Reflective Practice Collaboration: Case Study

Dujuan

• Thirteen-year-old Dujuan has been a regular at your youth centre, enjoying games such as Pool, but wary of staff.
• Dujuan is one of four children, one of whom is a newborn, and his mother is pregnant again. Dujuan’s Dad lives in another remote community.
• Dujuan is a good hunter and speaks three languages (English, two First Nations languages), and when he is on Country, he is focused, engaged and learning. Yet Dujuan is ‘failing’ in school: while he likes school, his report card shows a stream of ‘E’s, which make him feel stupid.
• Dujuan runs away from the classroom frequently, and his mother is concerned about Dujuan’s attendance at school, because Centrelink has threatened to take away her life-sustaining payments if he continues ‘truanting’.
• He is facing increasing scrutiny from the police: he has been picked up by a paddy-wagon four times and been in prison twice.

Reflective Practice Collaboration Template

Introduction:

1. Summarise the case study
2. Provide a short outline of what you will do

Key issues

1. Client’s strengths and limitations, contexts
2. Detailed discussion using literature and research in the relevant field (e.g., mental health, homelessness, trauma, culture)

Youth Work framework

1. What theoretical framework will you use and why?
2. What is the role of the youth worker?
3. How would you engage with this client?
   1. Rapport building skills, engagement skills
4.  
5. What might be your long-term goals for the client?

Challenges

1. What are some ethical considerations?
2. What are some of the challenges the young person might encounter in accessing support?

Personal

1. What challenges might you face in working with this young person?
2. What areas of strength has this highlighted for you?
3. What areas of growth has this highlighted for you?
4. How will you work through these challenges and growth areas?
5. How will you nurture your areas of strength?