Clergy views on their role in city resilience: lessons from the Canterbury earthquakes

Successful emergency management requires effective communication between the civil defence agencies and the community to provide and receive timely and accurate information, and identify needs and resources. Religious communities encompass a wide cross-section of social classes, socio-economic indicators, ethnic groups and ages, and have their own internal communication structures. In this study, clergy in different Christian denominations were asked about their roles in the Canterbury earthquake sequence (CES), the needs of their congregations and the possibilities and obstacles to deeper collaboration with Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) authorities. Results show a lack of communication between CDEM and religious communities prior to and during the CES, and record suggestions from the participants on how links between organised religion and CDEM can be strengthened to build resilience for future disasters.     

Building resilience in a children's home: results from an action research project

This paper reports on the findings of an action research project aimed at building resilience in young people in a residential children's home. Daniel and Wassell's six domains for promoting resilience in young people were adopted as a conceptual framework to guide the residential social workers as they engaged in successive cycles of reflection and action. Two core areas were explored: (a) the approaches deemed to be helpful in building resilience; and (b) the background factors that enabled and constrained the social workers' interventions. The findings showed that the participants acted creatively to use resources and tools both within the system of State‐mandated parenting and the informal, meaning‐oriented world of the young people.     

Family resilience in low income communities: A case study of an informal settlement in KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa

Many of the people who are most vulnerable to the effects of poverty and deprivation reside in informal settlements in Africa. While there is growing evidence of the importance of family resilience, there is little documented evidence of how collective actions undertaken by families in African communities can contribute to this. In-depth interviews and focus-group sessions were conducted with single mothers residing in an informal settlement in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa to delineate the factors that contributed to their resilience. We examined the influence of social ties, self-efficacy and networks they had established beyond their immediate community on enhancing family resilience. Three key themes are discussed: determination to survive, rising above harsh economic conditions and establishing networks within and outside the community. We conclude that the foundation for building strong female-headed families lies in positive social ties, self-empowerment initiatives and tapping on established networks within and outside low income communities.     

Driving outcomes: learning to drive,resilience and young people living in residential care

There are continuing concerns about the experiences offered to older adolescents being looked after (‘in care’) in the UK and, especially, to care leavers. Questions are asked about the limitations of State care compared with normal family life. This paper reports on an initiative to provide driving lessons to a group of six young men living in residential homes in one city. It links with resilience theory – how individuals can have relatively good outcomes despite early adversity. A qualitative study was undertaken to explore the effects of the initiative, including individual interviews with young men, heads of homes in which they lived and children's services managers. The overall results indicated that the initiative was very worthwhile. The lessons were a significant part of young people's lives. Possible effects on young people were divided into personal, instrumental and social. Benefits were reported from all parties concerning young people's self‐esteem and self‐confidence, as well as in forging close relationships with supportive adults. Driving would not be seen as a panacea for complex personal histories and structural problems, yet this small experiment suggests that driving lessons could be of disproportionate benefit and there is a moral obligation to provide them in any case.     

Building resilience and resistance against racism and discrimination among Salvadorian female youth in Canada

This paper reports on the findings of a qualitative study (32 in‐depth interviews) with Salvadorian mothers and their daughters. In particular this paper focuses on the strategies that mothers and daughters utilized to resist prejudice and racism in their settlement country, Canada. Findings contribute to the literature specifically by drawing attention to the importance of ethnic pride in helping mothers and their daughters bridge significant strains that arise in their acculturation process.     

Use of domestic craft for meaning-making post-disaster

Much of the post-disaster research has focused on the vulnerability of affected populations and deleterious effects of such events on mental health, living conditions and employment. Little scholarly consideration has been given to investigating the resourceful activities of everyday living that occupants of disaster-ridden locations use to strengthen coping and aid recovery. This article reports on research conducted after the Christchurch 2010–2011 earthquakes aimed at capturing how people have used crafting as a means of connecting with others and aiding recovery. Using participant voices from five focus group and nine individual interviews, findings from this research show how Cantabrians used the activity of crafting to bring people together, generating a form of healing and recovery. Incorporating symbolism, expressions of compassion and restoring broken materials within their crafting helped participants generate strong and positive responses to a traumatic series of events. The benefits of these crafting efforts were realised on both individual and community levels, signalling the importance of creativity in disaster response work. While reference to domestic crafting has been largely absent from earlier research on disaster recovery we demonstrate how this medium has been powerful in enabling individuals to forge their own recovery after the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.     

Pacific Islands Families Study: Factors associated with living in extended families one year on from the birth of a child*

Abstract

Using data from the “Pacific Islands Families: the first two years of life (PIF) study”, this paper explores the factors associated with the living arrangements of mothers with a one‐year‐old Pacific child. Three living arrangements are considered: (1) those children who live with immediate family members only; (2) children who live with extended family members including at least one of their grandparents; and (3) children who live with extended family members but do not live with any of their grandparents. Findings of interest include: mothers who were born in New Zealand are much more likely to live in an extended family with the child's grandparent(s) compared to those who came to New Zealand as an adult; and mothers with high New Zealand identity and low Pacific identity being more likely to live with extended family members other than the child's grandparent(s) relative to those with low New Zealand and high Pacific identity.     

Social participation and transnational engagement among Korean residents in New Zealand: issues and implications for social work practice

Social work practice involving migration issues requires a good understanding of migrants' social engagement within their embedded context. The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of social participation and transnational engagement among Korean migrants in New Zealand. The findings from the study show that ethnic-based groups provide Korean residents with the opportunity to actively engage in social and civic practices. Korean migrants are also involved in transnational activities, promoting networks and interactions between the host society and the homeland. This paper suggests that social work with migrants should take into account migrant social capital in the present-day migration context.     

Targeting Social Expenditure in New Zealand: An Evaluation of the Current Policy Regime

This paper provides a brief account of how social expenditure in New Zealand has been targeted (i.e. means-tested) since the late nineteenth century, outlines the policy framework at the dawn of the new millennium, and assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the current targeting regime. It is argued that the existing policy settings are open to challenge on a number of counts. In particular, they are complex, inconsistent and relatively intrusive, they impose significant administrative and compliance costs, and they generate considerable incentive problems. Nor has the greater reliance on targeting since the mid-1980s prevented an increase in relative poverty and inequality. Given this situation, the paper outlines some possible reforms.     

Research Review: Risk and resilience in cases of emotional abuse

This paper examines risk and resilience in relation to emotional abuse. Research has identified numerous child and family factors that may increase the risk of emotional abuse occurring and has also identified numerous ways in which an experience of emotional abuse can enhance vulnerability to negative outcomes. However, relatively little is known about the factors that determine the extent to which an experience of emotional abuse predicts later psychosocial functioning. Factors that may determine risk and resilience in children who experience emotional abuse are discussed. These include predisposing factors such as early caregiving experiences; precipitating factors such as the frequency, intensity and duration of the abuse; factors intrinsic to the child such as working models of the self and others, internal or external attributions, behavioural and coping strategies, self‐esteem, and disposition; and external factors such as school and availability of supportive relationships. The need to pay attention to the particular vulnerabilities and protective factors pertaining to each emotionally abused child in order to most effectively enhance resilience is highlighted.     

Using environmental imperatives to reduce meat consumption: perspectives from New Zealand

Sustainable food consumption is an important issue globally, that will intensify if current projections of population growth, urbanisation and the growing ‘middle-classes’ in developing countries continues. Reducing meat consumption is one approach that can help with food sustainability and security, while helping to address the problematic environmental outcomes associated with agricultural production – assuming that a reduction in meat consumption will at some point be reflected in production practices. Currently, sensory perception, health, convenience and price are more immediately influential than environmental concerns in determining meat consumption practices. Moreover, consumer culture under neoliberalism and the context of New Zealand as an agricultural nation are significant underpinning factors in lifestyle practices including food choice. In this paper, I share the perspectives of New Zealanders on meat (and meat-like) consumption and production practices in order to find out (a) what factors are prominent influences in meat consumption and (b) how these factors might be utilised to reduce meat consumption by applying them to meat-less/reduced foods. I argue that these environmental factors need to be promoted alongside known influential determinants of purchase decisions in order to make the idea of reduced-meat consumption a more attractive option for consumers.     

New Zealanders returning from overseas: how their experiences of xenophobia could help us respond to superdiversity

ABSTRACT

This article draws on qualitative interview data with 42 New Zealanders returning to New Zealand after living overseas, finding they feel more like a ‘migrant’ than someone coming ‘home’. This is in part because New Zealand people and institutions demonstrate an intolerance to difference, theorised here as a form of xenophobia that inhibits the economic, social and political integration of participants. However, the same experiences and ideas that lead many New Zealanders to frame returnees as an ‘out-group’ can be regarded as a national resource. The article concludes that we should embrace – not ignore or disparage – returnees' awareness of integration issues, transnational networks and cross-cultural experiences as we attempt to maintain social cohesion in an increasingly superdiverse world.     

Children living with their grandparents: resilience and wellbeing

Downie JM, Hay DA, Horner BJ, Wichmann H, Hislop AL. Children living with their grandparents: resilience and wellbeing
Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 8–22 © 2009 Curtin University of Technology, Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. A non‐comparative design and mixed‐methods approach was used to examine the resilience and wellbeing of 20 children in the full‐time care of their grandparents. A self‐report measure of self‐concept and emotional wellbeing, and a semi‐structured interview were used to explore the personal experiences and impact of children living with their grandparents. Scores derived from the self‐report measure indicated that the children's self‐worth and emotional health were within the range expected of children of comparative age and sex. Qualitative data, however, suggested a complex emotional environment and a continuum of responses. Analysis revealed three themes that captured broad issues around Emotional health, Material factors, Current issues and Past experiences and Coping strategies. The results of the study reveal the ongoing concerns associated with the children's family circumstances, as well as the notable adaptation and resilience of the children in managing their life experiences.     

‘Which side of the bridge to safety?’ How young Pacific Islanders in New Zealand view their South Auckland community

The community of South Auckland, an area that is home to the largest population of people with Pacific Island (Pasifika) heritage in New Zealand, has consistently faced scrutiny and criticism from the media, law enforcement, and other sectors of New Zealand for its reportedly increasing levels of violent gang activity and high rate of criminal offences associated with gangs and involving Pasifika youth. Within the community, however, young Pasifika people appear to have a positive opinion of their community and about particular features of gangs in their South Auckland community though they remain highly critical of the presence of gangs. This was revealed in a recent research study for the New Zealand Families Commission (Nakhid et al. 2009), which was carried out with South Auckland youth of Pasifika heritage between the ages of 12 and 28, including those who were involved in gangs and those who had never been involved in gangs.     

Community-led initiatives for climate adaptation and mitigation

ABSTRACT

Planning for climate change is complex. There is some uncertainty about how quickly the climate will change and what the anticipated localised effects will be. There are also governance questions, for instance, who has the mandate to make decisions around the management of collective resources (like council infrastructure) and private property. Underlying these questions are issues of justice, equity and agency – who pays for the costs of adaptation and mitigation, and how do decision-makers engage with communities when what is ultimately needed is transformational socio-economic change? We use a case study in Te Awa Kairangi – Lower Hutt, Wellington, to show how a community initiative called Common Unity Project Aotearoa (CUPA) is fostering everyday practices of adaptation and mitigation amongst people who have traditionally had limited participation in more formal planning processes. We use the example of CUPA to demonstrate the significance of local community-led development initiatives for adapting to a changing climate. We argue that local government engagement with people around climate change cannot be separated from broader community development and wellbeing initiatives, and needs to be understood as longer term processes, rather than one-off project consultations.     

How children experience fostering outcomes: participatory research with children

This paper presents findings from longitudinal research that uses quantitative and qualitative methods to explore children’s perceptions of outcomes of the care experience. Children’s self‐assessments on two occasions reflect a high level of psychosocial need. Important relationships emerged regarding the children’s judgements of their interpersonal skills and attachments. Children who displayed stronger maternal attachment were likely to sustain highly cohesive relationships with the rest of the foster family. Themes emerging from the data are discussed, including the role of foster mothers and fathers in enhancing developmental outcomes for children.     

Developing and using local community wellbeing indicators: Learning from the experience of Community Indicators Victoria

The recent upsurge of interest in local community wellbeing indicators in Australia and internationally reflects growing awareness of their importance as a platform for citizen engagement, community planning, and evidence based policy making. More broadly community wellbeing indicators are part of an international movement towards rethinking the ways in which political priorities are debated and in which progress and wellbeing are defined and measured. This article documents the establishment of Community Indicators Victoria (CIV), a local community wellbeing indicators initiative in Victoria, Australia. The article begins by locating the CIV initiative in the broad historical and international context of work on wellbeing, progress and sustainability indicators as well as the Australian and Victorian policy context. We then outline the steps involved in the establishment of CIV, critical partnerships and initial outcomes. We conclude with some reflections on lessons from the CIV experience to date and on future research and policy development priorities.     

Mentoring adolescent foster youth: promoting resilience during developmental transitions

The current exploratory study used quantitative and qualitative data from an evaluation of the ‘Advocates to Successful Transition to Independence’ programme, a mentoring programme designed to train mentors to assist older adolescent foster youth in acquiring skills and resources needed for successful transition out of foster care and into adulthood. The study was conducted in two phases over 2 years. Quantitative methods were used to describe characteristics of the older adolescent foster youth and advocates, and qualitative methods were used to describe the experiences of youth and advocates in the programme. Results suggest that the use of a mentoring programme for older adolescent foster youth represents a particularly beneficial prevention strategy that may help prevent negative outcomes as youth emancipate from the foster care system and transition into young adulthood. Implications and recommendations for developing mentoring programmes for transition‐aged youth are presented.