Prof Robyn Munford MSW, BSW(H), PhD

Qualifications

• Master of Social Work - University of Calgary (1983)
• Bachelor of Social Work - Massey University (1978)
• Doctor of Philosophy - Massey University (1989)

Prizes and Awards

• Our book: New Theories for Social Work Practice: Ethical Practice for Working with Individuals, Families and Communities is published by JKP in the UK. JKP was named 2020 Academic, Educational and Professional Publisher of the Year at the British Book Awards, also known as “The Nibbies” - an annual event which celebrates the best in British publishing. - British Book Award (2020)
• Our international research collaboration (researchers from Europe, North America, NZ) has been accepted by the international organisation WERA (World Education Research Association) as an IRN (International Research Network) (https://www.weraonline.org/page/IRNsThematic). The research is on children living in challenging contexts and highlights the importance of holistic and contextually embedded services in supporting good outcomes. The research points to the value of strong communities in facilitating such outcomes. Schools are a constant resource situated in the lives of children, so the research will explore how schools can meaningfully re-establish communities of care, facilitating better outcomes for children. On the 2 July I was invited by Dr Liebenberg to sit on an expert committee for The International Community Development and Resilience Consortium (ICDRC) ’s Communities of Care WERA IRN (https://www.weraonline.org/news/news.asp?id=455380&hhSearchTerms=%22Liebenberg%22). I accepted this invitation. - WERA (2019)

Research Interests

Robyn is the Professor of Social Work in the School of Social Work, Massey University, New Zealand. She is the Director of the Practice Research and Professional Development Hub which offers learning opportunities for practitioners and supports practitioners to work alongside researchers to investigate practice in a range of community settings and social service agencies. Robyn has qualifications in social work, disability studies and sociology. In 2002 Robyn was awarded an ONZM (Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit) for services to research and education in social work. Robyn is the co-leader of the New Zealand site of an international, longitudinal study on young people's pathways to resilience and transitions funded by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (www.youthsay.co.nz). This research has generated several publications in national and international journals,  book chapters and technical reports. The Youthsay website contains important information for policy makers, practitioners and educators. An important outcome of the research is the development of a framework for practice: The PARTH model,an orientation to practice with vulnerable young people that enables practitioners to provide  interventions that can more effectively respond to the complex needs of these youth. The model has been developed (in parrtnership with Youthline) into an online module for outh workers and into a three day workshop in partnership with Kapiti Youth Support (KYS). In additnio to these major MBIE funded ersearch projects,  Robyn has also  undertakes research on family and community wellbeing; children and young people; social work theory and practice; disability and citizenship approaches; community development and research methodologies. She has published nationally and internationally on this research. Her particular interest is working with practitioners to translate research findings into practice in statutory, NGOs and community settings. She has been on the editorial boards of several international journals and for 10 years has been the co-editor of Qualitative Social Work: Research and Practice. She has held a number of service roles and has for a number of years been an Adjunct Professor in the disability studies programme at York University, Canada. She particularly enjoys the supervision of postgraduate PhD and Masters students and in 2006 was awarded the Massey University Research Medal for postgraduate research supervision.

Thematics

Health and Well-being

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Social Change (160805): Social Theory (160806): Social Work (160700): Sociological Methodology and Research Methods (160807): Sociology (160800): Studies In Human Society (160000)

Keywords

young people, families, disability, research, community development, social work theory and practice

Current Projects

Completed Projects

Teaching Statement

Research methods.

Current Doctoral Supervision

Co-supervisor of:

• Jayne Mercier - Doctor of Philosophy
  What do we mean by good outcomes for youth? An exploration of how young people and those who work with them in positive youth development contexts perceive outcomes .
• Braden Clark - Doctor of Social Work
  Understanding and addressing childhood adversity using a neurodevelopmental lens in child protection social work

Completed Doctoral Supervision

Main Supervisor of:

• 2015 - Litea Meo-Sewabu - Doctor of Philosophy
  'Tu ga na inima ka luvu na waqa' The cultural constructs of health and wellbeing amongst Marama iTaukei in a Fijian village in Lau and in transnational Fijian community in Whanganui, Aotearoa

Co-supervisor of:

• 2013 - Nicola Stanley-Clarke - Doctor of Philosophy
  Understanding Service Development in Statutory Mental Health Organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand: An Organisational Case Study
• 2012 - Catherine Campbell - Doctor of Philosophy
  A Study of the Career Pathways of Canadian Young Adults During the Decade After Secondary School Graduation

Main Supervisor of:

• 2010 - Kieran O'Donoghue - Doctor of Philosophy
  Towards the construction of social work supervision in Aotearoa New Zealand: A study of the perspectives of social work practitioners and social work supervisors.

Co-supervisor of:

• 2009 - Carol Hamilton - Doctor of Philosophy
  "....in our house we're not terribly sexual...." Exploiting the barriers to supporting people with intellectual disability in the area of sexuality and intimacy
• 2008 - Kathryn Stewart - Doctor of Philosophy
  Adding Quality to the Quilt: Adolescent experiences of critical incident responses in Secondary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand
• 2007 - Marianne Nicol - Doctor of Philosophy
  Her Worship the Mayor: Women's leadership in New Zealand local government
• 2006 - Tracie Mafile'O - Doctor of Philosophy
  Tongan social work models for practice.

Main Supervisor of:

• 2005 - Philippa Wells - Doctor of Philosophy
  Someone to walk with me": Supporting caregivers who look
• 2004 - Jacqueline Sanders - Doctor of Philosophy
  Subject Child: The everyday experiences of a group of small town Aotearoa/New Zealand children.

Co-supervisor of:

• 2002 - Jill Bevan-Brown - Doctor of Philosophy
  Culturally Appropriate, Effective Provision for Maori Learners with Special Needs: HE WAKA TINO WHAKARAWEA.
• 2000 - Lisa Emerson - Doctor of Philosophy
  A collaborative approach to integrating the teaching of writing into the sciences in a New Zealand tertiary context.
• 1999 - Pauline Boyles - Doctor of Philosophy
  Enabling Participation Through Partnership Emancipatory Research: The Potential for Change for Disabled People.
• 1999 - Sharon Milne - Doctor of Philosophy
  Shifting Ground: The Position of Women Parenting Alone in Auckland and their Access to Housing in a Restructured Environment.

Main Supervisor of:

• 1999 - Elizabeth Nash - Doctor of Philosophy
  People, Policies and Practice: Social Work Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand from 1949-1995.
• 1998 - Michelle Lunn - Doctor of Philosophy
  `What am I... for her?' Feminism and Disability with/in the Postmodern.
• 1998 - Nicola Armstrong - Doctor of Philosophy
  Flexible Work and Disciplined Selves: Telework, Gender and Discourses of Subjectivity.
• 1998 - Christine Cheyne - Doctor of Philosophy
  Public Participation in Local Authority Annual Planning: `Spectacles and Acclamation' or Prospects for Deliberative Democracy?

Co-supervisor of:

• 1997 - Alice Sutherland - Doctor of Philosophy
  From Unconscious to Self-Conscious Cognitive Rehabilitation from the Perspective of Symbolic Interactionism.

Main Supervisor of:

• 1997 - Leigh Richards-Ward - Doctor of Philosophy
  From The Ward To The Home: Caring for a Family Member Diagnosed with Schizophrenia in New Zealand.

Co-supervisor of:

• 1996 - Jean Hera - Doctor of Philosophy
  Reclaiming the Last Rites (Rights) Women and After-death Policy, Practices and Beliefs in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
• 1996 - Ian Laird - Doctor of Philosophy
  The Physiological Costs of Wearing Respiratory Protective Devices
• 1992 - Wendy Craig - Doctor of Philosophy
  From Rocking the Cradle to Rocking the System: Women, Community and Social Change in Aoeteroa