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The Three-Legged Stool

The practitioners ‘three-legged stool’ is a metaphor that refers to the three sources of knowledge that practitioners can rely on: practice, research/theory, and personal life. This meaning was proposed by Skovholt and Starkey (2010) in an article about learning in the helping professions. They argued that practitioners need to balance these three sources of knowledge to achieve optimal functioning and expertise.Practitioners work with the complexity of human emotion, thought, and variabilit...

Dare to Lead book review

DARE TO LEADBrené BrownBy Human Library Creator- Michaella VossOur book for October symbolises the start of a new journey within our Bellbird Book Club as we begin to delve into the subject of leadership. Our selected book, Dare to Lead is written by entrepreneur and Doctor of Social Work, Brené Brown. For those of you that know me personally, you will know that I am a Brené Brown fangirl through and through. I really hope that you are just as captivated by the teachings throughout this book!...

Using SCARF in social work practice

How David Rock's SCARF Model Can Enhance Social Work Practice in Aotearoa New ZealandSocial work is a profession that aims to promote social change and empowerment for individuals, groups and communities who face various challenges and difficulties in their lives. Social workers need to be able to engage effectively with diverse people and situations, and to use their knowledge and skills to help them achieve their goals and aspirations.However, social work practice is not always easy or straigh...

Being playful

Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston where she holds the Huffington Foundation – Brené Brown Endowed Chair at The Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers.In her book “The Gifts of Imperfection”, Brown emphasizes the importance of play and creativity in our lives. She writes that “play is as essential to our health as rest”...

Collective Care in Social Service Organisations in New Zealand

Wellbeing is a fundamental human need that goes beyond superficial perks. It encompasses physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as social connections and a sense of purpose. This is especially true for social service organisations. The wellbeing of employees in these organisations is critical to their ability to provide quality services to clients. However, prioritising wellbeing in social service organisations goes beyond token gestures. It becomes a strategic advantage for organisatio...

The Body Keeps The Score

It was a bit of a ‘fluke’ how well this month’s recommended read has fit with the last Bellbird Book Club book, What Happened to You. The Body Keeps the Score serves as a ‘prequel’ to our first book, allowing us to dive that bit deeper into the concept of trauma.I find with many books that I don’t have to go back and re-read entire chapters, nor would I ever look to read a book I’ve already read once again entirely. I hate to say it, but this book is the absolute exception to the r...

What Happened To You - book review

By Human Library Creator- Michaella VossThe month that’s been has bought with it more dreaded rain for our region and what feels like the start of a cold winter ahead. Although, not good for our already dampened spirits after the worst summer in history, the start of winter is encouraging of indoor hobbies. Nothing is more suited to a cold, rainy day than a cup of tea and a book in my opinion!I managed to re-read the entire What Happened To You over the space of a weekend, literally not being ...

Introducing Bellbird's first Book Club

Welcome to our Inaugural Bellbird Book Club event!!! Some light reading to get you started below. The Bellbird Book Club as part of our 'Human Library' will be facilitated quarterly. We are very excited to have our first event up and running in exactly one month's time. Our Book Club is a space for connection with others. Yes, we would love you to read our recommended book each month, but if you just want to come for a coffee, you use the time and space however you want! Our book club is a free ...