because I didn't want to bring anyone down. But I think it's important to be able to move on and take up other opportunities. 

 

On 2018-03-07 at 2:19 PM, cat_not_kitty said:

Thank you, @socialwerqer and @SwagMaster, for this helpful feedback and sage advice. Some additional thoughts for us all to chew on, based on past information (from the 2014 Self-Study, http://socialwork.utoronto.ca/about-us/utqap-self-study-2014/, and prior-year forums)...

 

2-year program

Confirmed: U of T's 2-year enrolment was set at a "steady state" of 145 in 2013, with over 800 total applicants (and this number seems to have edged up closer to 900, based on numbers given at more recent info sessions).

Conjecture: 75 people (so, 52% of acceptances) are waitlisted. This oft-cited figure seems to have originated with a phone call made by a (trustworthy, IMO) forum member in 2013, and has anecdotally been confirmed over the years, including with a (caveat: possibly trolled) survey that can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-3FLTJBCS/.

Conclusion: Even taking into account the conservative number of 800 applications, this means that only 220/800 (or 27.5%) of applications are accepted or waitlisted, while 580 are outright rejected. Acceptance rates for U of T's 2-year program sit between 16-18% (yikes).

*EDIT on March 30th*: We now know, according to the waitlist letters that forum members received, that they only accepted 130 applicants out of around 800 applications this year (as opposed to 145...no idea why they decided to reduce enrolment ), so that means an estimated 65 waitlisted (50% of acceptances) + 130 acceptances = 195/800 = 24% of applications were accepted or waitlisted, while 76% (605) were rejected. Acceptance rate for the 2-year program sat at 16% this year.

 

1-year program

Confirmed: U of T's 1-year enrolment was set at a "steady state" of 95 in 2013, with over 250 total applicants.

Conjecture: Let's assume – based on the number for 2-years – that that they waitlist ~50% of acceptances, so 48.

Conclusion: This means that 143/250 (or 57.2%) of applications are accepted or waitlisted, while 107 are outright rejected. Acceptance rate for U of T's 1-year program sits around 38%.

 

Additional info: Over the years, we HAVE seen waitlists move, and many admitted forum members have later confirmed that lots of their classmates made it in off the waitlist. These numbers, we'll never be able to verify – but the general premise makes sense, given that most applicants apply to many schools and only end up attending one. That said, U of T is a number one choice for many, given its reputation, clinical focus, specialisation streams, and location; its reduced focus on experience and large cohort-size, as compared to schools like Laurier and York, also result in it being the ONLY choice for lots of applicants.

 

Takeaways: Making it on the waitlist should definitely be met with cautious optimism, given that 50% of accepted students are unlikely to decline, but – looking at these numbers – being waitlisted should also be acknowledged as an incredible accomplishment.

 

And – *cue me as a broken record* – with applicants of this calibre, rejection itself is far more about fit and the overall dearth of Canadian MSW spots.

 

 

 

 

[smntoronto]

1 hour ago, sw2018app said:

Hey all!  I have a quick question for folks who have applied York?  Has your MyFile been updated?  Mine still says "no decision yet"....  wondering if anyone else is still in the same boat?

Hey! If you received a phone call last week with an acceptance then your MyFile should change by next week. 

[sw2018app]

Thanks for the info!  I didn't receive a call but was wondering if any York applicants have been notified yet if they were waitlisted or rejected via Myfile or if they have any info when final decisions would be made?  

[SwagMaster]

2 hours ago, 2 Year MSW said:

Hey when you say that no one with a stats mark under a B got in, do you mean research methods? Because I remember the website saying that you must have at least a mid b in research methods, nothing about statistics. 

Yes I do! I tend to use those two terms interchangably, but you're right, officially its called research methods.

[heather.m]

Hi all. 

I've unfortunately been rejected to both York and U of T for their 2 year MSW programs. I'm hoping to get some advice from those of you who have been through the application process more than once (on how you improved your application for the next cycle), and/or those of you who've been accepted into Master's Programs (not necessarily just at York and U of T). 

Here's a bit of background about me, and what was included in my applications this time around:

I completed a 4 year Honours BA at Ryerson, majoring in "Arts and Contemporary Studies" and minoring in English. My cumulative GPA is 3.73 (on a 4.33 scale), but my GPA for my last year of study is 3.87. I got an A in my research methods course. Work wise, I'm currently employed as a nanny, have worked approx. 2200 hours in that position. Before that, I worked as an Aquatic Coordinator for the City of Toronto in Parks and Recreation (5500 hours). I volunteered for the Yes In My Backyard Festival as their Elected Officials Coordinator (100 hours), and completed a practicum for my degree in which we organized the first ever Social Impact Film Forum (120 hours). I had an unpaid internship with ConferenceCloud Inc. where I worked as a Social Ventures Coordinator (seeking out nonprofit organizations and collaborating with them to utilize the ConferenceCloud platform for their events) (250 hours). 

Looking back on my application now, I realize that compared to everyone else on this forum, I don't have much (or seemingly any) relevant social work experience. I'm feeling extremely lost and confused as to how I'm supposed to gain experience in the field if I do not have a specific education in social work - which is why I was applying to a Masters of Social Work program in the first place. So my question to you all is, how the HECK do you gain experience in the field of social work if you don't have a BSW? What even counts as "social work experience"?! It's now clear to me how important experience is for these MSW applications... I thought that my strong academics and personal statement (which I spent a VERY long time on, and was extremely vulnerable in, discussing my experience with domestic abuse and how that helped inspire me to become a social worker and help those affected by domestic violence) would be enough.

I'm assuming that I won't be able to apply again until fall 2019, since any experience I do gain between now and fall 2018 won't be enough for my application (since they are due in November/December). 

I felt so sure of myself when I first submitted my applications... but this whole situation took such a drastic turn, I'm feeling so unbelievably lost and confused. I'll take any and all advice that you have.

Should I complete a post degree BSW and then apply for the Advanced Standing Masters next time? Should I focus on finding a relevant job and gain experience there and then apply for the 2 year program again? Will that be enough? Should I try and complete a college diploma or certificate in something *related* to social work? I'm so confused 

Sincerely,

One sad reject

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by heather.m

[Sooyeah]

8 minutes ago, heather.m said:

Hi all. 

I've unfortunately been rejected to both York and U of T for their 2 year MSW programs. I'm hoping to get some advice from those of you who have been through the application process more than once (on how you improved your application for the next cycle), and/or those of you who've been accepted into Master's Programs (not necessarily just at York and U of T). 

Here's a bit of background about me, and what was included in my applications this time around:

I completed a 4 year Honours BA at Ryerson, majoring in "Arts and Contemporary Studies" and minoring in English. My cumulative GPA is 3.73 (on a 4.33 scale), but my GPA for my last year of study is 3.87. I got an A in my research methods course. Work wise, I'm currently employed as a nanny, have worked approx. 2200 hours in that position. Before that, I worked as an Aquatic Coordinator for the City of Toronto in Parks and Recreation (5500 hours). I volunteered for the Yes In My Backyard Festival as their Elected Officials Coordinator (100 hours), and completed a practicum for my degree in which we organized the first ever Social Impact Film Forum (120 hours). I had an unpaid internship with ConferenceCloud Inc. where I worked as a Social Ventures Coordinator (seeking out nonprofit organizations and collaborating with them to utilize the ConferenceCloud platform for their events) (250 hours). 

Looking back on my application now, I realize that compared to everyone else on this forum, I don't have much (or seemingly any) relevant social work experience. I'm feeling extremely lost and confused as to how I'm supposed to gain experience in the field if I do not have a specific education in social work - which is why I was applying to a Masters of Social Work program in the first place. So my question to you all is, how the HECK do you gain experience in the field of social work if you don't have a BSW? What even counts as "social work experience"?! It's now clear to me how important experience is for these MSW applications... I thought that my strong academics and personal statement (which I spent a VERY long time on, and was extremely vulnerable in, discussing my experience with domestic abuse and how that helped inspire me to become a social worker and help those affected by domestic violence) would be enough.

I'm assuming that I won't be able to apply again until fall 2019, since any experience I do gain between now and fall 2018 won't be enough for my application (since they are due in November/December). 

I felt so sure of myself when I first submitted my applications... but this whole situation took such a drastic turn, I'm feeling so unbelievably lost and confused. I'll take any and all advice that you have.

Sincerely,

One sad reject

 

I completely agree! I am in the same boat! Like what can we do?

[Lmm2]

Hi Guys!

 

First time writing, but Ive been watching and reading for a while now. 

I haven't received any news from Uoft- my status hasn't changed, and I haven't received any mail (I live downtown). To say that im going crazy is a bit of an understatement!  

 

I have a question, I will be graduating from Uoft after the summer session, so my acorn currently says:

Fall/Winter- registered

Summer- invited.

 

I know those sessions are both not the MSW, but is anyone in the same boat... but got accepted with a MSW- invited under (3 lines in total) I hope this is making sense lol.

[_Nomad_]

10 hours ago, nicoleMSW said:

I don’t think you missed any years at all! It only took you six years to get to a point in your life where you can comfortably apply for a Master’s program (not easy) that leads to a career in helping other people (also not easy) after such a major upheaval in your own life (definitely not easy)... I think that’s huge! 

Be proud of your accomplishments and keep persevering

Thank you so much! And sorry I got a bit too whiny yesterday... ?

[_Nomad_]

@heather.m unfortunately I have no advice, just wanted to say sorry you got rejected. Im in the same boat and yeah it doesn't feel pleasant. I've been told volunteering might be an option, however it didn't work for me - I was volunteering for Baycrest and CAMH about 1,5 years in total, even got a contract job as a research assistant w Baycrest (for SW project). So, it is a great quastion "how"? 

Hold on there!

[2 Year MSW]

49 minutes ago, Sooyeah said:

I completely agree! I am in the same boat! Like what can we do?

Hey don't worry you will get there! Most importantly, don't be too hard on yourself. 

You mentioned that you were a victim of domestic violence. I would use that to help get you a volunteer position at a women's abused shelter, violence against women association, something along those lines. When you apply, you will easily be able to express your interest in working for those agencies due to your experiences (you don't have to mention your experiences of course if you are not comfortable). There are a ton of abused women shelters and hotlines looking for volunteers. The good thing about these agencies is that they usually offer you a part-time position if you  have volunteered there for a while and if an opening comes up.  I agree - it is hard to get a paid position with no experience (even for those with social work or related degrees lol), but it is little easier to get volunteer positions with no academic background in social work. A lot of social services agencies do not necessarily only take on volunteers with a social work background. They take on people who have a deep interest and desire to work with and help the community they are serving. My friend graduated from poli sci at ryerson and started volunteering at a shelter for abused women and it eventually led to a casual position. She is a huge violence against women advocate - and this shined through in her CV and interview. 

 Yes I know working for free sucks haha but you will learn so many skills, meet so many people and build valuable experiences that will help you get to where you want to be. It will also allow you to build your social work network. Just don't give up, once you start volunteering , you will see how much you have built your resume and thats an amazing accomplishment!