because of their involvement at different stages in the development of social work courses. Many had served in one capacity or another on committees of the NZASW, NZSWTC and NZCETSS.
For logistical reasons, ill health and respondents' time constraints, three of the initially targeted respondents were unable to be interviewed. Alternative respondents from the same categories were then approached. Respondents have been happy to be named and quoted by name. A few have asked for some comments not to be used, but these have not restricted the thesis in any significant way. Respondents were, or are, well-known figures in the field of social or community work.
Having decided on a logical targeting system for finding appropriate respondents, the three fields which they actually come from are listed below:
which included the Child Welfare Workers Association, the New Zealand Association of Social Work, and the Aotearoa Community Workers Association.
which included the old Child Welfare Division, the Department of Social Welfare, the Justice Department, the Salvation Army, Presbyterian Social Services, the Health Sector and Society for Intellectually Handicapped Children.
which included Victoria University of Wellington, Massey University, Canterbury University, Auckland College of Education School of Social Work. Tiromoana, an in-service training establishment, was represented through both Mr Tom Austin and Brian Manchester.
The chart below sets out the names of the respondents and shows the period in which they were predominantly active and on which it was anticipated that the interview would concentrate. Full names and titles are used here, but elsewhere, many respondents have indicated that they wished to be referred to by their more informal and commonly recognised names. The table shows that, in each of the periods chosen, at least one respondent from each of the three groups (profession, employer and provider) was approached for an interview. The respondents were all willing to be named.
1: 1 .
Period Professional or Institutions
1949-72
Mr Hancock Mr Tom Austin Prof John
Prof Jim Robb
1973-86
Ms Marshall Ms Judith McKenzie Mr Brian Manchester
Or Mr Maurice Or McOonald
Lt Colonel Noel Manson Or Garrett
1987-95
Or Mike O'Brien Mr J. B. Munro Ms Liz Beddoe
Or Robyn Munford Mr Murray Short Prof Ian Shirley Mr John
Mrs Awhina Waaka
The Interviews
A letter was sent to each of the possible participants to explain what the study was about, what their time commitment would be and for what purposes the information would be used. People were then asked to take part in the research and invited to take part
in
a taped interview.Individual agreements were drawn up with participants in which they agreed to take part in · the research (consent form see appendix Ill). Participants were told that they could withdraw from the research at any stage and that their consent could be renegotiated if they so wished. A semi structured interview schedule was used, the purpose of which was to ask people to give their opinions as to what had been influential in shaping social work education (see appendix III for the semi-structured interview) .
Interviewing one's peers
Little was found in the literature about interviewing one's peers or seniors. One researcher referred to the lack of textbook material on the topic and highlighted particular features to be aware of in interviewing sophisticated and self-reflexive people who are part of one's peer group (Pia tt, 1981).
Platt concluded that there could be no single right way of proceeding, "although some of the consideration normally shown to one's peers might appropriately be extended to other types of respondent" (Platt, 1981: 75). If extra consideration is given to one's peer group, and if this is in acknowledgment of equal power relationships and the concern to avoid negative consequences, interviewing one's superiors, as I have done, is even more interesting. In her discussion of anthropologists who "study up" in order to better understand the exercise of power, Nader encouraged this method of research into "those who shape and actually control institutional structure" (Nader, 1969: 284). Since this research has explored developments in social work education, it is fitting that powerful people in the field were involved as respondents. Many were consciously discreet but some of those who agreed to take part as respondents were (I thought) surprisingly open. At times their feelings of hurt and being misunderstood came across and many went out of their way to be helpful in clarifying the details of particular events. Accounts of the same event by people on opposing sides predictably reflected differences of opinion and proved very useful. I am left with the impression of an honest and sincere group of respondents who showed genuine interest in this project and wanted to see a record of events into which they had put so much of themselves.
Respondents were told in advance about the area to be addressed in the interview. An information sheet together with a consent form were posted out at least a week prior to the interview. Respondents were scattered around the country, some living in Christchurch, Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Auckland, as well as in the environs of Palmerston North.
A number of respondents had been, or are, professors, managers and / or directors. They had a tendency to lead the interview and in many instances this vvas acknowledged during the interview. The taped interviews were conducted, for the most part, with success. There was, however, one interview where technology defeated me, and I am indebted to that
particular respondent for a repeat session and written account of how he saw events.
Many of .those interviewed are or have been influential in more than one
-
role during these periods. Some have been students, practitioners and, later, providers in social work education. Others have been members of the NZASW or NZCETSS, have taken part in standing committees, working parties or ministerial reviews relevant to the research topic. This lent a depth and richness to the interviews and gave people the opportunity to reflect on the changes in which they have taken part.
There was one constraint on the interviewing process. Some of the respondents were known to be frail and it was imperative to begin interv
�
ewing as soon as possible. Two of the people interviewed, Professor John McCreary and Mr Tom Austin, have since died. Had it been possible to study archival material from the NZSWTC prior to the interviews, it may be that the ground would have been covered in a more focussed manner. However, there are sometimes advantages in being able to ask questions to which one genuinely has no answer. Respondents differed in terms of how well they remembered the past and how involved they still were with social work. In some cases, there were still strong feelings of hurt or betrayal over events referred to during the interview, while others were somewhat detached from the past. Some respondents provided the researcher with personal papers and photographs which have proved useful.One respondent, Mrs Awhina Waaka, was interviewed in November 1997,
as the final draft of the research was being written. From the beginning it was hoped that she could be interviewed for this research and her contribution was all the more valuable for coming at the end. Her reflections added to the history, by confirming much of what other NZCETSS members had talked about, but she brought her own point of view which served to confirm and sometimes elaborate on the analysis of such a wealth of information.
Data Analysis
Perhaps the best introduction to the analysis of oral histories comes in the words of that great teller of travel stories - Marco Polo.
Kublai asks Marco, "When you return to that West, will you repeat to your people the same tales you tell me?"
"I speak and speak," Marco says, "but the listener retains only the words he is expecting. The description of the world to which you lend a benevolent ear is one thing; the description that will go the rounds of the groups of stevedores and gondoliers on the street outside my house the day of my return is another; and yet another, that which I might dictate late in life, if I were taken prisoner by Genoese pirates and put in irons in the same cell with a writer of adventure stories. It is not the voice that commands the story: it is the ear" (Spufford, 1989: 67).
With this in mind, interviews were analysed for themes which address the question of who and what has driven the provision of education and training for social workers in New Zealand. Memories of the two education and training councils and the NZASW were also analysed and collated as each respondent talked about the work of the NZASW, NZSWTC, NZCETSS and their opinions about what these organisations had, or had not, achieved. The characterisation of each of the three periods into which I have divided this case study as, respectively, Identity, Consolidation and Recognition of social work is a direct consequence of these themes which came through in the oral accounts.
Another theme, or category, was the role of agencies and social work employers and the working of the market through contracting and purchasing mechanisms. Influences on the curriculum and the various approaches to competency are another theme, closely associated to that centring around systems of accreditation and the application of basic minimum standards. A further theme is the provision of social work COurses and the continuing difficulties of catering for the Auckland area.
The respondents' life stories were collated together and have helped to illustrate and bring to life much of the historical and documented material collected in archival research. Maori and women's issues are two themes which were deliberately sought and have been analysed for the changes that have taken place over time.
HaVing identified these as the themes which respondents had elaborated on in answering the semi-structured interview, the data was sorted accordingly.
By the time the oral data was analysed, much, but not all, of the archival data had been collected. It was possible, therefore, to be aware of the relationship between the oral and archival data, as well as taking into account published material and the findings of earlier researchers. In this way, a sense of period definition emerged, hence the division of the material into three chronological time-frames. A chronological approach to the thesis has presented a logical structure on which to build. The themes identified have been constant, if multicoloured, threads woven across the years and generations.
Oral data were collected in order to discover the opinions held by people closely involved in some of the crucial debates and decisions surrounding the development of social and community work education. The old disagreements still held good, concerning where and at what level social work education should be pitched. Accounts, both written and oral, were more consistent with one another than might perhaps have been expected, considering the passage of time.
The period in which data were gathered has probably been significant. In 1995, when the interviews were conducted, it was becoming clear that there was, yet again, a struggle taking place over standards for social work education and who should have power re�ourcing and accrediting it. This is likely to have resulted in the degree of pessimism or disappointment observed and which was expressed by those who had worked very hard to establish profession social work and social work courses with high tertiary standards. Some people also referred to new opportunities and the data included opinions on social policies, and the current relationship between economic policy and social poliCY, as increasing freedom is given to market forces.
Maori issues form a particular theme in the later periods studied. This thesis is, however, written from a Pakeha point of view and has sought not to carry out invasive or neo-colonial research. Two themes are clearly significant in making changes in the curriculum necessary. The first is the increasing articulation of Maori development models and ways of working with tangata whanau and respecting cultural matters. The second theme in this area is tino rangatiratanga, Maori sovereignty. The rise of Maori activism in the 1970s was and still is an important influence on social work
education. The impact of documents such as Puao-te-Ata-tu5 and other landmark publications including Kahukura6 challenged Pakeha to address biculturalism, and this impact is taken into account and discussed.
Women's issues, the development of feminist social work and principles for practice, together with community work and the drive for social justice also feature in the oral data. The research shows that many who have been involved in shaping social and community work have strong spiritual values. Christianity, humanism, Maori spirituality and the radical values of feminism and liberation theology all have their part to play in this story.
The information drawn from the interviews has been used in the chapters that follow, particularly in the historical chapters. With their permission, quotations are attributed to the respondent concerned by name. Respondents' quotations are referenced in the text in bold with the year and date. On one or two occasions, in order to preserve sensitivities and practise reciprocity towards the respondents,
I
have referenced their quotations without giving their name. In those cases they are referred to simply as "Respondent, pers. comm. 1995".One chapter has a style and format all its own. This is Chapter Five: "Merv Hancock, a personal account". In this chapter, the reader has direct access to Merv Hancock's account of his efforts to bring into being his visions for social work and the preparation of social workers for practice. Comments and interpretations are included in this partial life history which is contextualised at the beginning and discussed at the end of the chapter. A
compelling reason for this chapter has been the wish to ensure that Merv Hancock's vision for social work and his understanding of the issues involved would not be absorbed into his student's thesis without acknowledgment.
The interviews (which at times were more like conversations) addressed the question of who and what has driven the provision of education and training for social workers in New Zealand. This information, interwoven with other data gained from primary and secondary sources, presents a picture of alliances, debates and struggles for power and hegemony over
5 is the name given to the report written by John Rangihau. and officially referenced under the of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on a Maori perspective for the Department of Social Welfare
social work and social work education. It will be seen that there has been a paradigm shift in terms of who, today, is attempting to define social work and how people should be trained and educated to practice .
. . .. Ethics and Supervision
The Massey University Ethics Committee approved the research proposal and the methodology for contacting respondents, and for conducting the taped interview�. The arrangements agreed upon have been adhered to. A form was drawn up by which respondents could, having read a transcript of the interview, indicate whether they wished to be named or anonymous and whether, if quoted, they wished for the quotation to be attributed to them by name (see appendix Ill). All people interviewed have expressed willingness to be quoted and have their real names used. In one or two cases, people asked me not to quote certain passages, or else not to attribute them directly. These requests were respected.
Given the public offices many of them have held, it would have been difficult if people had been unwilling to be named. As it is, they have provided invaluable oral histories relating to their contributions to and views of how social work education has developed in New Zealand. Social work education and training is now a competitive and expanding area in this country. Because of my role as a lecturer in a tertiary institution which offers such training, there could have been some hesitation on the part of some people to become participants. All potential participants were provided with a clear statement about the nature of the research and could have refused to take part in it if they did not wish to be involved. A number of people d eclined to be interviewed . There remained representatives for each of the targeted periods and sectors and therefore the research went ahead as planned.
One aspect of the supervisory relationship should be mentioned. Two of the thesis supervisors had played key roles in the history outlined in this thesis and, because of their involvement, were also respondents. Merv Hancock was among the first students admitted to the Diploma in Social Science at VUW7 and also the first President of the NZASW. He was later the Director of the Social Work Unit, Massey University and, as such, he was responsible for developing the curriculum of the Bachelor of Social
Work degree. In addition, he chaired . the Ministerial Review of the NZSWTC. Robyn Munford was
in
the first cohort of students to graduate with the Bachelor of Social Work degree. She was the first Director of NZCETSS and, currently, she is the Section Head of the School of Policy studies and Social Work, Massey University, Palmerston North.These different roles were acknowledged and worked through, in my view satisfactorily. Merv Hancock declined to supervise me for Chapter Five. Robyn Munford and I, having worked together on other projects, already had a good research relationship which we modified in a pragmatic fashion. My third supervisor, Dr Wand a Korndorffer, is neither associated with social work nor the development of social work education and offered detached supervision where necessary.
Supervision sessions were, to begin with, tape-recorded, a process which proved invaluable. This was partly because it provided a useful system for recalling what was discussed