000 02939nab a22002897a 4500
999 _c8631
_d8631
005 20250625151658.0
008 240422s2024 -nz||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
022 _a2463-4131
040 _aAFVC
100 _aTesta, Doris
_912851
245 _a‘They are my tribe’ :
_cDoris Testa
_bhow a self-organising women’s group built a sisterhood that improved wellbeing and increased social connectedness
260 _c2024
_bAotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers,
500 _aAotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 2024, 36(1), 114-126
520 _aINTRODUCTION: Drawing from a perspective that integrates elements of both subjective and psychological wellbeing, this research explores the experiences of The Jellies, a self-organising, all-female open water swimming group. The article outlines how the women’s participation in this group created a ‘sisterhood’ that enhanced and maintained their physical, social and emotional health, social connectedness and affinity for natural aquatic environments (‘blue spaces’). This study offers insights into how social workers can act as intermediaries, aiding women in establishing sisterhoods of supportive networks and solidarity. METHODS: The research employed a thematic analysis to explore the perspectives and experiences of 39 women who belonged to a self-organising, open-water swimming group. Recruitment was through purposeful sampling. FINDINGS: The research sheds light on the importance of women-only spaces and their contribution to women's overall wellbeing, including fostering a sisterhood of solidarity and mutual support. Swimming provided a context for the women to address their need for physical activity, navigate their emotional landscape and create connections of belonging, support and solidarity. However, culture and gender norms and economic positioning excluded, silenced and marginalised some women from accessing blue spaces. CONCLUSION: The findings invite social workers to rethink the use of blue spaces as a novel community-building asset and to learn from an organically formed all-women’s swimming group about alternative ways to empower and sustain women’s overall wellbeing. Social workers can gain insight into how women understand and formalise belonging, and how belonging enables, or not, women to navigate their environmental and emotional geographies. (Author's abstract). #8631
650 _aHEALTH
_9283
650 _aMENTAL HEALTH
_9377
650 _aPEER SUPPORT
_912794
650 _aSOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
_9562
650 _aWELLBEING
_96275
650 _aWOMEN
_9645
651 _aINTERNATIONAL
_93624
651 4 _aAUSTRALIA
_92597
773 0 _tAotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 2024, 36(1), 114-126
830 _aAotearoa New Zealand Social Work
_96152
856 _uhttps://anzswjournal.nz/anzsw/article/view/1111
_zOpen access, PDF
942 _2ddc
_cARTICLE
_hnews127