reflecting upon a week as a country social worker

This past week was not unusual; indeed, it was similar to many other weeks for me, as a social worker in the country in my work with two agencies.

My writing is an amalgamation of various interactions and reflections.

With one workplace, I travelled a round trip of 100+ kms, to meet with someone. The drive back through beautiful country, facilitated reflection ... the good place I'm at in my own life, at the age of sixty years, with so much more to participate in and contribute to: to give. How might I respond if I was told that my life expectancy was limited? More importantly in this scenario, that I was given some space in the likely limited precious time this person has left of their life. Mostly people continue to invite me in, when they are not compelled to, even in the times when time-is-precious.  Why is this I wonder? I continue to marvel at this and consider that I'm exceptionally honoured and proud to be in this profession of social work which allows me to be part of unique, rich, diverse, remarkable and often complex life journeys and experiences: both rewarding & challenging alongside people with whom my path nudges against, crosses or travels alongside for a while. 

And so, a rich and broad conversation about life and death occurred this past week in the context of one person's life and approaching death (months?) and all that might encompass: past, present and post-dying. We agreed that our conversation could be described as having included practical, philosophical and spiritual dimensions; and that we'd meet up again soon for more conversation.

I wondered why this person chose to meet with me after an initial brief referral conversation which I happened to respond to / follow up. Is this simply the random-ness of life; of coincidence, that connects two people and a relationship that then unfolds from that? How I can continue to be alongside someone in ways that positively contribute to and/or add any value or depth to their here-and-now and/or here-after. 

I have resolved that a) I will ask this "curiously,"  of the person when we next have contact, b) I wonder how the person would like to be re-membered: is this important for them (I guess I am already creating a process of re-membering), are there particular people that the person would  like to be re-membered by? c) I will take this to Supervision this week, I know my Supervisor has great knowledge and experience in loss & grief + some excellent Narrative resources on dying, death and re-membering, and d) Where do my  own experiences of loved family members dying and death feature in and influence my practice.

Another person I met with has acquired various labels. Before meeting, I considered what my contribution could be here, given the presence of such a strong dominant story written by stakeholders within "a system."

First, I created a space to reflect upon what had been written and told and therefore potentially had become this person's one-and-only "reality" according to "the system."

Reflection led me to consider:

How can I provide an other, an alternative story alongside the dominant story being told and re told? An other alternative story is there, smothered, overwhelmed by a dominant story. This is not to dismiss this dominant story, rather, to add some perspective, layers and context to / for this person's life with all its complexities ie what are the exceptions to the dominant story, what are person's strengths ... I see this as a role for social work in such "systems."

How can "a system / systems" best-assist someone who is in and out of it (why?): where the system squarely places "blame" on / with the person.

How could "a system / systems" that are ... time limited, under resourced, often where other key stakeholder alliance agencies are outreached and stretched: best assist this person and others.

What accountability does "a system/ systems" have to change; to contribute to stop or ebb the flow of people who "systems" often disparagingly refer to as "frequent flyers:" a term that places "blame" entirely with the "dysfunctional" client.

What is it about "the system" and its key stakeholder alliance agencies that isn't working that sees people return again-and-again without much changing for "them." What could "they" (the system/systems) do differently?

Alongside this work, in this workplace, my other work took me from the town where I live to a regional town: a round trip of 100+ kms on on couple of days where I worked alongside people who came with problems impacting upon their lives that included: Family & Domestic Violence, mental distress, relationships, past abuse and so on.

When I drive back "home" from my work in the regional town, it always facilitates reflection.  It's such a lovely drive. Driving in the country has always been good "thinking time" for me, whether it's been the longer Kimberley and Pilbara drives or the shorter south west journey's. I'm more patient and less inclined to rush now. I wonder out loud, does that reflect that being so in my life in general these days: could be I reckon.

Alongside this I have to remain alert to kangaroos and the rare emu as it's early evening with limited light, when I head for home.

In the Kimberley it was cattle that I needed to look out for. Hit one, one time in the Government car, just outside Kununurra at sunset heading back to Wyndham: crikey! And I recall a couple of emus doing sudden right turn and running into the passengers side of the 4 wheel drive coming back from Tom Price to Karratha one time with a colleague. 

I look forward to Supervision this coming week.

Over and out for now, from one of many country social workers.

What's your story?

lanie