The main purpose of this study was to develop a more complete understanding of the
deeply situated, ethical and political character of suicide prevention program planning
practice through the analysis of everyday narratives or "practice stories." By offering an
in-depth view of program planning practice - based on the retrospective analysis of a
national conference planning process - this study provides an ideal opportunity for
learning about "what matters most" when multiple interest groups come together to plan
new programs. Three broad research questions provide the focus for this study: What
are the diverse personal and professional understandings that stakeholders bring to the
work of suicide prevention? How do these various identities and roles get enacted
through language? What are the implications that these various understandings and
multiple discourses have for shaping subsequent program planning experiences, decisions
and actions? Using an open-ended interview structure, nine conference planning
committee members were invited to reflect on their own experiences at the planning
table. My own storied account of our planning experience is presented alongside the
observations and stories of my planning colleagues. Thus, the varied perspectives of
different planning partners and stakeholders are represented in their own words and are
woven into an unfolding and textured narrative about planning practice in the mental
health field. Several important findings emerged which have relevance for the future
study and practice of program planning. First, there was a clear privileging of
professional knowledge and interests at our planning table. Second, the tasks of problem
framing and discourse shaping are key functions that planners need to bring conscientious
attention to in order to advance the overall planning agenda. Finally, critical listening,
emotion, empathy, and care are important elements of communication and meaning
making and I have argued that these relational attributes should be explicitly cultivated
and nurtured at the planning table.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/13238 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | White, Jennifer Hume |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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