Māori social work views and practices of rapport building with rangatahi Māori

Abstract

This article presents the results of a qualitative study that explored Māori social workers’ perspectives of working to establish rapport with rangatahi Māori in community mental health services. The research was conducted using a social constructionist perspective, informed and guided by Māori-centred research principles. Six Māori social workers from different parts of the country volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews. These face-to-face interviews were designed after reviewing current literature and were guided by a practice framework that enabled the voices of the Māori social workers to be heard, eliciting in detail where their views have come from. The findings from the research showed that Māori social workers view rapport as essential in their practice and therefore they practise in a way that facilitates this. They utilise values and beliefs in their practice, integrated with a Māori worldview, that contribute towards rapport building with youth and also with their whänau. Reflective practice is used constantly in order to maintain ethical practice. The practice implications are also discussed; that an understanding of how Māori social workers view and practise rapport can be beneficial, that there is a need for whānau involvement and that this can enhance rapport with rangatahi, that an inherent valuing of rangatahi is key and finally that reflective practice is essential for Māori social work professional and personal development.

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