Reflecting upon the past & looking to the Reflecting upon the past & looking to the future: The role of social workers in dealing future: The role of social workers in dealing with the legacy of the conflict in Northern with the legacy of the conflict in Northern

IrelandIreland

Dr Jim Campbell, School of Sociology, Dr Jim Campbell, School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queens Social Policy and Social Work, Queens

University BelfastUniversity Belfast

IntroductionIntroduction

Background to the conflictBackground to the conflict

Explanatory conceptsExplanatory concepts

Social work responses to the conflictSocial work responses to the conflict

New opportunities to work with victims and New opportunities to work with victims and survivors of the conflictsurvivors of the conflict

The Northern Ireland ContextThe Northern Ireland Context

1.7 m people1.7 m people

40 years of political conflict 40 years of political conflict

Over 3,700 people have diedOver 3,700 people have died

Tens of thousands physically and psychologically Tens of thousands physically and psychologically traumatisedtraumatised

An integrated system of health and social welfareAn integrated system of health and social welfare

Strong community and voluntary sectorsStrong community and voluntary sectors

Strongly regulated, top down welfare bureaucracyStrongly regulated, top down welfare bureaucracy

The costs of the Troubles The costs of the Troubles (Fay et al, 1999)(Fay et al, 1999)

Those who killed Those who killed 80% paramilitaries80% paramilitaries 11.0% security forces11.0% security forces

Those who were killedThose who were killed 54% civilians54% civilians 30% security forces30% security forces 16% paramilitaries16% paramilitaries Catholics more likely than Catholics more likely than

Protestants, Protestants, Men more likely than womenMen more likely than women

Unknown numbers injured and Unknown numbers injured and psychologically traumatisedpsychologically traumatised

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97

Psychological explanationsPsychological explanations

Early studies (Lyons, 1971; 1972) suggested lack of Early studies (Lyons, 1971; 1972) suggested lack of traumatic symptomologytraumatic symptomology

Later studies implied underlying symptomology masked by Later studies implied underlying symptomology masked by psychological functioning mechanisms (Cairns and Wilson, psychological functioning mechanisms (Cairns and Wilson, 1984)1984)

Some evidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder amongst Some evidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder amongst high risk populations (Loughry et al; 1988; Curran et al, high risk populations (Loughry et al; 1988; Curran et al, 1990; Hayes and Campbell (1999); Shevlin and McGuigan, 1990; Hayes and Campbell (1999); Shevlin and McGuigan, 2003; Muldoon et al, 2005)2003; Muldoon et al, 2005)

The suggestion that conventional ideas about PTSD may not The suggestion that conventional ideas about PTSD may not be useful in certain contexts (Swartz, 1998 and continuous be useful in certain contexts (Swartz, 1998 and continuous trauma; Dorahy et al, 2008))trauma; Dorahy et al, 2008))

Sociological explanationsSociological explanations45% protestant/unionist, 40% 45% protestant/unionist, 40% catholic/nationalist, 10% othercatholic/nationalist, 10% other90% education in same religion schools90% education in same religion schoolssocial housing largely segregatedsocial housing largely segregatedSmall (2%+) but growing ethnic minority Small (2%+) but growing ethnic minority communitiescommunities7% unemployment7% unemploymentFaltering economic growthFaltering economic growthPoverty and social exclusionPoverty and social exclusion

Religious segregation in NIReligious segregation in NI

Religious segregation in BelfastReligious segregation in Belfast

19/04/2319/04/23Jim CampbellJim Campbell 99

The social work response The social work response (Pinkerton and Campbell, 2002)(Pinkerton and Campbell, 2002)

Pre-1972 Pre-1972

1972-1990s1972-1990s

Mid 1980s - 1990sMid 1980s - 1990s

Post Belfast Post Belfast AgreementAgreement

Crisis of stateCrisis of state

Services ill-preparedServices ill-prepared

Social workers as neutralSocial workers as neutral

Technocratic social workTechnocratic social work

Detachment from Detachment from communitiescommunities

Apolitical Apolitical

Silence as a method of Silence as a method of safetysafety

New opportunities for New opportunities for working with working with communitiescommunities

More involvement with More involvement with victims/survivorsvictims/survivors

The social work educational contextThe social work educational context((Duffy, 2008)Duffy, 2008)

Service user and carer involvement in social Service user and carer involvement in social work education is now an established work education is now an established requirement since the reform of social work requirement since the reform of social work education in Northern Ireland in 2004education in Northern Ireland in 2004

Social work students are also expected to Social work students are also expected to demonstrate an understanding of the Northern demonstrate an understanding of the Northern Ireland contextIreland context

The social work curriculum must therefore reflect The social work curriculum must therefore reflect this new requirementthis new requirement

Preparing students to work with victims and Preparing students to work with victims and survivors of the conflict in Northern Irelandsurvivors of the conflict in Northern Ireland

Policy contextPolicy context

The origins and development of the projectThe origins and development of the project

DesignDesign

Process issuesProcess issues

EvaluationEvaluation

Looking to the futureLooking to the future

Policy context Policy context

The Belfast Agreement (1998)The Belfast Agreement (1998)

Living with the Trauma of the Troubles (SSI) Living with the Trauma of the Troubles (SSI) (1998)(1998)

The Report of the Victims Commissioner The Report of the Victims Commissioner (Bloomfield, 1998)(Bloomfield, 1998)

Counselling in NI: Report of the Counselling Counselling in NI: Report of the Counselling Review (DHSSPS, 2002)Review (DHSSPS, 2002)

Report of the Healing Through Remembering Report of the Healing Through Remembering Project (2002)Project (2002)

Reshape, Rebuild, Achieve (OFDFM, 2002)Reshape, Rebuild, Achieve (OFDFM, 2002)

Report of the Consultative Group on the Past Report of the Consultative Group on the Past (2009)(2009)

A Shared Future (2010?)A Shared Future (2010?)

The projectThe projectPhase 1 October 2008: NISCC sponsored pilot Phase 1 October 2008: NISCC sponsored pilot with 50 level 2 BSW studentswith 50 level 2 BSW students

Phase 2: EU PEACE III funded three year Phase 2: EU PEACE III funded three year initiativeinitiative

- March 2009: 80 BSW studentsMarch 2009: 80 BSW students- October 2009: 50 BSW studentsOctober 2009: 50 BSW students- March 2010: 80 BSW studentsMarch 2010: 80 BSW students- June 2010: practice teacher surveyJune 2010: practice teacher survey- March 2011: 50 postqualifying studentsMarch 2011: 50 postqualifying students- Final report 2011Final report 2011

A partnershipA partnership

Who is involved in the teachingWho is involved in the teaching

Five social work academics in the School of Five social work academics in the School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social WorkSociology, Social Policy and Social Work

Eight members of WAVE, CEO WAVEEight members of WAVE, CEO WAVE

One qualified practice teacher/part time tutorOne qualified practice teacher/part time tutor

StudentsStudents

The processThe processPlanningPlanning

Ground rulesGround rules

Lectures (Social work and sectarianism, social Lectures (Social work and sectarianism, social work and trauma, policy and services for victims work and trauma, policy and services for victims and survivors of the conflict)and survivors of the conflict)

Members of Wave telling their storiesMembers of Wave telling their stories

Tutorials (Name game exercise to explore our Tutorials (Name game exercise to explore our identities, use of case study to explore identities, use of case study to explore knowledge values and skills)knowledge values and skills)

Debriefing sessionsDebriefing sessions

EvaluationEvaluationStrengths Strengths

Very positive student Very positive student evaluationsevaluations

The opportunity to reflect upon The opportunity to reflect upon our identities and our identities and understanding of ‘the other’understanding of ‘the other’

Victims/survivors as experts, Victims/survivors as experts, teachersteachers

Some profound developmental Some profound developmental insights into experiences of the insights into experiences of the conflictconflict

Reinforcement of our Reinforcement of our commitment to core social commitment to core social work values, knowledge and work values, knowledge and skillsskills

LimitationsLimitations

Concerns about Concerns about managing self-disclosuremanaging self-disclosure

Insufficient timeInsufficient time

Need to enhance student Need to enhance student skillsskills

Is the positive experience Is the positive experience transferable to practice transferable to practice settings?settings?

Concerns about how to Concerns about how to mainstream and expandmainstream and expand

ConclusionsConclusionsAs social workers we need to find ways of helping us As social workers we need to find ways of helping us explore ours and our clients’ identities, and experiences explore ours and our clients’ identities, and experiences of the conflictof the conflict

Victims and survivors can help staff and students in this Victims and survivors can help staff and students in this journeyjourney

Victims and survivors can have their views and feelings Victims and survivors can have their views and feelings affirmed through this educational process, if this is done affirmed through this educational process, if this is done in a supportive and empowering way in a supportive and empowering way

We need to find ways of developing the academic and We need to find ways of developing the academic and practice learning curriculae and to mainstream this practice learning curriculae and to mainstream this important area of social work education and practiceimportant area of social work education and practice

We can learn from other, international experiences We can learn from other, international experiences (Israel/Palestine, South Africa, Bosnia)(Israel/Palestine, South Africa, Bosnia)