Transcript Neither Sophist nor Scientist: 30 years in the field

Neither Sophist nor Scientist:
30 years in the field
Wendy Zerner BA, BSW, Dip Ed
[email protected]
Multicultural Mental Health Coordinator Cairns
& Hinterland Mental Health Alcohol Tobacco
Other Drug Services
Overview
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Sophist , Scientist
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So much more Sage, Sustainer, Scavanger, …
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Why Social Work?
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Practice Wisdom from – Government, Non
Government experience
My Social Work Journey
The 1980ies…individual
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LOCAL GOV VIC – whole of community
health and wellbeing issues – opportunities
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STATE GOV TAS Psychiatric Inpatient
Facility - teaching hospital. SW advocate.
Ethical dilemas
The 1990ies…individual
FEDERAL Social Security (Centrelink) individual advocate, guidelines
Need for conformity big government
organisations
Policy change slow - impact huge (compare
NFP and other government)
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STATE Rural Hospital Social Worker –
strength of partnerships & work the team
1998 – 2003…community…
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NFP COMMUNITY SUPPORT CENTRE potential
Volunteer program –unique contribution & some
personal control; educational opportunity builds
community; reciprocity
Political action possible
Opportunity Partnerships – to achieve goals of
number of organisations simultaneously
2003-6 …community continued
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LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
Manager
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client = community
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Partnership potential
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Reality policy v politics
Recovery work 2006 - 2007
The strength of a shared journey
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STATE GOVERNMENT
Department of Communities rescuers.
NFP LIFELINE
People, organisations,
communities where they are at
physically & psychologically
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2007+ Multicultural Mental Health
Coordinator – Cairns & Hinterland
Individual, family, cultural group interface with
State Government system
 Impacts on Culturally and Linguistically
Diverse (CALD) Individuals and Communities
FAMILY
CULTURAL COMMUNITY
WHOLE OF COMMUNITY
LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
INTERNATIONAL
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Summary
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Journey from Individual focus …doing for – to Community
focus …more patience…greater sustainability
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Partnerships - seek out the like minded
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Personal power (challenges of individual obstructionists)
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Find the ‘creative corner’
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Be aware then forget the self