Bristow, Glenys Julie (2018) What are the characteristics (types of knowledge) residential youth workers with high-risk young people bring to the field of residential work? “Identifying artistry in youth residential workers: fact or fiction?”. Other Degree thesis, Victoria University.

Abstract

This study investigates the characteristics of therapeutic residential care workers with high-risk young people. It takes as its focus the types of knowledge that those who are considered as exceptional residential workers bring with them to the field, and explores the notions of ‘artistry, knowing, intuition, essence and gut feelings’ in relation to the construction of the professional residential care role. Fourteen residential youth workers with 10-plus years’ experience were interviewed to investigate notions of exceptional practice in relation to: • their characteristics, ethics, values • if the multiplicities of theories and artistry they demonstrated were largely due to life development and learning, experience, gut feelings, and/or intuition • if formal education / training is the most effective way of informing conscious residential work practice. Drawing on a bricolage of knowledge, theories and theorists across disciplines to scaffold and frame the reconstruction of ways of knowing, this multi-genre methodology creatively utilised narrative research. The metaphor of quilting was drawn upon to contextualise the rhizomatic nature of the research process through which a crystallised understanding of my critical ontological values, ethics and morals afforded emergence of the interconnected history of people’s lives within a developmental bioecological model. Four knowledge categories emerged, resulting in a ‘percentages model’: [i] historical/developmental life stages and impacts [ii] educational and training and bioecological contexts of lived experience [iii] social learning [iv] confirming the existence and essential roles of ‘artistry’, spirituality, gut feelings and intuition. These four stages are analysed to inform workforce promotion, recruitment/retention, training, mentoring, reduction of WorkCover and sickness costs and the possible subsequent loss of valued residential workers.

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