Editorial

Welcome to the final issue for 2019! And what an issue it is. It includes pieces from Rwanda, India, Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, Greece, Singapore and Australia. 

It begins with an invigorating interview with the editorial team of Balaknama, a newspaper for and by street and working children based in Delhi. 

You can also read in this issue, two interviews with Rwandan practitioners about sparkling work taking place there – in the lead up to the International Narrative Therapy and Community Work Conference that is taking place in Kigali in August next year. We hope to see you there!

Also included here are two pieces related to Peer mental health work and narrative practice: an article by Hamilton Kennedy, and an interview by Hamilton of Shery Mead in relation to intentional peer support.  

In addition you will find: 

  • a paper about making space beyond inclusion, resisting cis- and heteronormativity – in relation to the Gender Group at Peak House.
  • an innovative approach to using documentation on a phone crisis line
  • narrative practice methods in relation to supervision, including the supervisor life certificate and supervisee’s journey tools
  • a sparkling interview considering what thematic analysis has to offer narratively informed research
  • and explorations of complex issues in relation to what’s known as ‘trauma-informed teaching’

It’s an exquisitely diverse issue with which to complete the year. 

As this year comes to a close, we would like to thank all those who have contributed to the International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work – including authors, editors, interviewers, reviewers, those who have engaged in discussions, those who have given permission for the stories of their lives to be included in these pages, and … all those readers. 

Speaking of readers, we’d like to show our appreciation for those who have been in contact with us in relation to issue #3 … the special issue considering complexities re neuroscience understandings and narrative practice. We have so appreciated receiving your emails. 

Until next year … happy reading! 

And we hope 2020 treats you kindly. 

Warmly,
Cheryl  

Contents

Passion, desire, fun and justice: Ideas and stories from the editorial team of Balaknama, a newspaper for and by street and working children. From a conversation with Sanno (adviser, former editor), Shambhu (editor), Deepak (distributer and reporter), Jyoti (reporter) and Kishan (reporter). 

Gender Group at Peak House: Making space beyond inclusion, resisting cis- and heteronormativity, by Bhupie Dulay, Graeme Sampson, Stefanie Krasnow and Vikki Reynolds

Companion piece, by Angel Yuen

Gender Group at Peak House: Making space beyond inclusion, resisting cis- and Heteronormativity – A response, by Kelsi Semeschuk

Adding letters to telephone counselling: A narrative response to frequent callers, by Daniela Schon

Narrative practice and peer support, by Hamilton Kennedy

Narrative practice and Intentional Peer Support: A conversation between Hamilton Kennedy and Shery Mead

Stories from the train station: Or what can you do when you don’t know when the train is coming, whether the train is coming, or where it goes, by Yiannis Kafkas

Narrative tools in social work supervision: The supervisor life certificate and supervisee’s journey tools, by Mohamed Fareez

Supporting genocide survivors and honouring Rwandan healing ways: Our own names, our own prescriptions. An interview with Chaste Uwihoreye

Solidarity and friendship. An interview with Claver Haragirimana

Being both narrative practitioner and academic researcher: A reflection on what thematic analysis has to offer narratively informed research, by Kristina Lainson, Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke

Trauma-informed teaching in a narrative practice training context, by Kristina Lainson

Matters of care-taking: an extract from the handbook of the Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, by David Denborough