Ululaau – the power of transformation to curb Samoan youth offending, a 275, South Auckland worldview : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Social Work in College of Health at Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa, New Zealand

Abstract

Research on Samoan youth offending emphasises the disproportionate number of Samoan youths committing crimes and the negative effects. Little is known about positively transformed at-risk Samoan youth, especially those who have gone on to work in the youth offending field. This qualitative study sought to understand effective ways to reduce Samoan youth offending from the perspective of former Samoan youth-at-risk to transformed Samoan social practitioners in South Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, the city with the largest Samoan population outside of Samoa. The study had four objectives: a) to explore factors that positively transform former Samoan youth-at-risk in South Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand; b) to understand why and how former Samoan youth-at-risk become social practitioners; c) to understand how transformational journeys from Samoan youth-at-risk to social practitioner informs practice in the Samoan youth offending field; and d) To make recommendations for social work practice, policy and education to address Samoan youth offending in South Auckland Aotearoa New Zealand. The purposeful sample of thirty Samoan social practitioners, comprised of interviews from various professions, such as social work, youth work, pastors, leadership, management, sports coaching, and teaching, were interviewed using a Talanoa method in a mix of individual (22) and group (8) sessions conducted by an insider researcher. Critical Race Theory was used to interpret findings. Although Samoan social practitioners had ways to reduce Samoan offending, they experienced exclusion in dominant white spaces, where they were not listened to, undermined, bullied, or left out of critical decision-making processes. The study introduces the Ululaau framework, named after the researcher’s late mother, to address the racial barriers experienced by participants. The Ululaau framework has three named principles that advocate for racial inclusion within social work: a) Past – Less restricted entry of Samoans into social work education based on criminal pasts and financial cost; b) Practice – Samoans fully utilise resilient factors such as faith, family and culture in their practice; and c) Positionality – Samoans having more opportunities to become a leader or to be on governing bodies to effect change within their community. This research contributes to new knowledge in social work in that it can inform policy and services on achieving inclusive decision-making so that race is not a barrier for Samoan social practitioners working with Samoan youth and families in the justice system. Furthermore, a justice system that values redemption, reclamation, paying it forward and advocates for community-led approaches is recommended. Additionally, this research invites non-Samoans and social work to the South Auckland table, a metaphor of racial and community inclusion nationally and globally recognised for reducing Samoan youth offending through the power of transformation.