Critical social work seeks to explain and transform various circumstances that social workers, carers and service users find themselves in, while connecting this to a structural analysis of those aspects of society that are oppressive, unjust and exploitative (Webb, 2019, p. xxxi)
By Samora
As diverse people of Aotearoa New Zealand, we have come a long way in terms of establishing human rights and justice for all. However, a lot more can be done for the rainbow diverse community, where understanding can be further drilled within policies and processes, and through communication where there can be room for acknowledgement and respect. This would enable empowerment for all members who identify as either gender or sexually diverse, especially for the rangatahi (youth) journeying through these particular experiences. I use ‘gender/sexually diverse’ as an umbrella term, covering all the identities within LGBTQIA+, as well as cultural terms that have been introduced into this context by all indigenous communities in New Zealand.
What does it mean to be Rainbow competent? Ara Taiohi and RainbowYOUTH have both agreed that this means to value our rainbow individuals of Aotearoa and to share hope and light about their futures (ComVoices, 2018). We may think as a modern society that we are already achieving this, well actually, we are not. For example, enrolment forms for education institutes, referral forms for community services, and census forms for national counts, continue to produce the bias male and female option which disregards those who prefer to be known as transgender, intersex and most recently non-binary (Desmarais, 2018). With the increase of gender expression in our society, cisgendered (those whose gender matches their sex assigned at birth) folks should not assume that the heteronormative gender ideals are being made fun of. No. Instead the expression of sex and gender across a wide spectrum is indeed taken seriously because it represents authenticity and courage for some to exist, and that there is no room for any gender foolery in 2019.
Another aspect of this competency is about our approach directly towards gender and queer diverse youth who may show confidence in being themselves or not. A perfect tool found in the InsideOUT Resource ‘Starting and Strengthening Rainbow Diversity Groups’ and implemented across most safe spaces recently, is the use of introducing your preferred pronoun while introducing yourself to a new person. This idea around pronouns allows gender diverse members to be free to express who they are and what they wish to be referred as, without allowing anyone else to misgender them. To assume someone’s gender based on their appearance, is highly problematic. That is the same thing if we notice a young male who appears feminine and we assume he is gay, or if we notice a petite male with a high pitch voice and we assume he was born female. Some of us have strong gay or trans radars going off on what we think is correct, but the way we approach the queer and gender diverse community in professional settings, can put a large dent on one’s experience for them trying to be their authentic self in what is supposed to be a safe space for them.
I can go on and on about what it takes to become a rainbow competent star, but I will spiral this theme down into the world of kiwi social workers today, and how this diverse competency can make a difference in social work practice. In the last half a century, counselling has been the main field that young queer/gender diverse people have been led to, not only by parents but by social workers and other support networks. There is nothing wrong with Counselling models and frameworks as this level of support is focused on the individual closely. However it is the wrap-around support of the family and wider community that strengthens individuals which has a bigger affect (RainbowYOUTH, n.d.). Social Work is the vehicle for this wrap-around support that drives the focus around gender and sexuality issues for everyone, where sometimes counselling for the individual may not be needed. In other words, all competent social workers can show a deeper appreciation for diversity, by educating and role-modelling to parents, teachers, coaches of a young individual, to help strengthen the bigger picture. The resources have been provided, all social workers can lead the support in this sense or become strong advocates.
Rainbow competency can apply to all practices engaging with rainbow individuals, but I speak passionately about this because of my own journey of becoming a transwoman in the last decade, that the experiences of my past has helped with crafting my social work practice today. As proud as I am, I also believe in inclusivity, therefore to work with the rainbow community does not mean you have to identify as such, this mirrors the same idea of the following: working in addictions does not mean that you had to be a recovered addict. Working with different people of different paths is my thing!
References:
ComVoices. (2018, 13 December). Rainbow competency for mainstream organisations (Blog post). Retrieved from http://community.scoop.co.nz/2018/12/rainbow-competency-for-mainstream-organisations/
Desmarais, F. (2018, 15 November). Non-binary finery: The Kiwis whose gender doesn’t fit in a ‘neat little box’. Stuff. Retrieved from https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/life/108178948/nonbinary-finery-the-kiwis-whose-gender-doesnt-fit-in-a-neat-little-box
InsideOUT (n.d.). Starting and Strengthening Rainbow Diversity Groups. Retrieved from http://insideout.org.nz/starting-and-strengthening-rainbow-diversity-groups/
RainbowYOUTH (n.d.). SUPPORT AND REFERRAL. Retrieved from https://www.ry.org.nz/what-we-do/support-and-referral
By Aniram Itufolo
Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud. A country proud of its multicultural diversity, inclusiveness and its friendly nature. However, the perils and negative effects of the racism that thrives within our country undermine the proud stance we hold in being inclusive.
Being a first generation New Zealand born Samoan in Christchurch forced to assimilate to New Zealand culture, I am well aware of the presence and negative effects of racism as I have experienced this countless times. The way in which racism within New Zealand culture casually presents itself allows it to fester and can manifest into our society unknowingly perpetuating racist ideas. Questions such as “where are you really from?” or statements such as “wow you’re English is really good” have often left me feeling less than and left with an identity crisis.s. A perfect example of this is this YouTube skit in the short film series ‘Misadventures of A Pacific Professional’ written by Tupe Solomon-Tanoai. It depicts the experience of a Samoan woman, Alofa, who holds the position of CFO within her workplace, however her capability is undermined by her colleagues based on her race and her gender. The microaggressions such as the repeated mispronunciation of her Pasifika name, her being asked to make coffees and the looks of disapproval, highlight and perpetuate her colleagues disbelief in her being qualified to do her job, due to her the stereotype that is attached to having brown skin. These types of microaggressions and stereotypes encourage the oppressive structures within New Zealand which limits the ability for those who do not fit as the norm to succeed and reach their full potential.
I know for myself the responsibility I have as a future social work practitioner is to be an agent of change, address racism when it occurs and to be an advocate for equality amongst New Zealand’s diverse population, but what does this mean for Aotearoa social workers as a collective? Do we all have the same understanding and responsibility to speak up? And how does this intersect with the emphasis that is put on practicing in a bicultural way that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi? Do the radical neoliberal reforms the New Zealand government adopted in the 1980s create a discourse which works to counteract all of the bicultural and inclusive measures that have been implemented so far?
If we look at the history of New Zealand, the failure to uphold and provide Maori with their end of Te Tiriti o Waitangi allowed the opportunity for oppressive structures and systems to form. Harmful stereotypes of Maori were created and are still perpetuated today. The effects of colonisation are still being felt today as is evident with Maori overrepresentation in the negative statistics – stuck within the cycle of remaining in low socioeconomic status which is emphasised here in the health survey . It is a general understanding that many New Zealanders blame this on Maori themselves without acknowledging the oppressive structures that work against their livelihood and wellbeing. These kind of comments are easily located under any Herald article that involves Maori lives. This kind of treatment is not exclusive to Maori and this is evident with the recent terrorist attack in Christchurch. The phrase “They are Us” was circulated frequently in a way to include our Muslim community in Aotearoa, however the use of ‘they’ suggests the are of an ‘other’ category. Leigh-Marama Mclachlan challenges the notion ‘this is not us’ in this article by highlighting the violent racist history of New Zealand that is often dismissed (21 March, 2019).
Policies have been created with the intention to respond to the disparity of inclusivity, such as the Pūao-te-Ata-Tū initiative with child protection in the late 1980s. However I believe the day-to-day work of holding people accountable for racist actions is of most importance. Everybody has biases and different lenses that they view the world through: this is a given. However in order to grow and develop into a better society, it is important to be self-aware, not only of our actions but actions of those around us. This means questioning not only myself on where I could be perpetuating racist ideas but also amongst others. We in New Zealand pride ourselves on our diverse and multicultural population. It’s time to back up our words with our actions.
By Maryann
In this blogpost, I would like to address and challenge some of the issues that social workers are facing daily in their practices. The role allotted to social workers seems to be revolving around individual issues and neglecting wider issues that influence individual issues. Why could this be happening? We know that social workers are the voices of structural changes within our society, but is this being promoted?
Why do social worker’s accept current identity and discourses? For example, the public has assumed and expected social work to be build bridges between services, providing resources such as clothing, food, temporary accommodation. I want to speak out that social workers carry out a lot more than this, and it needs to be acknowledged and recognised. We need to restore the way we think and feel about our identity as future social workers.
What exactly does the public know and understand about social workers? Usually people just know that social workers “help” or “facilitate (Staniforth, Fouche & Beddoe, 2014). Public views and opinion about social work has not been positive throughout the past (Staniforth, Deane & Beddoe, 2016). Social workers are ‘baby snatchers’, ‘social workers discriminate’, social workers are ‘damaging and pessimistic’. Yes, I must admit there may have been times when social workers may have made bad calls regarding safety of children (Russell, 2017). However, we can not ignore this identity or act as if we accept it. Let’s uphold our mana and pride as social workers of Aotearoa New Zealand and reduce this stigma.
When talking to current social workers that are new to the field, they started with a goal to make big changes towards our society, but has this happened yet? The response I usually receive is more negative than positive – the majority of social workers have stated they are restricted from resources to enable any changes towards structural issues. Therefore, they feel they are not accomplishing the reason why they became social workers. Obtaining these comments from current social workers inspires me to dive into how we can reduce stigma and being influenced from negativity amongst public about government agencies. Social workers are discouraged by the current stigma and this creates a barrier for advocating for change. We need to build stronger foundations towards our future identity as social workers. There is a gap in good advocacy amongst our current social workers, hence why it is important we focus on transforming the way the public perceives social work identity.
My feelings towards this issue are very strong, and I am passionate about changing this awareness. I am going to leave my thoughts with you. The majority of the public may have negative or unknown feelings and thoughts around social workers in New Zealand. Are these opinions stopping people from becoming future social workers? I surely hope not as I see social workers becoming strong and wiser in the future if we act now to advocate for positive structural changes. How do you think we could overcome this issue? Why are social workers being criticised in their practices?
Being a fourth-year student and getting near to graduation in my social work degree, I feel a sense of eagerness, enthusiasm but I am also nervous and anxious. I have confidence there is a way to restore social work identity. If we are effective and realistic in our practice and approaches it will motivate public to understand and not be influenced and concentrate on negativity. People do not decide to become social workers overnight – it is decided from past experiences negative or positive, or wanting to make big changes. I am proud to be able to become a professional social worker. I have reassured myself that I will keep the fire burning in wanting to be a constructive social worker. Also, it is important for myself to remind myself as to why I want to become a social worker and what kind of social worker.
References
Staniforth, B., Deane, K. L., & Beddoe, L. (2016). Comparing public perceptions of social work and social workers’ expectations of the public view. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 28(1),13-24 https://anzswjournal.nz/anzsw/article/download/112/220
Emma Russell (2017). Newborn baby taken because social worker thought she smelled cannabis. Retrieved from: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11938443
Staniforth, B., Fouche, C., & Beddoe, L. (2014). Public perception of social work and social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand. Aotearoa New Zealand Social work, 26(2/3), 48. Https://anzswjournal.nz/anzsw/article/viewFile/42/146
By WM
Abruptly, leaving an assignment that was almost due, glancing at the screen in shock, I could not believe what my eyes had just seen. I started having these ideas running through my head, could this be the best approach to protecting our tamariki, if not what else could be done. A news article had just popped on my screen, “Supernanny like Social Workers could be living in at risk homes”. (Stuff, May 23, 2019) What could this entail for child protection?
I immediately put myself in the shoes of the client, a parent whose child is about to be uplifted. I felt disgusted by the idea of having someone I must look up to, to be able to parent my own child. I felt I as a parent, there is someone parenting over me, could they be telling me what I should and should not do? In my own world view, parenting is also socially constructed, and this is likely to be a bone of contention between me the practitioner and myself. There is no universal standard of parenting, so where do we draw the line? Could practitioners validate what they can view as valid, distinct and acceptable parenting in the eyes of Oranga Tamariki.
I thought this as a form of punishment or reward, as (Skinner, 1948) demonstrates in his Operant Conditioning theory where he wants to promote a certain behaviour. Allowing practitioners in my private space means I would be rewarded by being permitted to stay with my tamariki, failure to agree will entail otherwise. I found this as nothing other than coercive behaviour which automatically switches me into a defensive mood. It gives someone power over me where I have been the power figure. Could this constitute power imbalances that can lead to a tug of war between myself and the practitioner?
This could probably also lead to the aspect of culture. Paora Moyle (2014), in her blog aptly explains the concept of privileging worker expertise about the client’s culture. It should be acknowledged that a group of people can belong to the same culture, but their world views might be different and that should be respected. Having a social worker in my own space and treat me as an African because of the knowledge that she might have regarding Africans could be insulting especially if I do not relate to some of the assumptions the practitioner might have. With regards to New Zealand, lack of Māori practitioners in social services leads to limited growth of Māori-appropriate programmes and methods in essential social work with families (Moyle, 2014). Hence bridging that gap of cultural appropriateness could not be as easy as a stroll in the park
Putting on different lenses now, the professional lenses. How would the recent controversial attempt to uplift a child in Hawkes Bay turned out if the young mother had a social worker in the home. With Oranga Tamariki claiming to carry a whanau centred approach, the immediate uplift of the child questions the competency of the state organisation in practising their values. If coming in to uplift a child, how whanau focused could that intervention be? For Oranga Tamariki to try to uplift the child, there were probably some concerns around the child. For a win-win situation what could have happened differently? Parents of Parents?
With the number of increasing number of children being abused in state care, the introduction of “parents of the parents”, can be the best intervention. Children are uplifted from their homes because the environment is not safe for them to flourish. Research has also proven that some children are coming out of foster care worse off than when they were with their parents. Hence what’s the rationale of taking one out of the cage and pushing them into the wilderness? Having practitioners in the home, could that not probably mean that some of the good family’s values are upheld, and family relations maintained, and people staying out of more trouble.
From a strength based perspective, having practitioners in the homes will allow for the tapping in of the family’s strengths and coping mechanisms (Strengths-Based Models in Social Work, McCashen,2005). Having once off encounters with clients might not give tangible results, but that immediate support when they lapse can be very helpful. Relationships tend to flourish were there is trust, consistency, reliability, and don’t we think having practitioners in the homes can promote such
From an outsider’s point of view, it is good to note and acknowledge the efforts being employed by the New Zealand government to address social issues in the country especially when it comes down to child protection. A holistic approach to family centred practice is of paramount importance in child protection. Removing a child from its whanau should not be an option but how best to support the whanau to take care of their own.
It should be noted that practitioners are neither immune to the social ills of the society either. The practitioners are expected to engage with the families 24/7/365 days a year. It should be taken into consideration that social workers are not immune to social problems they experience some of these issues with their own children. We must be wary of creating another problem where families of social workers must endure the absence of their parents, when their parents are busy parenting other children’s parents. Could that not be classified as “problem transference?
I remain open minded to see when these new services come into effect and see how effective this intervention is as far as child protection is concerned. My only concern is Oranga Tamariki who are usually like a “roaring lion looking for whom to devour”.
By Kali Warning- domestic violence
This is a story about a little girl who grew up on a tiny island in the South Pacific. She was born into a culture where sexual abuse was prevalent in the home but was never discussed openly.
He was more than just her mother’s partner. He was a best friend, a familiar face and to her, a Father. She remembers the days spent at his house and the countless times he would pick her up after school. He watched her grow up as if she were his own and always treated her like a princess. There was also a time when her best friend was a little boy and he hated the sight of them holding hands. He would say that they were too young to be doing things like that and that she belonged to him. As she grew and matured he noticed this too but not in the same way she did. She didn’t think anything of it until that day. It began just like every other normal day but today it was different. He was different. It was the day he no longer was her father but instead he became a stranger. He said everything was going to be okay. “Shhh,” he whispered, no one needs to know. This can be our little secret he said. When he was done she ran towards the driveway hoping someone would come and save her. No one came. No one heard her quiet pleas for help.
She told her mother the next day. Shaking with fear she stammered to get her words out. Not knowing how her mother would react or what she would say. She never thought she would hear what followed next. “This is your fault! You should be ashamed of yourself!” mother said. “Don’t you ever speak of this to anyone you hear me?” In a very small voice she said, “Okay,” as hot tears streamed down her cheeks. She was nine years old.
This is only one of the countless stories that may be out there about young Pasifika girls who have experienced sexual abuse. But sadly, this story is not uncommon and just like most sexual abuse cases it was done by someone she trusted.
Auckland Sexual Abuse HELP (2002) found that young Pasifika females were more likely to remain silent about cases of sexual abuse compared to other ethnic groups due to being taught at a very young age to respect and obey adults. The Pacific Island Women’s Health Project (PIWHP) (Keil, 2018) who work with Pasifika victims of sexual violence emphasize that disclosures of this nature would have cost these young women their reputation. As a result, leading to their fear of being “re-abused, disowned and disassociated by their family, as well as made to feel ashamed and guilt” (Auckland Sexual Abuse HELP, 2002, para. 7). For Pasifika victims “upholding the family name is important and often sexual abuse remains unreported to the police and therefore is statistically under-represented” (Auckland Sexual Abuse HELP, 2002, para. 7).
If you’re wondering, “What ever happened to that little girl?” Well, that little girl grew up facing many more hardships and challenges that come with life. But this story only made her more determined to take ownership of what was once hers. Her voice. She believes that this experience though, has left her with a painful scar has been the core reason she is still here today. In hopes that one day she will be able to empower other Pasifika people out there who have experienced sexual abuse, no matter how old you are or were when it happened that it’s okay to ask for help.
She says that it’s okay to share your story with others because in doing so and only if you’re willing, it can bring healing and strength. Yes, it may be extremely painful each time you share, and many tears may fall but don’t be afraid to take ownership of what is, and always has been. Your voice.
Trust me I know …for I am she.
References
Keil, M., (2018). Pacific Islands Women’s Health Project Aotearoa [Essay]. Retrieved from https://nzhistory.govt.nz/women-together/pacific-islands-womens-health-project-aotearoa
McPhillips, K., Berman, S., Olo-Whaanga, E., & McCully, K. (2002). Preventing sexual violence: A vision for Auckland/Tamaki Makaurau [Report]. Retrieved from https://www.helpauckland.org.nz/uploads/1/1/9/2/119275224/preventing_sexual_violence_1.pdf
My story, my shame, is tragically common. (2018, June 24). Retrieved from https://e-tangata.co.nz/reflections/my-story-my-shame-is-tragically-common/
HELP support for sexual abuse survivors. Retrieved from https://www.helpauckland.org.nz/get-help.html
By Leonie Burt
When people discover that I am studying to become a social worker, a ritual response is triggered. Eyes widen and brows raise. I’m told “You’re mad for doing that!”, and “I don’t know how you plan to manage!”. Well, it would seem that apparently – neither do I. The very notion that social workers do indeed ‘manage’ the stressful and emotionally-charged conditions of practice is debatable; especially when one steps back and looks at the pattern of ‘burnout’ and ‘compassion fatigue’ quickly becoming a tradition of practice.
Social workers regularly advocate for the robust and deliberate practice of self-care. We argue tirelessly that you ‘can’t pour from an empty cup’, and institutions of learning, workplaces and professional statements of competency alike stress the importance of safeguarding our mental health. ANZASW notably describes a competent social worker as one who “recognises the limits of the social workers’ roles, functions and skills and practices appropriate self-care in order to maintain safe competent practice” (p.10, 2014). Within this, social workers are encouraged to remember that neglecting our wellbeing (mental; social; emotional or otherwise) is to do a disservice to our families and clients. Relevantly here is the growing body of research which illustrates a strong link between practitioners’ levels of mental health and wellness, and our capacity to have empathy for our clients (Gerdes & Segal, 2011). With empathy being fundamental to our work, being engaged in practice should not see this capacity held hostage by a stressful environment. Students and social workers appear to recognise that self-care is vital for us as practitioners and as humans. Yet, burnout rates manage to prevail.
Anecdotal accounts and reviews of literature both strongly suggest that burnout is a lived reality for many social workers (Kim & Stoner, 2008). Practitioners often casually cite the high turnover rates that are typical of statutory social work. We see this stress and burnout take form in the lives of workers in a multitude of ways. Both vicarious and secondary trauma are named as potential outcomes of our work, which can (and does) involve hearing graphic, emotional and confronting details of client’s traumatic experiences. This might be particularly pertinent for work around child protective practice and domestic violence, where abuse is disclosed to workers. This comes as no surprise – we work alongside families during some of the hardest and darkest times of their lives. But, being emotionally affected by these stories is characteristic of good social work – compassion is categorically our strength.
But burnout isn’t the natural or inevitable product of working with people and emotions, nor should that notion be upheld as a norm in practice. Just as empathy is an essential quality for social work, burning out of this empathy is not ‘part and parcel’ of our work. Rather, we frequently take steps to protect and enhance this capacity. But we shouldn’t lose sight of the factors (beyond the emotional) which contribute to our experience of social worker burnout.
I refer here to the neoliberal political movement, and how this has shaped the social work practice environment. In brief, working in a context which rewards outputs and measurable efficiency creates immense strain for workers, whose work with families can hardly be quantified. These conditions also involve complex cases, demanding workloads and strictly limited time, funding and resources. As a result, maintaining a high level of wellbeing is a pressing challenge for social workers. There are a variety of resources and publications which make suggestions about how we might cope with stressful conditions, and develop self-care strategies. Although these recommendations are usually legitimate and useful, the notion that burnout is a normal experience for social workers should by no means go unchallenged.
Here, we need to evaluate how we talk and think about social worker burnout. This centrally involves social workers resisting the notion that burnout and forms of compassion fatigue are ‘normal’ or traditional experiences. This might mean questioning how well organisations support meaningful self-care, for instance through offering regular, quality supervision. Resilience is not defined by a social worker’s ability to adapt to unsupportive working environments. Nonetheless; this is easier said than done.
It is my hope here that social workers do not simply resign to being traumatised and emotionally exhausted by social work. We can’t regard these experiences as natural, or as some kind of trade-off for having a career that we’re passionate about. Perhaps we may consider challenging the discourse around self-care by being critical about how we’re encouraged to cope. For some, these suggested self-care plans can be somewhat formulaic; especially for students embarking on placements or preparing to enter the world of practice. Safeguarding our mental health is a complex task which cannot be tended to by a generic or overly simple self-care plan. Our mental health as social workers has to remain a central priority of our practice. Let us be brave and challenge any notion that burnout is a rite of passage in the world of social work and support one another on this journey.
References
Aguilar, C. (2016, June 14). 10 Tips to Redefining Your Self-Care [Blogpost]. Retrieved from https://www.socialworkhelper.com/2016/06/14/10-tips-redefining-self-care/
Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers. (2014). ANZASW code of ethics: Ko te tauaki tikanga. Christchurch, New Zealand: ANZASW National Office.
Beer, O., & Asthana, S. (2016). How stress impacts social workers – and how they’re trying to cope – Community Care. Retrieved from https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2016/09/28/stress-impacts-social-workers-theyre-trying-cope/
Fogel, A. (2015). Effective Ways Social Workers Respond to Secondary Trauma (Masters). St. Catherine University. Read here
Gerdes, K. E., & Segal, E. (2011). Importance of empathy for social work practice: Integrating new science. Social Work, 56(2), 141-148.
Kim, H., & Stoner, M. (2008). Burnout and turnover intention among social workers: Effects of role stress, job autonomy and social support. Administration in Social work, 32(3), 5-25.
Kimes, A. (2016). Burnout Rates Among Social Workers: A Systematic Review and Synthesis (Masters). California State University. Read here
By Anne of Green Gables – warning content about suicide
“Can you keep yourself safe?” asked the social worker. This was not a new question to Anne, she was one of those ‘repeat offenders’ when it came to self harm and suicide attempts. This time though it was really serious. She had taken a large overdose a few weeks before and after having her stomach pumped with charcoal they had discharged her. She was eighteen years old and still living at home. The mental health team at the hospital had left the responsibility of her safety with her single mother. Anne felt angry that she had “failed yet again”, embarrassed because now everyone was watching her to ensure her safety and heartbroken at the visible pain she had caused her family.
She had answered this safety question countless times before, often lying because she knew the ramifications if she told the truth. However this time was different, everywhere she looked thoughts of suicide filled her mind. The darkness was ever encompassing and she came to the scary realisation that, maybe this time, it was out of her control and she couldn’t actually keep herself safe. She was required to attend follow up visits with the community mental health team but no one one understood, and no one seemed to be able to help. Could she trust this social worker and finally tell the truth?
Labour’s Wellbeing Budget was released last week with a central focus on mental health. It brings with it, huge aspirations and positive sounding promises after a damning report in the Mental Health Inquiry about the current mental health system in New Zealand. Due to an overworked system, lack of staff and high caseloads, service users experience extremely long wait times and only those deemed to be a high risk are given priority. This means those who are moderate or low risk i.e. haven’t self-harmed or attempted suicide yet, are only given priority and receive much needed attention when or if they do engage in these behaviours. This has created a system which is reactionary and the ambulance at the bottom of the hill.
Having been a user of several different mental health services throughout my teenage years and now nearing the end of my journey as a social work student, I believe I have a unique perspective in the current debates. I have consumed untold amounts of antidepressants, sat through countless hours of counselling sessions, trialled Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and attended sessions with a psychologist. All of these approaches had a common theme – to work through issues in my past with a view to stop the self-harming behaviour and to make sure that I was safe. None of which made lasting positive changes in my life.
Then I was introduced to Mindful Counselling. Mindfulness and the art of being present are somewhat buzz words in society currently. To clarify, the mindfulness practice I’m referring to isn’t about sitting for hours, emptying your mind and meditating, it “means paying attention to what is presently occurring, with kindness and curiosity” (Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, 2019, para.1). The two central concepts are attention and attitude, with attention referring to being fully present in the moment and attitude meaning acceptance of what is, in a non-judgemental and kind way (Renew Your Mind, 2016).
For the first time in my life I was told it made perfect sense to feel like running away, to feel so overwhelmed that I imagined what it would be like if everything just stopped and I went away forever. It is an incredibly freeing experience to pay attention to the present moment and accept what is with kindness. To completely switch the focus from trying to change me and how I thought and felt, to realising that it makes perfect sense that I felt that way and I could accept me for me, right then, in that moment – was life changing.
Teaching the principles of mindfulness will not be the only answer to our mental health crisis and devastating suicide statistics. But perhaps it can be a piece of the puzzle which works towards creating lasting positive change. What might our Aotearoa be like for our mokopuna if we teach mindfulness in our schools and workplace, if we practice being present in each moment and view ourselves with acceptance and kindness?
Twelve years on and Anne can confidently say “yes, I am safe”.
References
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. (2019). Mindfulness. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/home/our-work/category/21/mindfulness
Renew Your Mind. (2016). Introduction to Mindfulness. Retrieved from https://renewyourmind.co.nz/introduction-mindfulness/
By Moto Moto
Aotearoa New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean whose culture has been influenced by the unique milieu and the geographic isolation of the surrounding islands but of these, more so from the indigenous Māori people. However, at its essence it is really western culture and as an effect of the British colonization the country also includes multi-ethnic migration groups. As, a result of this admixture of cultures many New Zealanders have a positive perception on immigration. They feel that it makes the island a more interesting place to live due to the diversity of culture, food, music etc. It is a beneficial for the economy as some immigrants have higher education and qualifications, thus they help fill job shortages in certain industries. However, not everyone believes it is a positive as they hold the notion that immigrants are stealing jobs and making it harder for New Zealanders to be employed.
As a New Zealand immigrant myself, a phrase I am all too familiar with (along with many others) is; ‘all they do is come to our country and take our jobs.’ Before I continue onto my next point, I just want you to think about this; how does someone come and take an opportunity that everyone had access to?
In 2007, there was a shortage of technicians in New Zealand and my father and his colleagues were recruited to come from Zimbabwe as they were qualified technicians. Initially they had to leave behind wives, children, their social life; basically everything they knew in hopes of a stable and improved future.
Upon coming to New Zealand, my father and his colleagues had to go through a challenging process of looking for affordable housing and adjusting to change of culture and environment. I remember him mentioning how he had a frustrating encounter with a European New Zealand male who accused of him “stealing his job” and urged him to “go back where he came from.” I really felt the gravity of this phrase years into my studies and work when I would hear in passing, people complaining about “not having job opportunities because they are all taken by Indians and Chinese.” As an immigrant I would get frustrated because I struggled to understand how something could be taken from ‘them’ since we did not come here by force and insert ourselves in their country but were called here because they were in need. It was not until I familiarized myself with the term privilege . It is defined as “a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group”.
Because many New Zealanders attain privileges as a result of being citizens, they have feelings about immigrants in terms of how these privileges are affected. One might be that they feel these people coming here do ‘not belong’ here, therefore they should not have the same access to opportunities as everyone else. Or two, that they feel as an effect of immigration they have lessened access to these privileges, which is probably the root of the employment issue. But perhaps such belief is rooted in reasoning influenced by racism and xenophobia. These people really believe that in a country like New Zealand in this day and age that immigration is increasing pressure on the country’s resources such as transportation, housing and education. Beliefs that are incomprehensible for someone such as me who has actually seen and experienced (and have many generations of family that have experienced) ‘actual’ lack of resources. In comparison it is a dream living in New Zealand compared to other places, immigrants come here to share in the opportunities not to steal jobs as we know what it like to not have or to struggle to have a little.
To conclude, maybe there is a real issue within the employment sector that needs to be discussed in relation to immigrants, however these toxic beliefs cannot be where we start that conversation. These negative views on immigration cause racial tension and division amongst people when there should be celebration that no matter where they are from, they can come live and work together. I believe there is a need for social workers to be able to navigate such issues through advocacy as it is described heart of social work by (ANZSW) . The question is – do social workers care enough to change the discourse around immigrants?
By Nia Mafi
The country once known as the ‘land of milk and honey’ throughout the years has been anything but that. I have been one of the families whose has been a victim of the reality of poverty. As a child of a single parent in South Auckland I can attest to effects of poverty and my access to opportunities. I have witnessed and experienced food insecurities as a child as well being unable to access to educational opportunities. I have witnessed my mother struggling on the basic benefit to provide the staples for us her children. My mum struggled to meet our needs, and this affected her mental health as well as compromised my relationship with her.
However, in my research I have found that the sad truth is child poverty has increased tremendously within New Zealand affecting over 300,000 of our children and to understand this a bit better 45,000 more than a year ago (Guardian , 2019). To put this into perspective, the families and children who are most affected by poverty are identified as Maori and Pacific families. It is stated that there are many living below the 60% income poverty line. As a country, we need to address the issue of child poverty and support initiatives that alleviate the impact that the national and international policies have created over many generations. Many of these have become entrenched in our society which has an underlying colonialist values and beliefs and been supported with the concepts associated of neo-liberalist ideologies since 1980’s.
The statistics as provided by Counties Manukau District Health Board prove that the children and families who are as living in income poverty are at most risk of medical problems and mental health illnesses. The other issues for those affected by poverty are social exclusion and lower educational achievements which end up creating statistics that reflect this with the Ministry of Education. They live in unstable, poor-quality housing with the effect on the overall well-being of the family.
Food insecurity is caused by the lack of access to quality or quantity of nutritious food and the list goes on. All the effects of the child poverty have the capcity to widen the gap between the have and have nots. Speaking on this issue I come from a place of experience from my life; this has been my reality. Being raised in a one-parent home being the eldest alongside three other siblings residing in South Auckland, poverty was not an issue as poverty was our normal. Our normal was reflected throughout my neighbourhood, I could vividly recall times that dinner was two-minute noodles and white bread for 99c or five dollars-worth of hot chips from the nearest takeaways because it would feed us all. I was unaware that this was not the way everyone else lived until I got older and more socially diverse.
During my time as a 4th Year Social Work student I have become more aware of the inequities in our society and the large gap between the very wealthy and the very poor. In my studies I have also discovered that this has been progressively happening over several generations as a direct result of policies and systems that have not supported growth for those that are most affected by poverty. In my opinion, after reading the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) 205-page report and the 42 recommendations that were made, it is the time for action against child poverty for the future of New Zealand as a whole. It does need to be noted that the WEAG recommendations to date have been ignored and are yet to be a part of the action plan and strategy for this government.
Personally, I believe the policies and systems currently in place need to be adjusted to not only address child poverty but to actively engage with organisations and communities that are attempting to address the most obvious symptoms of poverty with the increase of homeless people and begging being everywhere. Overall though the effects of poverty can only be addressed when we a country work alongside each other and with the financial support of our government to help empower and facilitate change systemically.
Reference list:
http://www.weag.govt.nz/assets/documents/WEAG-report/aed960c3ce/WEAG-Report.pdf
By Mina
I like looking at pros and cons in every situation I come across. I am going to take that approach with cannabis in this post. To put some context in place, smoking any type of cannabis has negative effects on pulmonary health. Advantages of cannabis are best attained if it is not smoked and if it has a correct balance of THC and CBD. The chemical compound “CBD”, has proven to reduce/eradicate symptoms of epilepsy, trigger apoptosis (self-destruction) of malignant tumours (potentially curing some cancers), eliminate pain from multiple sclerosis and helps with many other medical conditions (Pamplona et al., 2018).
It is near impossible to overdose, and it has minimal side effects in comparison to other pharmaceutical medicines. Unfortunately, most mainstream cannabis has extremely low levels of CBD.
So, in stating these medicinal benefits, I suggesting that non-psychoactive, edible, CBD-dominant extract/concentrate (oil, wax or pill form) as a medicine MUST be legalised, regulated and easily accessible as an over-the-counter drug (like paracetamol). However, I think regulation of natural herbal cannabis for recreational use is a step too far and will have negative consequences. I also believe that alcohol and tobacco regulation is terrible. However, I also believe that people should not be treated like criminals due to their use or preference of drug, hence why I believe decriminalisation is a good middle-ground for cannabis.
Here is the problem. THC is the chemical compound in cannabis that works on the endo-cannabinoid system in our bodies to create the feeling of being high/stoned. Is THC bad? With moderation, no. THC is an important compound that works with CBD to create the therapeutic effect of cannabis.
What is bad, is the concentration of THC in mainstream cannabis strains. Most strains have a pitifully low concentration of CBD and a very high concentration of THC. There is also the new wave of THC concentrates like “dabs” and other oils that have ridiculously high levels of THC, therefore further increasing risks. Here are the issues with legalization and regulation of cannabis with specific regard to THC:
Unfortunately, the quest to liberate people from criminalisation for personal preference of drug, has presented another problem. Referring to the information about CBD at the start of this blog, it goes without saying that edible, non-psychoactive CBD should be legalised and regulated for medicinal purposes and sold over the counter. I also believe people should not face criminal prosecution for using or growing cannabis. But at the same time, cannabis (along with alcohol and tobacco) use should not be indirectly encouraged by allowing it to exist in the regulated market environment, especially with the high THC concentrations, and the associated problems that come with that (as mentioned previously). My middle-ground solution is decriminalisation without full-scale regulation of the natural herbal cannabis. Some people may argue this position, but that debate is for a different blog-post. My main point is that decriminalisation emphasises that cannabis use should not be a crime, but it doesn’t promote it through the legal market.
Since cannabis is very popular with the youths, and because young people are quite impressionable and can be easily influenced, it may be of interest of social workers to become more aware of the discourse that has been set by mainstream and progressive culture regarding cannabis activism and legalisation. Social workers need to have a critical understanding of the pros and cons of cannabis in order to educate young people about safe use in this climate where legalisation is just around the corner with the recent referendum. Increase in adolescent cannabis use and disorders as a result of high THC concentrations and behavioural problems are expected (Hopfer, 2014), and social workers need to be ready to have a balanced approach to dealing with the situation.
References & Links
Hopfer, C. (2014). Implications of marijuana legalization for adolescent substance use. Substance Abuse, 35(4), 331-335. Retrieved from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08897077.2014.943386
Pamplona, F. A., da Silva, L. R., & Coan, A. C. (2018). Potential Clinical Benefits of CBD-Rich Cannabis Extracts Over Purified CBD in Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy: Observational Data Meta-analysis. Frontiers in neurology, 9, 759. doi:10.3389/fneur.2018.00759. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6143706/
2019 Social work blog 413 /713 