Community support for graduates of a residential native treatment centre : a case study
Date
1989
Authors
Tasko, Ann Elizabeth
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Abstract
The intent of this case study was to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning and experience of support for graduates of a native residential treatment centre once they returned home to the community. The exploration drew upon a number of human science orientations: psychological, sociological, community psychology, environmental, ethnographic and qualitative-phenomenonological. The process of triangulation involving multiple data collection procedures (interviews, a walkabout survey and a review of relevant records and documents) as well as multiple data sources (receivers of support, informal and formal givers of support from within and from outside the community) was employed to cross-validate the data.
All comments relating to support were extrapolated from the interview transcripts relating to support and divided into categories of "Support As Received and As Given", "Lack of Support as Perceived by Receivers and Givers" and "Support as Envisioned by Receivers and Givers". Within each of these constructs, the comments were subdivided into seven types of support (emotional, social, practical assistance, financial/employment, advice/guidance, spiritual and cultural) . Quotations of the receivers of support were separated from those of the givers within each type. The comments were grouped by themes. The information was then synthesized into a descriptive analysis. It was found that graduate clients had not experienced significant support on returning home. On the contrary, most experienced great loneliness and disappointment, unable by themselves to find the support they needed either from friends, family, AA or formal caregivers. The givers of support seemed fully aware of the general lack of support, although they thought that graduate clients sometimes had unrealistic expectations. They offered many ideas on how the situation could be improved. Support is discussed further within the framework of the present tranfer of responsibilities from the Federal Government to the Nuu-chah-nul th Tribal Council and the Tla-o-qui-aht Band Council. Recommendations are made and the implications for counsellors, administrators and future research are outlined.