SSPA Papers:
Omicron Preparedness:
February 2022 - SSPA is here to support our members to get prepared for Omicron. We have put together a short document about the things we are suggesting social service providers can be looking at right now, to plan and prepare. Read it here.
This paper provides a snapshot of insights drawn from SSPA's mahi with a range of our member organisations during August - September 2021, during the Delta Covid-19 outbreak and noho rāhui.
SSPA members work alongside children, rangatahi, families and whānau every day and they include kaupapa Māori and Iwi organisations, and organisations of diverse expertise and size, in both regional and urban locations.
This snapshot paper summarises what social service providers have told us they are seeing amongst the families and whānau they are working with, and how their organisations are responding and managing during this latest period of noho rāhui.
The paper also outlines recommendations for what SSPA believes needs to be kept central in the ongoing response to Covid-19, in relation to children, rangatahi, families and whānau, and the community-based social service sector.
Ngā mihi nunui to all of our SSPA member kaimahi working to support children, rangatahi, families and whānau around the motu during this challenging time. The mahi you are doing is a service to all of Aotearoa, and SSPA tautoko your efforts keeping your communities safe, well and supported.
Mental health and wellbeing resources:
Summary of Strengthening Wellbeing in Times of Uncertainty Webinar with Zeenah Adam, Umbrella Wellbeing - For Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 and in light of the impacts of the pandemic in Aotearoa, Social Service Providers Aotearoa and ComVoices partnered with Umbrella Wellbeing on a special webinar on 27 September 2021. It was an inclusive, safe space for everyone working across the community, NGO & Iwi social sector to learn from registered clinical psychologist Zeenah Adam of Umbrella Wellbeing. Zeenah has worked in the NGO & community space in Aotearoa, so understands the particular challenges involved. SSPA has put together this summary overview of the content of the webinar with Zeenah, to provide an ongoing resource for kaimahi across the NGO, Iwi social services and community sector in Aotearoa. View the resource here.
SSPA Papers and Resources from 2020:
How families and communities are faring under lockdown: a snapshot
Information and insights provided by member organisations of SSPA, April 2020
Families and communities are facing significant challenges in daily life as a result of New Zealand being placed at Alert Level 4, with all except some essential workers being required to remain at home. Social service providers are working in new ways to support families thorough this time. This Snapshot highlights what some SSPA members have told us they are seeing amongst the families they are working to support and how they are responding. Read it here
Moving Practice Online - knowledge exchange for social service practitioners adapting to the covid-19 context
The covid-19 lockdown is challenging us to think about new ways to work with children and families. On 2 April 2020 SSPA facilitated a knowledge exchange of how social services were adapting to this changed context. Social workers and social service practitioners from a range of NGO and iwi social services attended the session faciliated by Associate Professor Emily Keddell. The facilitated discussion was structured around four areas of practice adaptation. This document provides an overview of all responses. There is a brief overview paragraph summarising each area of adaptation, then the ideas from practitioners. Click here to read
Great Adaptations - Enduring social and community work practice changes post lockdown
The Covid-19 lockdown period demanded new ways of responding to old problems. This provided an opportunity for family and sexual violence services, and child and family services, as well as many others, to reconsider their methods of both staff and service user engagement. This report documents the findings of an online workshop held 27 May 2020 faciliated by Dr Emily Keddell from the University of Otago with input from social service providers. Read it here
SSPA Bulletin 2020 - information for the social service sector:
Bulletin Nine, 6 May, read it here
Bulletin Eight, 29 April, read it here
Bulletin Seven, 22 April, read it here
Bulletin Six, 15 April, read it here
Bulletin Five, 9 April read it here
Bulletin Four, 6 April read it here
Bulletin Three, 1 April read it here
Bulletin Two, 27 March read it here
Bulletin One, 25 March read it here