Inspiring Stories Archives - ...metaphorically speaking

‘Connecting in Time and Place’ With Michelle Bates

October 4, 2020

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Michelle Bates had spent most of her life in Sydney’s South West raising a family, but something else was calling her to the outback. Moving to Tennant Creek for a short stint helping Aboriginal people understand and implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme Plan, Michelle found herself putting down roots after falling in the love with the colours, the country and the stories of the Warumungu people.

Among her various roles in Tennant Creek, Michelle is a counsellor and narrative practitioner, advocate, mentor and leader. She volunteers at the Paterson Street Hub, a collective space in the main street of Tennant Creek which offers safety and opportunities for learning, sharing and contribution. This is a delightful interview of what its like to fall in love with a place and do the work that you really love.

In Episode 34 of ‘Talk the Walk’ we explore:

What drew Michelle to Tennant Creek to find an anchored adventure and what keeps her there
The history of Michelle’s connection to working towards systems change and living well in community together
The impact of connection to place and the role of nurturing women on Michelle’s early life and its resonance in remote Australia
A narrative project unearthing the wisdom of Aboriginal children in story and play, witnessed by important adults in their lives
What it means to children to uncover stories about the things that are important to them in childhood
An opportunity for listeners to provide outsider witness responses to the stories of Tennant Creek children
Key values and qualities needed to work with children in remote communities
The story of Patterson St Hub, a thriving inspiring gathering place for community members
The challenges of living and working remotely and how struggles become rich opportunities for growth
The small sparkling moments of resistance that makes Michelle’s day

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

Michelle’s Masters project through The Dulwich Centre (link to be provided when available)

Patterson St Hub, Tennant Creek website

Patterson St hub on Instagram

Michelle Bates on Instagram

Connect with Michelle Bates on LinkedIn

Email Michelle at michelle.bates@ymail.com

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Re-writing Stories of Identity: Alicia’s Story

July 3, 2019

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The first day I met Alicia, not that long ago, she said ‘I want to share my story with other people. I want to help others who are going through similar struggles.’

In the few months that followed, I sat down to interview Alicia on her experience of having her children removed and the many years that followed, fighting to get them back. This alone appeared to be a very powerful and healing experience for Alicia. Our narrative conversations allowed Alicia to reclaiming her identity from one which was defined by the Child Protection system as ‘a worthless mother who was not going to get better’ to her preferred identity as a ‘strong-willed, stubborn but patient fighter who never stopped loving her kids’.

In narrative therapy, Denborough says “while we can’t always change the stories that others have about us, we can influence the stories we tell about ourselves and those we care about”. In telling our stories in ways that focus on our strengths for getting through difficult times, we have the power to re-author our lives. No longer are we trapped by the problem story that we have come to believe is true; we now have a new and different story of what we stand for and value in life.

Our therapy together has allowed Alicia to reclaim her ‘storytelling rights’ (Denborough 2017) and tell her story in a way that fits for her, not defined by others. The Charter of Storytelling Rights includes:

the right to define their experiences and problem in their own words and terms.
the right not to have problems caused by trauma and injustice, located inside them, internally, as if there were some deficit in them. The person is not the problem; the problem is the problem.
The right to have their responses to hard times acknowledged.
The right to know and experience that what they have learned through hard times can make a contribution to the lives of others in similar situations.

It is this last right, that Alicia now wishes to exercise. Today, is the first time that Alicia is going public with her story. This is an opportunity for you, the audience, to be witness to the alternative story Alicia is taking on about her life.

We invite you to read Alicia’s Story of ‘never, ever giving up’ and then send a message back to Alicia about how this story has changed you.

If you know what it is like to experience child removal, we invite you to continue the conversation with us on our Facebook Group.

References:
Deborough, D. 2014, ‘Retelling the Stories of Our Lives Everyday Narrative Therapy to Draw Inspiration and Transform Experience’, Norton.

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‘Striving for Fairness and Equity in a Colonised World’ with Sammi Lillie

July 11, 2018

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It is a fitting tribute for NAIDOC week, that I should be interviewing Sammi Lillie on ‘Talk The Walk’ this week. In this conversation, Sammi honours the many Aboriginal women that have supported and vouched for her on her journey into social work with First Nations peoples. Having just graduated from her Masters of Social Work, Sammi reflects on her placement experience of co-ordinating the Child Removal campaign at ANTAR Qld (Australians for Native Title and Reconcilitation). Driven by personal family interests as well as deeply held values and a commitment to self determination, Sami shares the ingredients that have made practising Indigenous policy and advocacy work successful as a non-Indigenous woman. Social work students considering their future placements will find this episode invaluable and current non-indigenous practitioners will discover pearls of wisdom for standing alongside our Indigenous brothers and sisters for recognition and justice.

In episode 24 of Talk the Walk we explore:

Why social work students should consider a placement experience in policy and advocacy work
The current state of affairs in relation to the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families
The state of child protection legislation in Queensland after adopting the principle of self determination in 2017
The need for a national inquiry into the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out of home care
How you can support the Family Matters initiative to make a difference
Sammi’s greatest learnings working on Indigenous advocacy campaigns and policy development
The social work theories that influenced Sammi’s developing practice framework
Sammi’s concept of a ‘pro-Indigenous theory’ arising out of her interest in the work of Bob Pease on pro-feminism
Sammi’s personal connection to the Stolen Generations and the other motivating factors that make her so passionate about addressing discrimination
How Sammi has avoided major struggles in the work by acting with integrity, honesty and ‘cultural courage’
Knowledge that social workers should have but are just not getting
Unpacking the values underpinning Sammi’s work and life
The mentors and rolemodels that continue to inspire Sammi in her work
Reflections on proud moments, avoiding mistakes easily made, and Sammi’s plans for the future
Final advice for other social work students considering their placements

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

ANTaR Queensland website

ANTaR National website and Sign Up here for their Newsletter

Like Sammi’s Facebook Page ‘Ally Through Advocacy’

Sammi’s Reading List
Clare Tilbery, ‘The over-representation of indigenous children in the Australian child welfare system’, International Journal of Social Welfare.
Bob Pease, ‘Men as Allies in Preventing Violence against Women: Principles and Practices for Promoting Accountability’.
Bindi Bennett, Sue Green, Stephanie Gilbert, Dawn Bessarab (eds), Our voices : Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social work.
Bindi Bennett, Joanna Zubrzycki, J & Violent Bacon, ‘What Do We Know? The Experiences of Social Workers Working Alongside Aboriginal People’.
Christine Fejo-King & Linda Briskman,‘Reversing colonial practices with Indigenous peoples’
Christine Fejo-King, Let’s Talk Kinship.
English, Peter. ‘Land rights and birthrights, (the great Australian hoax) : an examination of the rights of ownership of former Aboriginal land in Australia’.
Aileen Moreton- Robinson, Whitening Race, Aboriginal Studies Press, Australia.
Robyn Lynn, Rosamund Thorpe, Debra Miles, Christine Cutts, Anne Butcher, Linda Ford Murri Way! Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders reconstruct social welfare practice.
Tom Calma & Emily Priday, ‘Putting Indigenous Human Rights into Social Work Practice’, Australian Social Work.
Elizabeth Fernandez, ‘Child Protection and Vulnerable Families: Trends and Issues in the Australian Context’, Social Sciences.

Contact Sammi at sammililli(at)gmail(dot)com

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Just some of the beautiful trees that spoke to Anne around the community and on homelands.

‘Opening Doors and Letting Stories Unfold’ with Anne Carrick

February 7, 2018

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Anne Carrick working on Kunibidji country

In episode 20 of ‘Talk the Walk’, my guest today captures the essence of what it takes to move from a big city to a remote community in the heart of Arnhemland. Social Worker, Anne Carrick spent three years immersed in community life and working in a social and emotional well-being program alongside 13 language groups and clans, each with their similar but different traditions living on Kunibidji land. Anne says “This is one of the most multi-lingual communities in the world.”

If you’ve ever considered working remote or wondered what it is like, Anne’s stories, memories and lessons learned are pure gold.

In this episode we explore:

Anne’s early learnings working with Aboriginal people as a young social worker in Adelaide and Ceduna
The thinking and motivation behind Anne’s move to the Northern Territory
One article every Balanda (whitefella) needs to read before working in Aboriginal communities
A typical day working in the social and emotional wellbeing program in a remote Aboriginal community
The effects of daily life being exposed to frequent domestic violence and suicide attempts
The role Elders and leaders took in responding to domestic and family violence
The outcomes Anne was able to achieve assisting women, children and families
How a social work assessment process differs in a remote community compared to a more urban settling, and the role of Aboriginal workers
How the community shaped new understandings of mental health using the positive concept of living a life ‘worried well’
Anne’s experience of supervising social work students; what students can do to prepare themselves for a remote placement; and good advice for anyone thinking of working remote
Anne’s challenges and struggles; and what sustained her
The vision, principles and values inherent in Anne’s social work practice framework and how she advocated for this in a system which had different ideas about tackling social issues
Tracing Anne’s ethics and values back to early childhood
The wake up call that may help you prevent burnout
Accessing good supervision and support

Just some of the beautiful trees that spoke to Anne around the community and on homelands.

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

‘Kartiya are like Toyotas’ by Kim Mahood

“National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s Mental Health and Social and Emotional Well-Being 2017-2023“, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (October 2017)

Social and Emotional Wellbeing Portal, Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Contact Anne Carrick on anne475esp(at)hotmail(dot)com

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“Telling the Stories of our Lives” with Sudha Coutinho

November 1, 2017

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You don’t have to search too far to listen to the stories of despair, destruction or trauma in Aboriginal communities. These are widely played out in our media. However if we listen with intention much deeper, we will find something richer and more telling. The absent but implicit in these stories, are signs of strength, hope and resilience.

Listening in this way is a practice that goes to the heart of Sudha Coutinho’s clinical and community development work. Sudha trained as an occupational therapist and was drawn to narrative therapy as a way of engaging her clients in the fields of mental health, suicide prevention and training.

I came across one of Sudha’s more recent projects when I was invited to respond to some stories collected as part of the Telling Stories project in Kulumbaru. Sudha says she has “always been interested in stories- those we tell about ourselves and those others tell about us – and the power in these stories to influence both the storyteller and the listener.”

Sudha also tells a really good story herself. With over 20 years working in the Northern Territory, alongside and with Indigenous Australians, this episode is one bloody good yarn.

In episode 15 of Talk the Walk, we explore:

How Sudha came to be working in the Kimberley, discovering herself and her way in occupational therapy from a narrative perspective
Why moving away from the ‘expert model’ to share our own story is essential for relationship building
What a genuine cultural immersion looks and feels like
Moving from a medicalised mental health/psychiatry model of clinical practice to a focus on social and emotional wellbeing
Indigenous concepts of wellbeing which incorporate spiritual and cultural aspects of self
Practice as an art, not just a science
Sudha and the team filming on location in Kalumburu

How ‘Telling Stories’ came to be; the intent and thinking behind the project and the narrative methodology behind the approach
The digital archives of strength, hope and resilience featuring stories of Kalumburu community; and how these stories were gathered
The role and power of outsider witness practices; and the effect this had re-authoring the Kalumburu community story
How you can watch the stories from Kalumburu and what to include in a response back to the community
Sudha’s biggest challenges commonly shared amongst community development projects and how to think creatively to overcome them
Evaluating a narrative project
A story about the effect the Kalumburu stories project has had on Sudha’s personal life; and what Sudah loves about narrative practice
How listening to difficult stories can actually be transforming in positive ways for practitioners and not always a cause for vicarious trauma or burnout
An invitation for you to join the conversation about how you listen to story within your own practice. Please write a comment below or join the conversation on Facebook.

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

Telling Our Stories in Ways that Make us Stronger by Barbara Wingard and Jane Lester

Watch a video and send a message back to the Kalumburu community and the storyteller at the Telling Story project on vimeo

Sudha’s blog about the Telling Story project on ABC Open

Contact Sudha Coutinho at sudhacoutinho(at)gmail(dot)com

Contact the Telling Story project at tellingstoryproject(at)gmail(dot)com

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‘The Reconciliation Dance’ with Pamela Trotman

August 23, 2017

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Get your dancing shoes on as we head into Episode 7 of Talk the Walk with Pamela Trotman.
Pamela has been dancing around Reconciliation circles since the 1967 Referendum, granting Aboriginal people the vote and removing the White Australia policy. Pamela’s whole life has been about appreciating the diversity around her, since the days of growing up in Gunnedah and hanging out with the kids in the ‘blacks camp’. Starting out as a young, twenty-something social worker in Redfern, Pamela’s career spans 50 years in child protection, mental health and policy working in a variety of non-government organisations in NSW and the Northern Territory. She has authored and presented on the areas of Aboriginal affairs and trauma, both nationally and internationally.
Come join us on the dance floor as Pamela reflects on five decades of the most memorable steps, lessons from mentors and learnings for life.

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

Pamela’s early days working in Redfern at a time of great political activism
How our white privilege has us acting and behaving in ways that are racist
How Pamela came to view her own culture of English aristocracy through the eyes of Aboriginal people to become an effective social worker
Reconciliation being a journey of white recognising their internalised dominance and black recognising their internalised oppression
Memories of Pamela’s childhood growing up in a segregated town and being one of few who ventured into the blacks camp
The influence of family values and class privilege on Pamela’s life and work
How Aboriginal people are treated as second class workers in our organisations
The normalisation and legitimisation of internalised dominance and internalised oppression
Pamela’s time with the AASW working on the Indigenous Portfolio and setting up the first Indigenous committee
The Social work profession as a reflection of society whose heart has hardened in recent times
reflections on the NT Emergency Intervention
how social workers can reflect on their own internalised dominance
the principles of peace and non-violence that have shaped Pamela’s life and work
Pamela’s biggest challenge and what it means to be a human
Why Pamela loves living and working in Darwin
The healing powers of the Reconciliation dances, a metaphor for living one’s life and work
The Dance Creation Story and its influence on Pamela’s social work practice
An inspiring story of the impact of Pamela’s work discovered 45 years later
The role of mirror neurons in empathy and understanding the woundedness of the other
Acting with integrity

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 episode

‘ The Locals, Identity, Place and Belonging in Australia and Beyond’ by Robert Garbutt

‘Heterosexism: Addressing internalized dominance’ by Robin DiAngelo

About Paulo Freire

‘Transcending Internalised Dominance’ by Pamela Trotman in ‘Reconciliation and Australian Social Work’ edited by Dr Christine Fejo-King and Jan Poona

About Mahatma Ghandi

‘The healing powers of the reconciliation dances’ by Pamela Trotman in Reconciliation and Aboriginal Health, edited by Dr Christine Fejo-King, Dr Aleeta Fejo and Jan Poona

‘Mirror Mirror, our brains are hard-wired for empathy’ by Babette Rothschild

‘Trauma and Recovery’ by Judith Herman

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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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‘Continuing the Bold and the Beautiful’ with Josephine Lee

August 2, 2017

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The bold and beautiful Josephine Lee

Welcome back to Part 2 of my conversation with Josephine Lee, an inspiring Senior Aboriginal Social worker who has traversed all breadth of social work and currently finds herself supporting children, families and schools in remote parts of the NT.

We are often told that we can’t change the world, even though we enter social work to do just that. After listening to this conversation with Josephine, you will walk away with renewed belief that change really IS possible!

Be prepared to be confronted and have your white middle class assumptions challenged, as we head into part two of my conversation with Josephine.

While it was an easy decision for me to interview Josephine surrounded by the beauty of nature, doing so means being open to the elements. So I apologise for the sound quality at those times when the wind picked up.

This episode covers:

Why Josephine is very comfortable with who she is and what she has to offer the world
What it’s like to walk to two worlds and how it impacts on Josephine’s work
Racism in social work
Why politeness goes out the window so Josephine can be the best she can be as a human being
The importance of holding adults accountable for the harm they have caused
Strengthening the voices of compassion and human decency
How to be a change agent for the right reasons
How boldness can help us all shine in the world
Authentic warrior-like self care for practitioners with a trauma history
Establishing authentic connection in this risk-averse world
The gifts of ‘Kuleana’ from Hawaii and ‘Dadirri’ from Daly River for living and working authentically
Our responsibilities for ourselves, each other and the planet
Packing the essential sense of humour and relishing moments of joy
Reflections on suicide in Aboriginal communities and society’s response

We hope you enjoy this episode of ‘Talk the Walk’. And if you or someone you know would make a great interview on ‘Talk the Walk’ send us an email from the Contact Page.
Warning: occasional explicit language.
Just click on the Play Button below and enjoy! We hope to have ‘Talk the Walk’ listed on popular podcatchers like iTunes very soon. Or subscribe by email via our Home Page.

Things to follow up after the podcast

In the song ‘What a Wonderful World’, Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole uses the word “Kuleana“.

Josephine says “Kuleana is the value of responsibility. It drives self-motivation and self-reliance, for the desire to act comes from accepting our responsibility with deliberate intent and with diligence. We want to be held accountable. Responsibility seeks opportunity. Reciprocal relationship between the person who is responsible, and the thing which they are responsible for.”

About Desmond Tutu

About Nelson Mandela

About Barack Obama

A Truly Civil Society by Eva Cox, 1995 Boyer Lectures

Josephine says “This book and many other writers that I’ve been fortunate to have been exposed to or read in depth, raised further my awareness around “don’t forget that humans have constructed society”, the busyness, franticness and dehumanising processes. It can be deconstructed and reconstructed.”

Aboriginal Social Work writers that have influenced Josephine’s practice:

Connect with Josephine Lee on Linked In

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An artists interpretation of family surrounded by wild waters.

‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ with Josephine Lee

July 26, 2017

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The bold and beautiful, Josephine Lee

My guest on Episode 3 of ‘Talk the Walk’ is Josephine Lee. Josephine is a Gudjula woman from North Queensland whose social worker career spands almost 30 years. Jo is committed to anti-oppressive, anti-racist, therapeutic and relationship-based practices as well as creative and hope-focused practices.
In true traditional style, this ended up feeling like a yarn around the campfire, than an interview. Josephine takes us on a deep journey into her life growing up and how this has shaped the person she is today. Her biggest influences on her social work practice is life itself. This includes in her words

“moments of suffering that you think you cannot get through; moments of joy that you think you cannot believe has happened; good people; lessons learnt from bad; being given opportunities; being brave to take up the opportunities; forgiving yourself when you stuff up, learn and grow; kindness is a strength; beautiful art, music, writing, and so many things that have contributed to hope focussed approach; talk with belief, especially to those who have given up.”

It was truly a privilege to hear Josephine’s raw and honest account of the struggles in life and work. Josephine is unashamedly and unapologetically frank in her assessment of the state of social work and humanity on the planet. If you want to hear the brutal truth about what an Aboriginal social worker really thinks about our white middle class profession, but in a gentle kind way, then you’re in the right place.
This episode explores:
• What is hope-focused practice and how it differs from strengths based practice
• The impact of Aboriginal policy and racism on Jo’s family history which ultimately shapes her practice and her life
• Jo’s view of the world as a ‘social justice cake’
• The circumstances that led to Jo taking up social work as a career
• Jo’s reflection on her own personal experience of social workers involved in her childhood
• Lessons on responsibility and what social justice in action really means
• Special photos that have significance to Jo’s life and work (see below)
• Child removal as the impact of colonisation
• Cautions for social workers following the current trends in treatment without bringing a cultural lens and critical reflection
• The traps that white middle class social workers might fall into which leads to hopelessness and helplessness
• A blunt warning for social workers who don’t enter Aboriginal communities with respect
• What it means to walk alongside someone on a painful but healing journey of self discovery for deep nourishment and flourishment to happen
• The power of narrative therapy in working with Indigenous clients
• What is reflective social work practice REALLY
• Black empowerment theory and why it’s greater than feminist theory

“If you walk softly on this Mother Earth, you have tried your best to take care for her, and all life, and you did so with dignity and grace — that is a truly well-lived life.” – Josephine Lee, July 2017

Josephine speaks about the following photographs in this interview.

Josephine’s maternal side of the family.

Josephine with her mother and siblings.

An artists interpretation of family surrounded by wild waters.

The picture a client identified as to what being happy with life looks like.

Please note, due to the length of this interview, it has been split into two parts. Tune in next week to hear the final part of our conversation.
Warning: occasional explicit language.
Just click on the Play Button below and enjoy! 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 the episode

Various Books by Christine Fejo King

About Wayne McCashen and the ‘Strengths Approach’

‘Black Empowerment: Social Work in Oppressed Communities’ by African American social worker, Barbara Bryant Solomon

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If you know how to ‘Walk the Talk’ then let’s ‘Talk the Walk’

March 22, 2017

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Walking the Talk on a Bathurst Island beach

In Wiktionary, to ‘walk the talk’ means ‘to perform actions consistent with one’s claims’. I first came across this term in Reconciliation circles. It implied that if you really wanted to make a difference in the lives of Aboriginal people, then don’t just talk the rhetoric; you have to get off your backside and walk with them in the fight for justice and recognition. To me, it is also important to walk alongside, not in front and not behind.

So how do we walk alongside in solidarity with our Indigenous brothers and sisters, when practising social work, a profession which has a history of baggage like removing children from families? This was a question I was trying to answer when I graduated with my Social Work degree.

At that time, working with Indigenous people seemed like a daunting task. I remember feeling so inspired and passionate about living out my social work values of human rights and social justice, that I upped and moved my young family from big city life to the remote North. To be honest, it was scarey, I didn’t know where to start and I had no real mentors to show me the way. Like many others, I was thrown in the deep end, flying out to remote communities, with nothing but a listening ear to offer. For two years, I felt like I was in a big bucket of water, with just my mouth sticking out, gasping for air, just surviving. I continually questioned ‘am I doing this right’? Am I making a difference? Or am I contributing to the problem?

Most of us come with good intentions, bringing all of our head, heart and hand to the work, but how do we do it in a way that is decolonising and authentic. What does best practice social work in Australia’s indigenous communities actually look like on the ground?

‘Talk the Walk’ will feature interviews with those who have trod a well-known path.

This is the question I hope to explore in a new podcast, I’ll be developing and launching in the coming months. Don’t throw out your textbooks, but I believe there is real value in hearing stories of experience, straight from the mouths of those covered in dirt, sweat and dust. “Talk the Walk” will feature interviews with those working in the field as well as traditional voices with words of wisdom for the whitefellas in white Toyotas.

My hope is that “Talk the Walk” will be a valuable resource for graduating social work students preparing for the journey ahead, and a watering hole for the rest of us who continue to learn every day!

If you or someone you know would make a great interview, please drop me a line through our Contact Us page. They could be a social worker, community development worker, counsellor or other allied health professional, or an Elder or Indigenous community member.

Yes, I can see the irony here. A podcast is all about talking. So my thinking is that, the podcast is a learning tool to help all of us get off our butts and do the walking.

So if you know how to walk the talk, tell me your story. Let’s ‘Talk the Walk’ together.

…metaphorically speaking

Posts in category: Inspiring Stories

Re-writing Stories of Identity: Alicia’s Story

“Telling the Stories of our Lives” with Sudha Coutinho

Things to follow up after the episode