Oranga Tamariki kaimahi prepare caregiving whānau for their journey to care for tamariki. We created guides to support them in their whanaungatanga and to kōrero to share experiences and knowledge.
"The Prepare to Care learning experience we have created in partnership with Inspire has enabled us to live our values from the get go with people becoming caregivers. Our kaimahi no longer need to take on a role they do not identify with – as a ‘teacher’ or ‘facilitator’ – they can use the Prepare to Care resources to be social workers, build trusted relationships around the strengths and needs of caregiving whānau, and walk alongside people to prepare them for their caregiving journey. The resources ensure kaimahi provide the essential information caregivers need but enable them to do this in a mana-enhancing and tailored way for each whānau. Caregiving whānau are finding this approach respectful and informative. Inspire have helped us translate a vision for a different way of engaging with caregiving whānau into a practice that our kaimahi can effect as part of their everyday mahi."
To change the shape of learning for kaimahi and caregiving whānau to be tamariki centric, encompass te ao Māori principles and become a two-way conversation that draws on each other’s experiences, culture and abilities. What this meant was taking practice-driven content and turning it into highly visual material that could be delivered in a number of different ways, depending on the needs of the caregiving whānau.
We worked very much in partnership with the Oranga Tamariki Care Services team, as they needed to ensure the content sat right from a practice perspective. We moulded it to fit with a great learning experience. It was essential that everything we did acknowledged tamariki as they are the ultimate beneficiary of this work.
We looked at each of the National Care Standard topics, breaking them down so kaimahi were getting the bigger picture as well as their context. We translated this into a way that could be easily digested by those preparing to become caregivers so they were clear on what was expected of them. There was always a link between what kaimahi were saying and what caregiving whānau saw.
Kōrero guides for Kaimahi
Kōrero guides were created to cover essential information in the National Care Standards. Each guide gave kaimahi:
Alongside the kōrero guides there was an additional overall kōrero guide that set kaimahi up for the:
Caregiving whānau booklets
With each module kōrero guide there was a subsequent caregiving whānau booklet. These booklets are highly visual, interactive and enable reflective practice. They give caregivers the opportunity to capture what they need and want to from the kōrero they have with kaimahi.
We made sure caregiving whānau knew what was expected of them in the module, were given the bigger picture of how everything fitted together and had key relevant content they needed to know in an easily digestible way.
All caregiving whānau collateral is kept together in a non-branded box specifically designed for this project.
Module quick reference cards
It was important for Prepare to Care kōrero to happen in a way that suited kaimahi and caregiving whānau. The module quick reference cards were created as a tool to be used if you didn’t need the detailed content. Kaimahi could use these to have the kōrero and cover off all the essential information.
All the collateral for kaimahi is kept together in an Oranga Tamariki-branded ringbinder, so the kōrero guides could be removed as and when needed instead of carrying the whole ringbinder around.
In partnership we have created resources that kaimahi are proud of and enjoy using. By changing the way the key messages are being delivered, we’ve empowered kaimahi to kōrero in a way that suits them and those they’re talking to. The focus is on the kōrero and the sharing of the experiences, underpinned by best-practice principles instead of the other way around. Whakawhanaungtanga is happening with whānau and within Oranga Tamariki.
We’ve even got people talking about the suite of resources and they’re very much in demand by all.
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