Rolling up her sleeves

I’ve always said you can give me whatever title you want but I’m a social worker through and through! I was really proud when I began working for The Salvation Army in Christchurch, because the ethos is very similar to social work. It’s about respecting other people, respecting their beliefs, and encouraging people to find strength and hope.

I didn’t become a social worker until I was in my forties. I went through some negative life experiences, and I thought, ‘I can be a victim and wallow in this, or I can use these experiences to grow and help others from a perspective of knowledge’. It was the best decision I ever made. Before that, I worked in radio and it was very ego-centric and all about image, but this is just so worthwhile. I get a lot of satisfaction from helping people grow and discover their capacity for change.

I manage a team of four social workers, plus me. We get referrals from hospitals, schools, corps, and other groups like Women’s Refuge. We assess what the needs are and how we can help through The Salvation Army’s services, as well as working with others in the community, like GPs, mental health services or Age Concern. One thing about this job is that you realise you’re just human and you have to work closely with other people. We all need to work together.

We’ve never faced anything like a major earthquake before, so a lot of it is trying something new and seeing what works. As The Salvation Army, we’ve really grown through this. One recent initiative is that we’ve started supporting Sydenham Corps with a social worker one day a week. People come in who need support beyond what the corps can usually offer and need professional social work input. People with issues of EQC insurance, or damaged homes—you never know what’s going to come through the door.

There are also a lot of complexities just under the surface. We worked with a young woman who has limited vision and usually walks with a cane, but there are so many more hazards now that she can’t walk around easily. There are families with toddlers who are finding things like potty training too hard because they’re still using port-a-loos, or just because this is another stress the family doesn’t need. And there are a lot less recreational facilities for children and families—all the things we’d usually do to wind down and forget about what else is going on. A year down the track, these things cause stress.

As well as counselling services, we can offer practical help. We’re able to approve small grants, if people are struggling with bills or the additional costs of getting their kids to school if they’ve had to move. We have given out gas heaters, and food parcels if people can’t get to the shops.
I love that concept of ‘Christianity with its sleeves rolled up’. The Salvation Army is there to help, wherever and however it’s needed.

By Susan Waight (abridged from War Cry, 19 November 2011, p9)