Te Awatea Seminar

Date: Thursday 17 May 2012
Time: 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Location: History 311
Contact: For further information regarding this event, please contact Yolande Ruiters by sending email to yolande.ruiters@canterbury.ac.nz or by calling 364 2443
RSVP: Please RSVP for this event by contacting: yolande.ruiters@canterbury.ac.nz Audience: University staff and students

Sue Carswell has a doctorate in social anthropology and over 16 years research and evaluation experience working for government agencies, community organisations and universities. Sue currently works as an independent research and evaluation specialist based in Christchurch.  She has worked on a range of projects with a focus on social service delivery to provide information on implementation, effectiveness and to inform best practice.  Clients include Ministry of Health, Eldernet, NZ Police, EQC, Christchurch District Health Board, Christchurch Womens Refuge and Safer Christchurch, Department of Labour, Accident Compensation Corporation, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social Development (Work and Income, Child, Youth and Family), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Families Commission.
Presentation: Dr Sue Carswell will present findings from her research on the aged care sectors response to the Canterbury earthquakes which was commissioned by Eldernet and part funded by the CDHB.  The research was conducted after the February earthquake to examine what can be learnt about preparing for emergencies and caring for older people in the aftermath of a disaster. The research includes interviews with over a 100 managers and staff from 70 aged care organisations (rest homes, dementia units, hospitals, retirement villages and home support services). Phase one of the research ‘What we have learnt’ can be downloaded for free from Eldernet’s website www.eldernet.co.nz
Rashi Gadekar is a social work-trained and registered therapist based in Christchurch. She has been a member of ANZASW since 1995 and is currently training as a psychotherapist through Westmeade Hospital, Sydney. Rashi has been in private practice since 2006 prior to which she worked variously for the (now) MSD, CDHB, Department of Corrections and the University of Canterbury.
In the last 19 months people all over Canterbury and further afield have managed the effect of the earthquakes and aftershocks on themselves, their families, neighbourhood, community, workplace/life, pets and property. In the days before the set-in difficulties of sewerage, zoning, insurance caps, traffic, the vanishing markers of our life stories, when we the communities of Otautahi Christchurch were still wandering about dazed by the days/weeks events trying to calm ourselves and those around us, she was in the privileged position of meeting and listening to people making meaning of their particular losses.
Presentation: Rashi I would like to talk with you about a specific group of people within that group. People for whom Christchurch was their second or third home, for some by choice and for some by necessity - migrants and refugees – and their meaning-making of the events that befell them.