The importance of self-care Even the most experienced and skilled professionals can feel overwhelmed and heartbroken when hearing people’s stories of trauma and loss. When you work in a role that involves supporting other people—like social work, teaching, healthcare, childcare or counselling—self-care is fundamentally …Read more
When a crisis hits, many people who have never accessed services before suddenly need support, placing additional strains on already stretched services. Organisations offering support around mental health, family violence, housing, food, financial counselling, AOD, amongst other things, are all under pressure at the …Read more
In many workplaces across Australia, many of the conversations in the lunch room are about bushfires and related topics (like the impact of climate change and how we feel about government responses). While Australia manages this most recent manifestation of climate change, these issues …Read more
Lillian Daley, a Grade 6 teacher in Darwin—the capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory—writes about the power of vulnerability and trust in the classroom. I first came across Innovative Resources when I was a pre-service teacher completing a placement at a school for disengaged …Read more
Those who choose to work in human services are often well-equipped, not only to do their jobs, but to do their jobs well. Those in leadership roles endeavour to provide them with frameworks, procedures, infrastructure, leadership, professional development, teams and resources intended to support …Read more
As a child, did you ever pick up a stone, rub your wet thumb over its surface to reveal the colours, feel the satisfying heft and shape of it in your palm, and then carry it around in your pocket? Before long, you …Read more
At Innovative Resources we never tire of hearing about new and creative ways that people use Picture This. Why is it so useful, and so popular? Possibly because of the large number and variety of photos within the set, or maybe because there is …Read more
If you are a youth worker, counsellor, mentor, teacher, chaplain or welfare coordinator in a school, chances are you’ve come across the Reflexions cards somewhere along the line. You may even have a set kicking around in your tool bag of resources. A new …Read more
‘A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.’ (https://www.grammarly.com/blog/metaphor/) Once upon a time, in a land far away (to use a metaphor to …Read more
All of the tools published by Innovative Resources have grown out of, or are compatible with, strengths-based practice. Also known as the ‘strengths approach’, this is a way of working that focusses primarily on strengths and hopeful possibilities. It does not ignore difficulties or challenges but the …Read more
Ever been to a funeral of someone you liked and thought you knew well, only to discover through the eulogy that there was so much more about the person than you knew? How many times have you walked by the reception desk, said hello …Read more
Peer supervision—why do it? Human service workers get together in peer supervision sessions to discuss practice, to reflect, and to wonder about ethical considerations. Lucky souls, aren’t we? And, it feels entirely congruent to approach peer supervision sessions from a strengths-based perspective. The idea …Read more
‘Unpacking the Baggage’ questions are perhaps the most common questions we ask each other. ‘How are you?’ is a universal greeting. We use it and other related questions all the time to check on how others are journeying. Often ‘How are you’? is merely …Read more
Most of us depend on our friends and loved ones for lots of things. Happiness is just one thing that goes hand-in-hand with healthy relationships. But while relationships are arguably the most important part of our lives, it’s easy to take them for granted. …Read more
‘Are we there yet?’ Every parent has heard this question from the back of the car once the two minutes of ‘Eye Spy’ have worn off. Maybe questions like this never quite go away but they just change form as we hit adolescence. They …Read more
