The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work 2003 No

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NARRATIVE THERAPY AND COMMUNITY WORK
2003 No. 2     Community Practice

PART ONE: Community Practice

The same in difference
The work of the Peer Counsellors of the Irish Wheelchair Association and the National Council for the Blind of Ireland

This paper describes the work and insider knowledges of the Peer Counsellors of the Irish Wheelchair Association and the National Council of the Blind of Ireland. Crafted from a series of interviews, this paper consists of four parts: ‘History’, ‘Why we are involved in this work’, ‘Insider knowledges’, and ‘Principles of practice’. By questioning many taken-for-granted assumptions, it is hoped that this paper will offer practitioners alternative ways of responding to the experience of disability.

Keywords: disability, narrative therapy, peer counselling

Narrative practice and community assignments
Michael White

This paper describes explorations of the relevance of narrative practices to working with communities which are facing various concerns and predicaments. These explorations have been undertaken in the context of community assignments that have been initiated in response to approaches from communities. In describing these explorations, this paper highlights the assumptions that have oriented our participation in these initiatives and some of the principles of narrative practice that we have found to be of particular importance in them. As well, this paper presents some special considerations in regard to addressing the psychological pain and emotional distress that is the outcome of trauma; discusses the priority given to the development of partnerships between the members of our team and between team members and community members; and provides an account of the structure of the community-wide gathering phase of these assignments.

Keywords: community, narrative practice, trauma, Derrida, doubly listening, definitional ceremony.

Building partnerships in responding to vulnerable children:
A rural African community context
Yvonne Sliep

The question of how to respond to vulnerable children continues to confront us in Southern Africa today. This article documents a project in rural Malawi and describes some emerging principles to assist community workers who are seeking to respond to vulnerable children in poverty-stricken environments. A key focus involves the building of partnerships with all concerned.

Keywords:    partnership building; orphans, HIV/AIDS, vulnerable children, sustainability, community approaches

PART TWO: Feminism, therapy & narrative ideas

Feminism, therapy and narrative ideas: Exploring some not so commonly asked questions
Compiled by Shona Russell & Maggie Carey

In this paper we have been interested to engage with some not so commonly asked questions about feminism, therapy and narrative ideas. So we asked a number of therapists who are engaged with narrative ideas some questions about what feminism means to them, how it influences their work and what feminist issues they are currently grappling with. What followed was an invigorating and challenging process. Many of the people we approached expressed that they wished they could spend more time thinking about these sorts of questions. Some people spoke of regret that these sorts of conversations are not more common. In response, we would like to invite all readers to become involved in an ongoing project around these issues. In future editions of the International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work we will be organising a regular column on the theme ‘feminism, therapy and narrative ideas’. At the end of this piece we have listed a number of different themes about which we would love to hear from practitioners. We hope that the following questions and answers will spark your imagination and that you will then write to us with your thoughts and reflections. But first, on with the questions – and perhaps the first one is the most difficult … What is feminism?

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PART ONE: Community Practice
The same in difference The work of the Peer Counsellors of the Irish Wheelchair Association and the National Council for the Blind of Ireland	This paper describes the work and insider knowledges of the Peer Counsellors of the Irish Wheelchair Association and the National Council of the Blind of Ireland. Crafted from a series of interviews, this paper consists of four parts: ‘History’, ‘Why we are involved in this work’, ‘Insider knowledges’, and ‘Principles of practice’. By questioning many taken-for-granted assumptions, it is hoped that this paper will offer practitioners alternative ways of responding to the experience of disability. Keywords: disability, narrative therapy, peer counselling
Narrative practice and community assignments Michael White	This paper describes explorations of the relevance of narrative practices to working with communities which are facing various concerns and predicaments. These explorations have been undertaken in the context of community assignments that have been initiated in response to approaches from communities. In describing these explorations, this paper highlights the assumptions that have oriented our participation in these initiatives and some of the principles of narrative practice that we have found to be of particular importance in them. As well, this paper presents some special considerations in regard to addressing the psychological pain and emotional distress that is the outcome of trauma; discusses the priority given to the development of partnerships between the members of our team and between team members and community members; and provides an account of the structure of the community-wide gathering phase of these assignments. Keywords: community, narrative practice, trauma, Derrida, doubly listening, definitional ceremony.
Building partnerships in responding to vulnerable children: A rural African community context Yvonne Sliep	The question of how to respond to vulnerable children continues to confront us in Southern Africa today. This article documents a project in rural Malawi and describes some emerging principles to assist community workers who are seeking to respond to vulnerable children in poverty-stricken environments. A key focus involves the building of partnerships with all concerned. Keywords: partnership building; orphans, HIV/AIDS, vulnerable children, sustainability, community approaches
PART TWO: Feminism, therapy & narrative ideas
Feminism, therapy and narrative ideas: Exploring some not so commonly asked questions Compiled by Shona Russell & Maggie Carey	In this paper we have been interested to engage with some not so commonly asked questions about feminism, therapy and narrative ideas. So we asked a number of therapists who are engaged with narrative ideas some questions about what feminism means to them, how it influences their work and what feminist issues they are currently grappling with. What followed was an invigorating and challenging process. Many of the people we approached expressed that they wished they could spend more time thinking about these sorts of questions. Some people spoke of regret that these sorts of conversations are not more common. In response, we would like to invite all readers to become involved in an ongoing project around these issues. In future editions of the International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work we will be organising a regular column on the theme ‘feminism, therapy and narrative ideas’. At the end of this piece we have listed a number of different themes about which we would love to hear from practitioners. We hope that the following questions and answers will spark your imagination and that you will then write to us with your thoughts and reflections. But first, on with the questions – and perhaps the first one is the most difficult … What is feminism?