“The mahi my whānau did inspired me to go into the social work field.”
She completed her Bachelor of Social Work degree with Honours from EIT Tairāwhiti last year and started her role in mid-January.
“I love it. I feel blessed to come into this role and have such a loving and nurturing team. I’m never made to feel like a hōha.”
Fontaine Maxwell (Ngāti Porou, Whakatōhea, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki) comes with years of experience in social work having worked in various roles in the community.
“The kaiatawhai role is unique compared with my previous social work experience.
“What appealed most was the value and recognition for who you are as tangata Māori, your wairua, and ability to relate and show manaaki to patients in need.
“Culture and tikanga are areas I wanted to strengthen and reignite for myself to reaffirm our Māoritanga for others, hence the importance of the role.
“I want to ensure the delivery of treatment and experience meets the needs of whānau on their terms to ensure no gaps adversely impact them.”
Ms Maxwell is keen to ensure tikanga is prevalent when working with patients and whānau.
“The implementation and revival of te whare tapa whā is critical as all aspects of the patient’s life are considered.
“As we’re seeing a generation of patients where te reo Māori is preferred, this has motivated me to continue on my reo journey to build more of a connection and bridge one of the gaps.”
Celeste Chetty, from the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, found her fit as a social worker having previously worked as an outpatient’s administrator in the hospital.
“The genuine relationships I formed with whānau in our community through my front-line roles have inspired me to pursue a career in social work.
“I’m passionate about supporting whānau to enhance their health and wellbeing and it’s a privilege to be part of their journey.
“What fuels my passion is hearing their stories and being trusted by them.
“My days are varied, from referrals from long-term conditions clinics to home visits, supporting patients at appointments, and ensuring their social needs are met.
“The role is busy but we have an awesome team of diverse individuals who provide exceptional peer support.
“I’ve only been in this position for a few weeks and already it’s been really rewarding.”
Jennifer Clarke was born and bred in Gisborne and always had a niggle for social work.
“I’m passionate about end-of-life care,” she said.
“Oncology allowed me to practise social work and learn about areas of interest in a meaningful way.
“There’s a diversity of experience and need, such as the psychosocial.
“There are complex emotions as someone journeys through their treatment so supporting the patients practically and socially by working with various support services is important to me.
“It’s a stressful time and some patients find it nice to talk to people outside of their whānau setting which allows them to express their feelings more freely.
“It’s a privileged space to work in because the depth of need is prominent.”
Ms Clarke continues to enhance her knowledge in order to better support patients. She recently completed her degree with honours.
“I will never stop learning., I’ve embraced it and I have the opportunity for more growth.”
