Government; social work in Archives - ...metaphorically speaking

“Exploring the World of Social Policy in Australia’s Most Remote Communities” with Suhaila Rizqallah

May 24, 2019

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What does it take to be a mover and shaker in the development of social policy in the Northern Territory? Who better to ask than the 2016 NT Social Worker of the Year, Suhaila Rizqallah. My guest today has traipsed back and forth on country for over two decades and has a really good handle on the issues that affect Aboriginal people in Northern Australia. This interview provides a glimpse into the wide range of experiences, observations and actions, Suhaila has undertaken during her varied and deeply satisfying career.

On Episode 30 on Talk the Walk, we explore:

A day in the life of a Senior Contract Administrator for the Northern Region of Australia
Reflections on a 24-year journey from social work student at Anglicare to now overseeing contractual arrangements with NGO’s
The one big challenge for remote communities implementing services
Why Homelands policy has been the hardest to grapple with yet the most rewarding to see implemented by the Northern Territory government
What it was like to be called across to work in a multidisciplinary team on the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children
Thoughts on how legislation should be shaped in the future to address the over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in out of home care and the juvenile justice system
Access to good news stories from across the Northern Region
Helping remote Aboriginal communities recover after natural disaster and the implementation of welfare recovery policy
The unusual turning point that set Suhaila on the road to social work and be one of the first to graduate in the NT
The principles and values that has driven Suhaila’s career from her early days as a child protection worker
The influence of Suhaila’s Palestinian culture and family dynamics on her life and work
A beautiful sparkling moment that signifies all the hard work is worth it
Hopes for the future including the Bush Odyssey project

To listen, simply click on the Play button below or listen via the Stitcher App for iOS, Android, Nook and iPad.

You can subscribe to future podcast episodes from our Subscription page.

Don’t forget, if you or someone you know would make a great interview on ‘Talk the Walk’, send us an email from the Contact Page.

Things to follow up after the episode:

West Arnhem Regional Council

East Arnhem Regional Council

Suhaila receiving the Mary Moylan NT Social Worker of the Year Award 2016

Contact Suhaila Rizqallah at ieelmag(at)bigpond(dot)com(dot)au

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‘Facing the Realities of the History of Social Work in Australia and Getting Over Yourself’ with Emma Searle

September 19, 2018

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In the yarning chair on ‘Talk the Walk’ this week is Emma Searle, a senior social worker at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney. Emma works within a continuity of care model of maternal health social work, where Aboriginal women can meet the same group of midwives from pregnancy to follow up post-natal care.

There is more to this interview than just reflecting on the daily challenges of working with vulnerable Indigenous women. Emma invites us to enter into a conversation about the uncomfortable realities of being a non-Indigenous social worker, in a world where Indigenous child removal is high and white professionals make the decisions about what is best for Indigenous families. Working within a system with a history of oppression and racism, Emma set out to investigate how other countries were doing culturally competent practice.

On episode 25 of ‘Talk the Walk’ we explore:

The incredibly busy role of a social worker in a maternal and infant health service
The factors that impact on the likelihood of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women reaching out for support, where they have Child Protection closely scrutinising them
The stigma that comes with being a social worker; the challenge this poses for engaging vulnerable Aboriginal women; and how Emma overcomes these hurdles
Addressing the over representation of non-Indigenous health and welfare professionals making decisions about Indigenous people’s lives and the alarming rate of children removal
Emma’s key findings from her Churchill Fellowship exploring the needs and experiences of Indigenous women in Canada, the USA and New Zealand
What a difference it can make to Aboriginal families by acknowledging and celebrating language and culture
Best practice success stories in maternal social work overseas including ‘bicultural practice’ in New Zealand
How Emma is using her learnings to improve services for Aboriginal women here in Australia
The essential skill of being able to have ‘difficult conversations’
Visiting the early influences on Emma’s life and the values and beliefs that she connected with in the profession of social work
What Emma’s thinks is the superpower unique to social work
The people and movements that have shaped Emma’s social work practice
Emma’s sparkling moments in maternal health social work since returning to Australia
Emma’s interest in Brene Brown’s work on shame and vulnerability
An invitation to join the conversation on culturally competent practice

To listen to this episode simply click on the Play button below or listen via the Stitcher App for iOS, Android, Nook and iPad.

You can also subscribe to podcast and blog updates via email from the Menu on the Home Page.

Don’t forget, if you or someone you know would make a great interview on ‘Talk the Walk’, send us an email from the Contact Page.

Things to follow up after the episode

Read another great story about the Malabar Midwives service as featured in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Bi-cultural practice as it relates to Social Work – A summary by the ANZASW

To explore Bi-Cultural practice and the concepts of White shame and guilt read, A Pākehā journey towards bicultural practice
through guilt, shame, identity and hope

Emma’s favourite video from Reconciliation Australia that references our shared story and the importance of acknowledging the past as part of building a future together.

Brene Brown – TED talks, books and writings

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‘Life is relationship: Relationship is life’ with Lyn Whitford

August 30, 2017

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In Episode 8 of ‘Talk the Walk’ I speak with Lyn Whitford.

Lyn is a Cree-Metis woman from Canada who has spent her life’s work between her native homeland and Australia. After arriving in Oz in the early 70’s, Lyn’s travels brought her to the Northern Territory and she fell in love with place and people, reminding her so much of her own native home. For the last 9 years, Lyn has been working as a social worker at the Gove District Hospital in Nhulunbuy.

This conversation is a delightful journey from Lyn’s early memories of growing up on land set aside for native Canadians, being supported by Elders to pursue university education, discovering her Aboriginal identity in adulthood, and a lifelong love affair working in remote Arnhemland heartlands.

In this episode we explore:

Lyn’s own reflections on Aboriginal identity, rights, historical conflict and treaties in Canada
Joys and challenges of working with your own mob
Establishing connection in a counselling relationship or community work
Similiarities and differences in cultural customs between Aboriginal Australians and Canadians
The ‘woman to woman’ conversation and talking with men
Common issues for Yolngu people that a social worker gets involved with that most of us take for granted
A typical day on the wards in Gove Hospital
Life in Nhulunbuy, surrounding communities and homelands of NE Arnhemland
What interactions look like between non-English speaking patients and the hospital social worker
The implications of miscommunication and cultural differences for patient’s treatment
Lyn’s reflections on the Aboriginal kinship system and how beneficial that is for a healthy life
Lyn’s multicultural view of the world and the challenges this poses in her work
The challenges of talking about and working with Aboriginal women experiencing domestic violence from remote communities
Nhulunbuy in NE Arnhemland

The importance and difficulties of employing Aboriginal people in the health care system
Resources to assist newcomers to Arnhemland and why it’s important to understand the culture and kinship system
Lyn’s fondness for the beauty and simplicity of living in Nhulunbuy community

To listen to this episode simply click on the Play button below.
Subscribe to episodes of ‘Talk the Walk’ by email via our Home Page. We hope to have ‘Talk the Walk’ listed on popular podcatchers like iTunes very soon.

Don’t forget, if you or someone you know would make a great interview on ‘Talk the Walk’, send us an email from the Contact Page.

Things to follow up after the show:

The Northern Territory Family Safety Framework

ARDS (Aboriginal Resource Development Services)

‘Nona and me’ by Clare Atkins

‘The break’ by Katarina Vermette

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Another day in the life of a remote social worker

‘Giving Back to Community’ with Alison Grant

August 16, 2017

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Alison with a local Centrelink worker on the Tiwi Islands

On Episode 6 of ‘Talk the Walk’ I sit down and chat with Alison Grant. This is the first time we had met and it seemed appropriate to invite her along to my favourite haunt in Darwin, a community café run by volunteers at my local community garden. This set the scene for a delightful conversation with Alison, full of birds, children playing piano and lots of other people making fun connections over fair trade tea and coffee.

Alison arrived in the Northern Territory in 2010, taking up a locum position at the VicDaly Shire Council to set up a community development and education initiative to reduce the disadvantage of Aboriginal women on surrounding remote communities.

Alison then moved to Wurli-Wurlinjang Health Services in Katherine as the Coordinator of Targeted Family Support Services, a pilot program aimed at reducing the incidence of statutory interventions. Alison worked with families with high needs requiring intensive family supports, due to substance abuse, incarceration, disability, family violence and poverty.

And her current role is just as demanding, flying in and out of remote communities across the NT undertaking crisis intervention, assessments for crisis payments and supporting vulnerable Centrelink customers who may be experiencing financial exploitation, homelessness or domestic violence. Alison also works in the School Enrolment and Attendance Measure program.

Another day in the life of a remote social worker

In this episode of ‘Talk the Walk’ we explore:

Alison’s interest in language and how she came to be working with Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory
Humble beginnings noticing cultural differences to her own Fijian heritage
A typical day in the life of a social worker in a remote community health clinic
Leaving off the rose coloured glasses and adopting a realistic view of making a difference
What it’s like being a migrant social worker and living with culture shock
Providing essential Centrelink services in a remote context
Why giving back to the community is a driving passion for Alison
Alison’s biggest struggles as a feminist in a patriarchal world
The ethics, values and principles guiding Alison in her work
Insights into the factors contributing to ‘the gap’ in health in Aboriginal communities
Alison’s top 3 skills, abilities and knowledge for surviving and thriving in remote social work
Alison’s keys to building respectful relationships
Differences between social work with Aboriginal communities and other contexts
Implications of understanding the kinship system
Alison’s final tip for those starting out their career in this field

So make yourself a cuppa, put your feet up and just click on the Play button below. Join Alison and I as we ‘Talk the Walk’ in our local community.

We hope to have ‘Talk the Walk’ listed on popular podcatchers like iTunes very soon. Or subscribe by email via our Home Page.

Don’t forget, if you or someone you know would make a great interview on ‘Talk the Walk’, send us an email from the Contact Page.

Things to follow up after this episode

Connect with Alison Grant on LinkedIn

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…metaphorically speaking

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