Week 10-12 Using a nga takepu lens, reflect on how your praxis has enable you to demonstrate the 10 SWRB core competencies and meet SWRB fit and proper policy

The praxis of networking with Whanau, Hapu, Iwi and the community helps the social worker to evaluate persons who may need intervention, or is the intervention relevant to the situation, Praxis intervention may not even be needed.  Is the person or persons we support need total care?  or can they take care of themselves or do they need support to care for themselves.  Praxis is about looking and reflecting, theory to action.  With the networks and connections that social workers have in the communities they live and work in can create connections to support Whanau, Hapu, Iwi to have the right supports suited to the issue or concern.  

1.  Competence to practice social work with Māori

Implementation and understanding of tikanga Māori values and beliefs (offering karakia, hui, kai) e.g., removing my shoes when entering a Whare, greeting by saying Kia Ora, allowing Whitiwhiti korero to take place between Practioner and Whanau using Nga Takepu principles to guide my social work practice, ensuring Ahurutanga (safe space) for Whanau and social worker is present, offering Koha (knowledge/information/connection to community networks relevant to issue of concern.  Kaitiakitanga, ensuring protection and guardianship for Whanau and allowing Kaitiakitanga guidance from Whanau, allowing them to lead Korero and decision making.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi provides a framework, mana atua, mana tangata and mana whenua.  Tikanga lore has its own rules, values, beliefs, principles and processes that need to be upheld when practicing with whanau.  Tino Rangatiratanga is essential to achieve Maori individual and collective wellbeing within my social work practice.  All Māori should have equal opportunities and customary practices need to be considered and essential when working with Whanau, Hapu, Iwi.   

2.Competence to practice social work with ethnic and cultural groups in Aotearoa New Zealand

I work from a place of my own cultural background and knowledge of other cultures within my own personal Whanau.  My practice is always about increasing my awareness in diverse cultural spaces, always practicing with a nonjudgmental stance, keeping to my own values and beliefs and respecting others without bias and working with Tino rangatiratanga (absolute integrity). 

3.  Competence to work respectfully and inclusively with diversity and difference in practice 

Within my practice and work environment I embrace cultural and personal differences, ensuring that the people I work with feel included, can ask questions, encouraged and valued within the team and in the field, including the wider organizations, Whanau, Hapu Iwi. That everyone is respected culturally, individually without bias.  That I remain my authentic self in practice and life.

4.Competence to promote the principles of human rights and social and economic justice

My practice is to advocate and empower Whanau, Hapu, Iwi, that I advocate for change where needed and promote social and economic justice for all. My practice advocates for change to ensure resource access and opportunities are available to support Whanau, Hapu and Iwi needs.  Human rights are for all people, and all people have the right to freedom of expression and have their opinions without judgement. Promotion of human rights and practice is to take action when I see discrimination in our communities, human right is in my daily life.

5.  Competence to engage in practice which promotes social change

I promote social change through Manakitanga and Aroha, by listening, smiling, performing random acts of kindness, going the extra mile for Whanau, Hapu, Iwi, these small acts can change a person's life for a moment or long term, offering gestures of kindness lifts people's spirits, helping others makes me feel good and keeps things in perspective.

6.  Competence to understand and articulate social work theories, indigenous practice knowledge, other relevant theories, and social work practice methods and models.

I understand that social work theories guide my practice and provides me direction to support Whanau, Hapu, Iwi, it helps me to understand social environments and offers evidence-based research so my practice is controlled, it better helps me understand why people do and act the way they do. Social work theories support my practice and gives it a strong foundation/structure so I can support and help Whanau to have better outcomes in the future. 

7.  Competence to apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgements.

Critical thinking in my practice is at the forefront of everything I do as a social worker.  Theories offer guidance and research-based knowledge to make professional judgements.  Alternative bodies of Māori knowledge offer a holistic and cultural approach.  By critically thinking I can use the gathered research to evaluate the information and situation with the best possible solution moving forward.  I will consider the consequences of my options, is this the best solution for the whanau or is it what I believe to be right? By critically thinking I can remove all biases and except that I'm not always right placing the Whanau at the center.

8.  Competence to promote empowerment of people and communities to enable positive change

My practice can encourage Whanau, Hapu & Iwi to be Kaitiakitanga leading and identifying their needs as individuals and Whanau.  By connecting Whanau with community-based supports i.e., health services and employment can empower them to advocate for themselves, building independence and mana to ensure mauri ora (wellbeing).  By connecting communities that may be disconnected can empower change and collaboration.

9.  Competence to practice within legal and ethical boundaries of the social work profession

My ethical boundaries are practiced by respecting all people and their confidentiality (Not discussing their story in or out of work), I respect values, religious and cultural beliefs. I show patients and speak in a manner that is respectful without judgement not using slang or curse words.  I follow service values and standards using professional and appropriate language with Whanau I support and with my work colleagues. At no time a child should be endangered through my actions or words.  Social work professional boundaries are guidelines that set limits to how far and what I can voice, that my behavior is remains acceptable at all times when practicing or conversating with my collogues.

10.  Represents the social work profession with integrity and professionalism

As a social worker I am responsible for maintaining confidentiality and duty of care to the Whanau I support.  My practice reflects strong morals, values, ethical principles and values such as honesty and trustworthiness.  Nga Takepu applied principles guide my social work professionalism.  Ahurutanga (safe space), Tino Rangatiratanga (absolute integrity), Mauri Ora (Pursuit of wellbeing), Te Whakakoha Rangatiratanga (appropriate respectfulness in relationships), Kaitiakitanga (Stewardship/Guardianship), Tau Kumekume (positive & negative tensions)