BUILDING WORK FORCE CAPACITY TO ADDRESS COMPLEX HEALTH,HOUSING AND SOCIAL INCLUSION ISSUES THROUGH CRITICAL SYSTEMS THINKING AND PRACTICE

摘要

Social inclusion, homelessness and polydrug use are facets of a complex, interrelated problem that requires a coordinated governance response across departments in the public, private and non-government sectors. However, current compartmentalized thinking in respect of some aspects of human services has led to disciplinary specializations, and there is now a need to address ways of developing the capacity to work across disciplines to understand better the nature of “joined up” social problems (as they relate to social wellbeing and governance). This is not merely a change to policy and practice, but move away from the perception and definition of issues in separate compartments. Capacity building to improve workforce management skills across health, housing and welfare to achieve greater social inclusion requires a paradigm shift in the way social problems and approach and managed. The needs of the homeless polydrug users are diverse and linked with age, gender, culture, level of education, length, type of drug use and combinations. Sometimes successful outcomes are achieved through a nexus of events, referrals and relationships. The challenge will be to map what works, why, how in whose opinion and to what effect.