Grethe M. Borgerød,with:
"Healing and social work practice with individual and families"
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Morna Mceachern, with: 
"Truer to Northern pregnant teens: Stories toward culturally safe childbearing practices in Inuit Nunangat from the south"
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Stephen Corporal, with:
"Role Strain of Indigenous students transition to Australian universities"
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Marlene Lauridsen, with:
"An introduction to “street meditation” and the revelation of human commonalities"" />                                                                                                                                                                                       Grethe M. Borgerød,with:
"Healing and social work practice with individual and families"
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Morna Mceachern, with: 
"Truer to Northern pregnant teens: Stories toward culturally safe childbearing practices in Inuit Nunangat from the south"
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Stephen Corporal, with:
"Role Strain of Indigenous students transition to Australian universities"
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Marlene Lauridsen, with:
"An introduction to “street meditation” and the revelation of human commonalities"" />
ALTA 2017 Utveksling/Exchange 11-14 June

Workshop - Young and marginalized

Workshop moderator: Grethe M. Borgerød                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Elisabeth Valmyr Baina, with:"Non-completion of upper secondary school among female and male young people in an Artic sociocultural context; The NAAHS study"
                                                                                                                                                                                      Grethe M. Borgerød,with:
"Healing and social work practice with individual and families"
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Morna Mceachern, with: 
"Truer to Northern pregnant teens: Stories toward culturally safe childbearing practices in Inuit Nunangat from the south"
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Stephen Corporal, with:
"Role Strain of Indigenous students transition to Australian universities"
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Marlene Lauridsen, with:
"An introduction to “street meditation” and the revelation of human commonalities"



Session Nr.1: "Non-completion of upper secondary school among female and male young people in an Artic sociocultural context; The NAAHS study"

Background

Education is closely associated with health. Non-completion of upper secondary school influences academic achievement, employment, income and personal well-being.

Methods

The Norwegian Arctic Adolescent Health Study (NAAHS), a cross-sectional, school-based survey was conducted in 2003-2005. 4881 tenth graders participated, a response rate of 83%, with 49.1% females, 450 reported indigenous Sami ethnicity, and 304 reported Laestadian affiliation. Data from NAAHS were merged with registry data from the National Education Database (NUDB) Norway for 3,987 adolescents giving consent for follow-up studies.

Results

Non-completion of upper secondary school was 36.9% among females and 36.6% among males. Female predictors for non-completion were related to mental health symptoms, and among males, residency in the northernmost and remote areas and self-reported functional difficulties at school, home and in leisure activities due to mental health problems.

There was marginal significance between ethnicity and non-completion of upper secondary school, measured at 41.3 % for Sami and 36.8 % for non-Sami, respectively.

Conclusions

There is a need to recognize and treat extensive pro-social behaviour and social problems in young females. Young males from remote areas and those who in early adolescence struggle with functional impairment due to mental health problems need early interventions in lower secondary school. Enhancing parents’ and teachers’ ability to detect symptoms and problems as well as low-threshold health services starting in primary school can be effective means. Education, mental health and social inclusion are prominent factors for future employment, income and independent living for young people. Future research should emphasize gender-specific patterns.


Session Nr.2: "Healing and social work practice with individual and families"

This qualitative study focuses on the mental health needs of young boys, who receive help and support from the Child Welfare and Protection office. The 2015 statistics of the Norwegian Central Bureau of Statistics show that out of 53 439 children who received support from the Child Welfare and Protection office, boys aged between thirteen and seventeen years constituted the largest group. National research indicates that many young boys experience mental health challenges, are unable to finish school. These young boys, therefore, face the risk of marginalisation and exclusion from work and other activities in society. Social support is a health promotional factor. Presently, there is little research that discusses the needs of young boys, especially whom to turn to for support during their different transitional periods. The purpose of this study is to explore how young boys and social workers understand the concept of social support and develop ways of meeting the needs of boys. The data generation process involved 32 boys and eight social workers. The topics discussed centered on social support, mental health, young boys needs and the ability for social workers to provide for their needs. The findings indicate that the boys need social support regarding feelings like grief, anger and fear. Also, the need for friendship, role taking, trust from parents, and participation in school or sports are other important views derived from the data.


Session Nr.3: "Truer to Northern pregnant teens: Stories toward culturally safe childbearing practices in Inuit Nunangat from the south"

Indigenous populations in North America are growing at much greater rate than the general population; resulting in a resurgence of cultures. Inuit teens are becoming parents four times more often than their settler peers. What is the story? Reviewing examples of the historical/anthropological, decolonizing/anti-racist feminist, and Inuit women’s literature, a story of traditional young childbearing and colonial disruption through genocide of Inuit culture emerges. A call for decolonizing education and institutional standards to create culturally safe practices surfaces. Based on the assumptions that not all teen child bearing is a problem and that settler society must transform and accept leadership from Indigenous peoples, the paper proposes a two-pronged possibility for more nuance and less stigma, external and internal, for young mothers. First, settler institutions need to change how the statistics about the maternal age of births are collected (18 & 19-year-olds as adults) and thus perceptions about teen mothers. Second, expand and support, with no strings attached, locally based, Inuit developed and implemented health and education programs for teen mothers and their children. Some forms of teen pregnancy may well serve the resurgence of Inuit culture and population growth. Québec and Nunavik are presented as the appropriate locale to begin this work.


Session Nr.4: "Role Strain of Indigenous students transition to Australian universities"

To improve the health of Indigenous people in Australia, it is critical to increase the proportional representation of this group employed within the health workforce. Recruiting Indigenous health professionals such Social Workers and developing strategies to retaining them at universities until completion is important.  The understanding of Indigenous people’s roles by academics and the Indigenous students themselves may impact on completion. This presentation will discuss how role strain may disadvantage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ transition into degrees such as Social Work.

Role Theory was one of three theories used in a research project looking at the retention issues of Indigenous health students at university. Role theory was used with Indigenous research methodologies and qualitative research methods. A purposive sample of approximately thirty participants overall was and is being sought from health faculty academics and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Semi-structured interviews were completed, digitally recorded, and fully transcribed. Nvivo 10 software was used to transcribe text.

Early analysis of qualitative data collected highlight different issues both positive and negative through questions guided by Role Theory. Results indicate that the roles in family and community are important to the Indigenous students. However when these roles such as parenting and role modeling are carried over into the university setting the transition process can increase the numbers roles which the students have which then results in role strain and role stress which are seen as problematic for both students and academics. Some early recommendations are made from this research that may assist with transition of Indigenous Social Work students


Session Nr.5: "An introduction to “street meditation” and the revelation of human commonalities"

This presentation concerns the ongoing effort to reach out and meet the needs of marginalized youth in Norway. Since 2008, the Norwegian Red Cross and the outreach workers across the country have implemented proactive and reactive conflict as well as mediation workshops “Street mediation” which is based on the philosophy and methodology of restorative justice and appreciative dialogue.

For many marginalized youth, their main concern is to avoid all perceived conflict situations where they feel powerless, in my experience home and school.  Research implies that unmanaged conflicts can increase stress, strain relationships, decrease morality and thus motivation for school and work.

My longstanding experience from the Red Cross “Street Mediation” workshops exemplifies how restorative practice has become a great deal more than teaching safe circles that reflect upon ongoing inner conflicts or conflicts in network and family situations. Reflections on feelings, needs and wishes for the future become an opportunity for youth to restore themselves and move on with their lives with a feeling of empowerment and understanding instead of guilt and a feeling of being a victim to their past.

Restorative practices like Street Mediations main focus is on pursuing a particular paradigm, compared to other disciplines. One that uniquely emphasizes social engagement over social control that normally has been (and still is) in use to control adolescent behavior.

The main findings in the period of the project has been that in all probability that the workshops can promote an understanding and minimize stress associated with situations and meetings that are perceived as difficult amongst all people regardless of age or education. Where can this lead us in the field of social work?