It is fascinating to be immersed in another culture and to have begun to understand its education and human services systems. We see our own realities with fresh eyes and learn from colleagues on the same journey as they seek out promising practices to build capacity…one child at a time.
Stuart Shanker and I were in Perth, Western Australia for two weeks engaging with school and early childhood educators, social service agencies, Aboriginal and other community leaders. We were there at the invitation of a remarkable organization, Western Australia Council of Social Service (WACOSS). Their work is to develop an aligned, sustainable and coherent voice and action plan for the many agencies whose mission is to support those who have the greatest needs and whose voices are often most distant from places of influence. WACOSS is in the early stages of activating self-regulation theory (see www.self-regulation.ca) as a common framework for their programs and initiatives. Our visit involved teaching, learning and hearing others’ stories, many of which are remarkably similar to our own in BC and across Canada. Here are three compass points in our common ground: 1) The better the start, the better the trajectory…Western Australia is increasingly paying attention to how they construct their early childhood initiatives, parent support programs and effective transition from home to school. In some of the places we visited, accessibility and flow of programs and services was beautifully clear to the clients. That’s the key and we can learn from the best of what our Australian friends are doing. They have gone beyond the fairly typical program design, one that makes most sense to those who built it. In WA, it was encouraging to see the goodness of fit for the parent and the child, especially those who already deal with multiple barriers as they navigate systems. In BC, our StrongStart Centres are a big step in the right direction, but there is more to achieve. Every step we take to be warm and welcoming, caring and compassionate is another support for the anxious family toward feeling safe and secure and beginning to see hope; 2) Smarter together rather than harder alone…In the human services sector in Western Australia, various agencies are aligning efforts to maximize the cumulative impact of their resources, ensuring a positive difference for their most vulnerable populations. That was apparent in many meetings and presentations where was excitement about activating self-regulation theory as a common touchstone for their programs. It was clear that this wasn’t the first time these people had played well together in the same sandbox. They are embracing emerging science around the human condition as they strive to make the biggest possible difference to the people and communities they serve. An essential element of their commitment is the voice of the Aboriginal community in the collaborative planning. There is a clear understanding that reconciliation includes acknowledging the past and building a shared future; and, 3) Evidence over ideology…In difficult times for social agency resourcing (both government and non-government), staff are engaged in reviews around the currency and research-based validity of their programs. They are taking another look at “old school” reward and punishment norms that used to be part of institutional culture. Caring, quality programs don’t extinguish hope by excluding those who struggle. There are better ways to support individual growth, hence the WA interest in self-regulation. Our experience in Western Australia was tremendously engaging, every day filled with exciting learning and great promise. There are so many people doing fine work there, as is true of their contemporaries at home. North and south, these professionals are more curious than certain. They work scientifically, artfully and always with good heart to understand the human condition and to reframe individual and system responses to dysregulated kids and families. Shame and blame don’t build capacity. There is a better way. |