Re-Imagining Social Work
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Re-Imagining Social Work (RSW) is a collective of social workers, social work academics, researchers and others who share a passion for, and a commitment to the development of modern, progressive, inclusive, democratic, and culturally responsive social work services in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Re-Imagining Social Work
14h ago
Today Oranga Tamariki, opened its first pilot “Military-Style Academy” (aka boot camp) – under the watchful eye of the ACT Party’s Minister for Children, Karen Chhour – fulfilling the promise of the coalition government to get tough on youth crime. For our international readers, Oranga Tamariki is the Māori name for the Ministry for Children ..read more
Re-Imagining Social Work
1M ago
A guest post by Bex Silver. We are entering a dark period in the short history of our nation. There have been dark times before, and we have got through them. We will get through this too. October 2023 gave way to the underbelly of Fascism in Aotearoa, and a Genocide in Palestine: two catastrophies ..read more
Re-Imagining Social Work
2M ago
A guest post by Kendra Cox (Te Ure o Uenukukōpako, Whakatōhea, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) Last week, Minister for Children Karen Chhour’s Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill had its first reading in parliament. Iwi, hapū, hāpori and whānau Māori have been fighting against this possibility since it was put firmly on the ..read more
Re-Imagining Social Work
3M ago
We have just lost 9% of Oranga Tamariki staff in order to help reduce spending so that good Kiwis can get the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of those pandemic casualty images where 5,000 people are standing in a field and then one in every ten is slowly faded out ..read more
Re-Imagining Social Work
4M ago
I try to tell social work students that they need be aware of the relationship between the big picture of politics and power (the policy settings that influence the way that opportunites and resources are distributed) and the small picture of individual circumstances. We are slow to learn from our history; patterns repeat in slightly ..read more
Re-Imagining Social Work
4M ago
A guest post by Kerstin Hagena, Alina Hagena and Luis Arevalo “The era of procrastination, of half measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In its place, we are entering a period of consequences” (Winston Churchill, 1936) Kia ora koutou! Here we are again, the trio of social service professionals ..read more
Re-Imagining Social Work
4M ago
I wrote the following blog post for a Palestinian human rights group and for activists involved in campaigning for a ceasefire and an end to the genocide in Gaza. As the genocide continues, there may well be a need to adopt more assertive tactics. However, many other campaigns contending issues impacting the rights and well-being ..read more
Re-Imagining Social Work
5M ago
As a social work educator, I’m committed to helping students learn the knowledge, skills and values they need to – amongst other things – assert and protect the human rights of the people with whom they work. The IFSW (2014) definition of social work states, “Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect ..read more
Re-Imagining Social Work
5M ago
Oranga Tamariki has its troubles; always has had in my experience. The recent Ombudsman’s report, Children in care: complaints to the Ombudsman 2019-2023, calls for change “on a scale rarely required of a government agency”. It is clearly written, concise, and worth a read. I wonder what change of this magnitude might mean under the ..read more
Re-Imagining Social Work
5M ago
A guest post by Ai Sumihira I wrote this because I wanted to see more positive stories of minority women in our community. I do not intend to support or critique any particular political party through my writing. I watched the former justice minister Kiri Allan’s interview the morning I began writing this. Kiri looked ..read more