1. Social WorkersDay 2012
Tuesday,25 September2012, 11:16 am
PressRelease:AotearoaNZAssociationof Social Workers
Social WorkersDay 2012
The journeyfromthe coastal villagesof Tairawhiti tothe metropolitanexpanse of Stockholm,
Swedennaturallyevokeddeepfeelingsof anxietyandapprehension.Myemotional maelstrom
centereduponmyresponsibilitytorepresentAotearoaNew ZealandAssociationof Social Workers
at the 2012 InternationalFederationof Social WorkersConference andthe enormityof thatrole.
The concept of “taukumekume”the balance of mynegative andpositive emotionswaspositioned
withintwoparallel paradigms,“fearof the unknown”and“fearof failure”.Myunknownwasthe
culture of IFSW andthe tikanga,the code of behaviourandkawa,the ceremonial ritualsthatwould
underpinthisconference.Iwaswaewae tapu,anewcomertothislandand therefore ignorance was
alsoa contributingelementtomytension.
However,uponarrival atthe conference Iveryquicklydiscoveredthatmyraftof fearswere totally
unfounded.A verysignificantlearningfromthe conference isthe factthatsocial workersbelongtoa
universal family,aglobal whanauandassuch have similarvaluesthatdictate andguide our
interactionswithotherhumanbeings.Globally,socialworkersare kithandkindrivenbysentiments
of realizationof potentialforthose downtroddenbyissuesof commonalityincludingglobal
colonisation,neoliberal capitalism andthe global economicrecession.Social workersshare asimilar
passionforconfrontingsocial issuesthatimpactnegativelyuponthe communitiesandnationsthat
are our place of origin.We share a passiontoeradicate andeliminatesocial injustice and address
the wideninggapbetweenthose whohave andthose whodonot,causedby social inequalities.The
tangible tentaclesof these issueshighlightthe inextricable linkbetweendemocracy,development&
humanrights.Human rightswill alwayshave the potential forcontroversybecause itisthe juncture,
the intersectionbetweenpoverty,inequality&humanneeds.
RolandRobertson,professorof sociologyatUniversityof Aberdeen,describedthisphenomenonas
globalization,as"the compressionof the world andthe intensificationof the consciousnessof the
worldas a whole."Itisat thispointof concentratedconsciousness,atthe forefrontof social
advancementthatsocial workersgloballytake theirstand.
Therefore,the global importance of the social workerrole filledme withanoverwhelming,deep
seatedsense of pride.Thisisnotto be confusedwith“whakahihi”big-headedarrogance,butrather
pride basedonthe notionthat thiswasmy “whanau”,that the people Iheardspeakwithsuch
eloquentarticulationaboutglobal agendaitemswere the extendedfamilythatcreatedconnectivity
and similaritytothe wayIthoughtand felt.My sense of belongingstemmedfromthe realisationof
my conceptof “whanaungatanga”.I wasawakenedtothe knowingthatacross the globe other
nations,communitiesandfamilieswere beingbatteredbythe social inequalityissuesthatimpacted
the livesof familiesinCannonsCreek,Merivale,ManurewaandOtangarei.Itcreatedglobal synergy
to spendtime withsocial workersfromthe nationsof the worldandheartheirstoriesaboutworking
withclientsinjourneysof darkness,guidingthem, walkingbeside,throughpathstotheir
potentiality.Tohearthe universal frustrationof workingunderthe political constructof neoliberal
capitalismthatfocusesenergiesuponeconomicgrowthratherthansocial development.Neo

2. liberalismcausessocial workerstodecide whoisworthyof assistance ratherthanconcentratingon
our core role,thatof “whakamaramatanga”to shine a lightinto a dark place.
I take thisopportunitytoacknowledge the workof DrRory Truell andFionaRobertsonwho
representNewZealandonthe InternationalFederationof Social Worker’sboard.Bothwere
wonderful examplesof ourKiwi pioneercharacteristicsandattributes.Theyworkedtirelessly
throughoutthe conference,welcoming,andguidingandsignpostingpeople toareasof interestand
alwayswitha distinctKiwi humour.
Finallyinclosing,aswe celebrate SocialWorkersDay2012, I implore youtotake a momentto
reflect.Asmycolleague onthe governance boardMerrill SimmondsHansenoftenremindsme,there
ispowerinwords.In the last yearsocial workershave spokenwordsof potentialandcreativityinto
the livesof NewZealandersinconflict.Ourspiritsare tetheredtoourwordsof truth as we speak
intosituationsof darkness,aswe awhi,supportandchallenge those inneed,those atriskof poor
life outcomes.ThomasJeffersonsaid“the greatestelementof democracyistruth”and as agentsof
democraticchange letyourtruth be that you are makinga difference,andthatyouare a part of the
global social workfamily.Enjoyourdaywhanau,celebrate well forourpublicaccoladesare few and
far betweenbutyoudeservethismomentinthe sun.
Kiakaha, kiamaia,kia manawanui
Tauha Te Kani
National PresidentANZASW