1.3.5 Acknowledgements To Sources, Styles etc.

References are used in books, websites, blogs etc. so we can do further study on the subject if interested, and/or afford credit (or offer critical comment) to the person who wrote it originally.

I would like to acknowledge my indebtedness to many sources of knowledge and wisdom.

On the subject of credit I am somewhat taken by what I believe is the Eastern attitude to intellectual property rights, copyright etc.  (or was, before the East became influenced by the West). That is, we do not actually own originality – it is given to us by a higher power (some might say that it is God-given) and we are the conduit through which the new ideas, original material etc. flows to the world.

This implies that we are meant to share it with the world if it is of benefit – and not to use it to garner wealth, fame, notoriety etc. I also believe that most of what is original is a synthesis of what went before, and I accept that this website (and the ideas within it) is just that.

Please feel free to use content for the benefit of people in distress anywhere.  I would appreciate, however, if, when mentioning theories, topics, propositions or ideas that you read about and that you have not seen elsewhere, to respect the norms and practices of referencing etc.

This is, however, up to you!

While I have copyright on songs, poems etc. there is no copyright, in the traditional sense, on the content itself. Also, I’d like to receive feedback whether it is favourable or not and referencing the website would facilitate that.

It is my intention to write in an informal style and mostly explore ideas and concepts born out of my thirty plus years’ experience in supporting families in deep distress, and observing what works and what does not work.  I augment theoretical concepts with many years of both formal and non-formal learning.

In addition to the links as you read the website, I will refer to publications, journals, books, songs, blogs, films, websites, etc. in alphabetical order in a Bibliography And Sources Section which you can look up if you are interested.  I will update the Bibliography/Sources as new material is referenced.

When I reference a line from a song, or a quote from a film, and it can be searched for and found on the Internet there is not much point in over-referencing it – but I will always give a link.

If it cannot be found on the Internet I will give it a proper reference so that you can identify it. After all that, if you wish to enquire about any sources please contact me, and I will do my best to point you in the right direction.

I also include, and refer to, non-formal, non-academic sources, because for me they are often as wise (sometimes a lot wiser) than the formal, and the fact that they are often uncensored gives them high value.

Sometimes I interpret (and perhaps reframe) wise or meaningful comments or beliefs gleaned from both families and other concerned workers with whom I worked with, and continue to work with, over the years.

I hope, in my interpretation, that I am faithful to their wisdom.

I also try and write in a way that will be generally accessible.  Sometimes, for clarity, I need to use words that may be a little unfamiliar or scientific, but I have endeavoured to keep the website jargon-free.

I learn an immense amount from all the families who I have the privilege of meeting and who allow me to be part of their lives.

It is their honesty and courage, and also their sense of joy, wonder and wisdom that motivates me to address these issues so that more effective services may evolve as time goes on – that is the principal purpose of the website.

I would like if this website contributed to the evolution of the model of helping families which I refer to as the Focus Group, and who I will describe in more detail in the next Section. 

I had to start somewhere – and I hope that all those workers who accompanied (and accompany) me on my journey will forgive me if I pick out three mentors who were very influential both in my early days in community work and as I matured (so to speak) into the job.

They are two sincere and committed men who believe in the goodness of human beings, and a woman of remarkable foresight who was not afraid to take a risk!

Firstly – the men:  They were the Chairman of our Board in Southill Outreach in the 1990’s, John Hannafin, and the Treasurer, Senior Probation and Welfare Officer Vincent Byrne.

John taught me much of what I know about the essence of community, and modeled compassion, concern for wider family, warmth and common sense.  Vincent was the human (and humane) face of the Probation Service who moved mountains and who approached the task of squeezing both money and goodwill from the Service with a unique mixture of reality and empathy.

While John’s and Vincent’s opinions were often at variance with the norms of the establishment, they were able to pick the best of what it had to offer so that maximum benefit was derived for our work at all times.

Their common-sense, below the radar challenging of the traditional model of top down helping was not only a great support to me in the early 1990’s, but gave me direction in developing my own style of working and leadership.  I believe that we were very lucky to have these two men involved in our nascent streetwork project. 

The woman was a Sister of Mercy Sr. Peggy Collins.

Peggy is a woman who, through her mixture of compassion, farsightedness and sound leadership laid the foundation for what the Chapter that I entitle The Universal Theory of Change is all about.

Firstly, she has an amazing capacity to allow people to be empowered and be themselves, allowing their growth to happen naturally.  And secondly she had the perseverance, determination and tenacity to build a bridge across the divide between the community and the prison that was easy for both to traverse.

Outside the above I would like to acknowledge all those colleagues, community workers, teachers, leaders, academics, clergymen and women, politicians, public/civil servants, researchers and media people, and any others who have put their heads above the parapet and not only encouraged and facilitated, but in some cases driven change over that time. 

You have probably guessed by now that I struggle a bit with the model that I observe (and have observed over the past 30 years) of protecting children who are very hurt in our society.  But models are always evolving – and it’s not as if nothing has changed over that time. Shirley Ward my supervisor firstly was able to see the value of the model that I often described and explored, and then encouraged me to believe in myself enough to put my ideas in writing.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my co-conspirators Adrian de Cléir (Blockworx) and John O’Brien (V-Motion) who, with great patience, deciphered my ideas and cohered my work into an actual website that looks attractive and – most important – is easy to use!

The website focuses on family as the principal foundation of society.

I’d like to thank all the families that I have journeyed with for opening my eyes to gifts and strengths that are not always shown to the outside, and for allowing me to be part of their world. It has always been (and still is) inspiring – and a rare privilege. I refer, a number of times, to what I lave learned – and am still learning – from the trust and openness afforded me over many years.

And in respect of my own family of origin, I wish to thank my (late) parents and siblings for granting me a safe, nurturing, loving childhood where, amidst all the inevitable challenges of family life, we had time to have fun. Life was secure, imperfection was accepted and the excitement that curiosity and discovery brings was highly esteemed.

I mention (and give a fair bit of importance to) two-way knowledge flow.

I wish to thank my children for introducing me to this concept – and even though I was often resistant to it eventually the penny dropped. In the Chapter on Energy I describe what a myth is, and of course children are champion-myth-debunkers! The gift of whole truth is the greatest one that my children offered me, and still offer me. My grandchildren are now topping up my education in this respect.

Away from the world of work, in terms of learning about life in general, and the subtle, barely noticeable way that power, privilege, wealth and status is distributed, used and misused in society, my wife’s wisdom has been my greatest influence.  Her deep perception (and intuitive knowledge) lays the foundation for much of what I learn elsewhere on my journey.  In that respect I consider myself most fortunate to have ever met her.

She is the embodiment of the statement by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘It’s always the right time to do the right thing’…………….