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Winner of the 2021 Laptop Grant for Postgraduate Coursework Students

Posted by Capstone Editing on 16 August 2021

Winner of the 2021 Capstone Editing Laptop Grant for Postgraduate Coursework Students

 

Capstone Editing is extremely happy to introduce Catherine Dreadon, the winner of our 2021 Laptop Grant for Postgraduate Coursework Students. Catherine is currently undertaking a Postgraduate Degree in Health Science in Addictions and Mental Health at the Auckland University of Technology. She is a truly amazing woman who is of great service to her community as a social worker. Below she introduces herself and her research.

Introducing the winner of the grant

I am Mum to five children and grandmother to three grandchildren (with another due this year!). In 2018, I gained a Bachelor in Social Work with the University of Waikato. I began my degree after having lived more than 26 years on a Work and Income benefit. I was invited to complete the honours program in my final year of study (which I declined).

I am now fully registered with the Social Work Registration Board as a social worker. I gained full-time employment while on my second year of placement (and still completing my degree). I work at a community and abstinent-based Alcohol and Other Drugs Addictions service as a counsellor and Wakaunua Whaihauora kaimahi. Although our service is abstinent-based, my work within the Wakaunau Whaihauora program offers me the opportunity to work with harm reduction or controlled use with tangata whaiora. The Wakaunua Whaihauora program was developed for tangata whaiora living within transitional housing.

I enjoy working with tangata whaiora from many walks of life, and my mahi, although it can be trying at times, has and continues to be very rewarding for me.

People that are struggling with addictions often have mental health problems as well. Therefore, it is important that I have an understanding of the impact this can have on tangata whaiora’s wellbeing.

This year I am completing a Postgraduate Degree in Health Science in Addictions and Mental Health at the Auckland University of Technology. This learning will better equip me to help those having difficulties with addictions and co-existing problems. This qualification will also enable me to gain full registration with the Drug and Alcohol Practitioner’s Association.

In my degree, I will be exploring the Eurocentric paradigm of mental illness, addiction, diagnosis and screening criteria. This knowledge will enable me to compare the medical model of disease and te ao M?ori m?tauranga concepts of hauora. I will then research and explore ways I might further integrate te ao M?ori into my own mahi in mental illness and addiction. I also hope to present strategies to kaimahi to support them to work more effectively for and alongside our people.

I am very grateful to have been selected as the recipient of the 2021 Capstone Editing Laptop Grant for Postgraduate students. Up until now, it has been difficult and inconvenient attempting to complete my course requirements using outdated, slow and unreliable hardware. I am very excited about purchasing a laptop and the necessary software. This grant will truly be life-changing for me. I look forward to no longer stressing about losing my hard work because of unpredictable computers!

Thank you Capstone Editing!

 

Kei te mihi au ki a koutou.

Ko Manungataniwha te maunga.

Ko Tapapa te awa rere ana ki te Hokianga Whakapai Karakia.

Ko Te Rarawa te iwi.

Ko Kohatutaka te h?pu.

Ko Tipene toku tupuna.

Ko Don Dreadon raua ko Glenda Deacon oku matua.

No Ruawai toku u kaiapo.

Kei Taranga Moana ahau e noho ana.

Ko Catherine Dreadon taku ingoa.

No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

 

Capstone Editing

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