Selwyn Times: October 04, 2016
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SELWYN TIMES Tuesday <strong>October</strong> 4 <strong>2016</strong> 31<br />
ACHIEVERS<br />
CONTINUING EDUCATION<br />
MOVIE MAKERS: West Rolleston<br />
Primary School pupils won the green<br />
screen category at the recent CORE<br />
Education DigiAwards thanks to a<br />
movie made about the school rules.<br />
The theme of this year’s awards was ‘be<br />
the change – thinking about the impact<br />
you can have on your community<br />
and ultimately the world.’ The West<br />
Rolleston pupils put together an iMovie<br />
with pupils creating a pretend news<br />
report about how the schools rules<br />
were making a difference around the<br />
world. The rules are based on values<br />
such as honesty, using only positive<br />
words and sharing. Pictured are: Top<br />
row from left – Alyssa, Liam, Harper,<br />
Jacob, April, Arthur and Samreen.<br />
Middle row – Ryder, Isla, Jess, Izzy and<br />
Quinn. Bottom row – Emily, Ollie, Harri<br />
and Xavia.<br />
PLAYING HIS PART: Harper plays<br />
All Black Dan Carter in a pretend<br />
television news live cross to Paris.<br />
Exciting times ahead<br />
for social workers<br />
Fiona Maurice is focused on whanau. Midway through her final year work<br />
placement at Child, Youth and Family, the Ara Bachelor of Social Work student<br />
spoke of her hopes for the future for her family and for all Māori families.<br />
Working for the Māori Women’s<br />
Welfare League, as researcher and then as<br />
kaiawhina, in 2011 to 2012, Fiona loved<br />
community work but realised she need a<br />
qualification to progress and be even more<br />
effective. Coming to Ara was, she says, “the<br />
best move I ever made”.<br />
“I’ve learnt more<br />
about myself and<br />
what my strengths are<br />
and I’ve realised that<br />
determination and<br />
perseverance are good<br />
skills to have.<br />
“I believe this<br />
qualification will give<br />
me more opportunities. I<br />
want to register as a social<br />
worker so that employers<br />
will look at me more<br />
seriously.<br />
Working for Child, Youth and Family,<br />
the social work agency of the Ministry of<br />
Social Development, “didn’t faze” Fiona.<br />
“I put my hand up to go there. In terms of<br />
learning I can link a lot of my studies, such<br />
as attachment theory and developmental<br />
theory to the work, but I am also learning<br />
a lot in the office about the systems and<br />
processes.”<br />
It’s an exciting time to be at CYF, she<br />
says. “The agency is in a transformation<br />
phase. They will have a new identity next<br />
year and new processes. To be part of that<br />
wave of social work is exciting.”<br />
Her focus is clear. “It’s whanau that’s the<br />
perspective I come with.”<br />
Proud of her heritage, she<br />
affiliates to Tuahiwi Marae near<br />
Rangiora and Nga Ruahine<br />
(South Taranaki tribe). It’s<br />
an exciting time for New<br />
Zealanders, she says, because<br />
qualifications now involve<br />
learning about the Treaty of<br />
Waitangi. “More and more<br />
we will see that knowledge<br />
in action. Most of the social<br />
work students want to learn<br />
bicultural skills, but I already<br />
had that.”<br />
Receiving the Ara Eke Panuku<br />
award last year and other scholarships have<br />
been hugely helpful and Fiona says support<br />
is there for other Māori students to enter<br />
social work – a perspective the profession<br />
badly needs to better respond to Māori<br />
clients. “There are not enough of us! Only<br />
three started in my first year group of 55!”<br />
Fiona has made it a personal challenge<br />
to share her story and inspire others to<br />
consider social work.<br />
Celebrate the success of local<br />
businesses and people!<br />
Thursdays at 7.30pm<br />
CTV Freeview Channel 40,<br />
live and on demand at ctv.co.nz
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