Still doing what we do: Defining social work in the 21st century

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Staniforth ◽  
Christa Fouché ◽  
Michael O'Brien
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Indigenous Perspectives ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Work Education

• Summary: Members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) were asked to provide their definition of social work. Over 300 responses were analysed thematically in order to determine if practitioner views corresponded to recent shifts in social work education and theory which emphasized the importance of social change, strengths based perspectives and the importance of local and indigenous contexts. • Findings: The findings demonstrate that while there was some recognition of social change and strengths-based perspectives in the definitions of social work provided, that those working in the field remain focused on ‘helping individuals, families and groups’ engage in change. Respondents did not, for the most part, acknowledge local or indigenous perspectives in their definitions. • Applications: Results from this study may be useful for social work professional organizations, and social work educators, students and future researchers who are interested in the definition of social work and its scopes of practice.

scholarly journals ‘Always take the weather with you’ – Aotearoa New Zealand social work in a dynamic global society

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 29-38
Author(s):  
Sarah Fraser ◽  
Sophie Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
History Of ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Work Education

Social work in Aotearoa New Zealand and in the international community has weathered many storms over the years. The forecast is for further challenges ahead as the world continues to grapple with economic uncertainties, changing political forces and environments. While in the South Pacific, indigenous and local models of practice are being recognised, developed and refined, social work is also shaped by the global context of our profession. This article reviews the history of the 2000 International Definition of Social Work (International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), 2000) and explores the increasing diversity of voices behind the proposed new definition to be presented forratification at the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development in July 2014. The influence that social workers from our small South Pacific nation are having on the future of global social work is then explored from the perspectives of an emerging social work student and one who has been active in the profession for over three decades.

scholarly journals Asians in Aotearoa New Zealand: A population of interest for social work

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hagyun Kim
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Ability To Work ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Life Challenges ◽  
The Social ◽  
Full Participation ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Inclusive Society

Aotearoa New Zealand is a country where cultural differences are widespread and longstanding. The Treaty of Waitangi laid the foundation for an inclusive society where citizens’ full participation is granted. Nevertheless, a number of Asians seem to have limited access to the benefits of an inclusive society, with great concerns over social isolation and marginalisation. This requires social workers attend to Asians’ life challenges, justified by key principles of human rights and social justice; yet a paucity of training exists in social work education, limiting their ability to work with this population. More training is necessary in the social work curriculum through which social workers enhance cultural competence, with relevant knowledge and skills, in relation to working with Asians in Aotearoa New Zealand.

scholarly journals A Treaty-based framework for mainstream social work education in Aotearoa New Zealand: Educators talk about their practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 4-17
Author(s):  
David McNabb
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
White Privilege ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
Learning Framework ◽  
Cultural Approach ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Work Education

INTRODUCTION: Globally, indigenous social work educators have pursued decolonisation and the development of decolonising practices as part of the indigenous peoples’ rights movement and based on social work principles of self-determination and social justice. Māori have advanced decolonisation based on the original partnership that was envisaged in the Treaty of Waitangi signed between Māori and the British Crown in 1840. Aotearoa New Zealand social work education has a stated commitment to a Treaty-based partnership approach.METHODS: This research engaged focus groups along with interviews of social work educators from nine of the 19 programmes across Aotearoa New Zealand to explore if, and how, this commitment to a Treaty-based approach was being demonstrated in the real world of practice. A diverse group of participants included Māori, Pākehā, Pasifika, and people identifying with other ethnic groups.FINDINGS: Māori and non-Māori participants gave a range of perspectives relating to practising within a Treaty-based context. The Treaty should be understood historically but also in its contemporary expressions noting the extra demands placed on Māori. Non-Māori had an important role in demonstrating Treaty partnership and confronting White privilege. The Māori cultural approach of Kaupapa Ma ̄ori was a foundation for a Treaty approach, and presented a challenge for non-Māori to learn this. A major challenge for programmes was having sufficient Māori staff.Conclusions: Based on the findings, a Treaty-based teaching and learning framework has been developed to support educators as they advance decolonising practices and the indigenisation of social work education in Aotearoa New Zealand.

scholarly journals Comparing public perceptions of social work and social workers’ expectations of the public view

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Staniforth ◽  
Kelsey L. Deane ◽  
Liz Beddoe
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
The Public ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
The Social

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have explored public perception of social work and social workers. There is little written about what social workers think about how they, and the profession of social work, are viewed by the public. This article explores the views of a sample of social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand about their beliefs around the public perception of social work and social workers.AIMS: This article aims to explore social worker views on the public perception of social work, and then compares these findings with a previous study which looked at the public perception of social workers.METHODOLOGY: An online survey was conducted with 403 social workers from the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Work, which asked them about their perceptions on how social work and social workers are viewed by the public. The results are then compared to a previous telephone survey, which asked 386 members of the public their views on social work and social workers.FINDINGS: Results demonstrate that the social workers generally had a poorer impression of what the public believed in most areas, compared to what the public had indicated in the prior study.CONCLUSION: Social workers, social work professional bodies and social work educators need to be proactive in promoting accurate information about social work and what social workers do.

scholarly journals Competent solidarity: the alternative for professional social work

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-144
Author(s):  
Alastair Russell
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Radical Politics ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
The People ◽  
Definition Of

There is very little evidence of radical politics within social work and community development in Aotearoa/New Zealand where social workers here are caught in the constricting grasp of professionalism. Community development is strictly confined through funder capture and the “no politics” embargo of the Charities Commission. These realities sit comfortably within the oppressions perpetrated by neoliberalism. Professionalism is not compatible with a fight against the neoliberal status quo. The fight against poverty and its social consequences should be the focus of social work and community development. Within the professional paradigm, social workers have become increasingly irrelevant to the people they work with. An alternative paradigm is needed to make social work relevant. The paradigm shift advocated here is to replace professionalism with competent solidarity.This extended viewpoint article provides a definition of competent solidarity and considers the implications of competent solidarity in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It will then discuss the problems that emerge within professional social work and apolitical community development. Competent solidarity case studies from within Auckland Action Against Poverty are provided and opportunities for future action are discussed.

scholarly journals Animals and social work: An emerging field of practice for Aotearoa New Zealand

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 24-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Walker ◽  
Jenny Aimers ◽  
Claire Perry
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Human Animal Bond ◽  
Human Animal

Social work is traditionally human-centered in practice, even though for many the bond between humans and animals is the most fundamental of daily-lived experiences. The intent of this paper is to reflect on the predominant humanistic basis of social work and to consider the growing evidence for developing a wider perspective to incorporate the human-animal connection into social work practice. Joanne Emmens (2007:9) observes that the human-animal bond is considered by some as ‘…too mainstream (in the sense of being lightweight, cliché or sentimental), or as not mainstream enough…as substantial material worthy of study.’ In this article we argue that the human-animal bond is neither sentimental nor fringe and that our attitudes toward this relationship is based on a construction of western thought. To support this we offer a review of literature that provides evidence of good practice that can move social work beyond a purely humanistic approach to a more holistic view resulting in a more comprehensive toolkit for practice. We explore the literature and practice surrounding the place of animals in social work, both in New Zealand and internationally. In addition, we identify some of the ways the human-animal bond is currently utilised in rehabilitation, therapy, as animal assistants and as an indicator of domestic violence within New Zealand. We argue that this area of research and practice is highly relevant for social work as evidence-based practice. The paper con- cludes by offering some suggestions for discussion within the social work profession, and considerations for social work educators, researchers and theorists. 

scholarly journals Incorporating community development into social work practice within the neoliberal environment

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 38-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Aimers ◽  
Peter Walker
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Community Work ◽  
Core Subject ◽  
Work Education

Community development is a core subject in social work education, yet social work discourse often places community development at its margins (Mendes, 2009). This article considers the location of community development and community work within the current neoliberal environment in New Zealand and how such practice can be sustained by social workers in the community and voluntary sector. Community development is a way of working with communities that has a ‘bottom up’ approach as an alternative to State (top down) development. Over recent years, however, successive New Zealand governments have embraced neoliberal social policies that have marginalised community development. In addition the term ‘community work’ has been used to describe activities that have little to do with a bottom up approach thereby making it difficult to define both community development and community work. By applying a ‘knowledge intersections’ schema to two New Zealand community and voluntary organi- sations we identify where community development and social work intersect. From this basis we challenge social workers to consider ways in which community development can be embedded within their practice. 

Social Work and Its Complexity in Aotearoa New Zealand

2020 ◽  
pp. 16-36
Author(s):  
Shahul Hameed ◽  
Anthony Raman
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
The People ◽  
The Social ◽  
Chaotic Nature ◽  
Developed World

The Social workers need to call on a broad range of sources of bodies of knowledge and respond to the complexity and its chaotic nature of situations arising in social work profession. There appears to be dire need to consider the use of (a) the theoretical knowledge into practice by being more caring and supportive with the aim of (b) disentangling the various elements of a complex system and enhancing the resilience both of the people involved and the social and organizational systems that they are inter-twined with people lives. The current acknowledgement of the bi-cultural framework by the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) is no doubt a positive move towards infusing indigenous practice frame work into dealing with the chaotic nature and complexity of the social work profession in New Zealand but still remains to be seen in actual social work practice .The purpose of this chapter is to attempt to explore the potential of infusing Indigenous bodies of knowledge into practice against the background of the complexity nature of the social work profession in a developed world like New Zealand.

Zooming in: Social work supervisors using online supervision

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 126-130
Author(s):  
Jason Rushton ◽  
Jo Hutchings ◽  
Karen Shepherd ◽  
Jude Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Social Work ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Supervision ◽  
Online Supervision ◽  
Geographically Dispersed ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Social Work Practitioners ◽  
Online Group

A group of geographically dispersed social work practitioners who provide professional supervision responded to an invitation put out through the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) networks to be part of an online group in late 2015. Seven members committed to meeting for one hour every eight weeks using the online meeting platform, ZoomTM. This viewpoint provides an opportunity to share our experience of the development and process of this group, with its potential for ensuring a safe reflective space and ongoing professional development. 

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