Cancer counsellors outsourced to Aussie
Teenage cancer patients will now have to call Australian counsellors following a major restructure at charity CanTeen.
CanTeen NZ, which supports youth affected by cancer, announced on Monday an organisation-wide restructure because its financial situation was ‘‘no longer tenable’’.
More than half of the organisation’s jobs were cut and eight offices closed, including Taranaki’s. Calls will be diverted to counsellors across the ditch.
An employee who lost her job through the restructure said support for young New Zealanders with cancer should not be sent offshore.
‘‘That’s because of our cultural diversity, because of the commitment we have to the Treaty of Waitangi that Australia doesn’t have,’’ ex-Taranaki branch youth support co-ordinator Kelly Skedden-Tainui said.
‘‘I don’t really know how Australia works when it comes to cultural sensitivity and working in a bicultural manner with tangata whenua so I don’t really know how it’s going to impact.’’
CanTeen board chairwoman Carol Scholes said eight regional offices had been closed and 17 positions disestablished, including regional and head office positions. Sixteen staff members remained.
Scholes did not respond to a question asking what offices would be closed, but understood it included the Manawatu¯ , Dunedin, Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki branches.
‘‘It is a very difficult time for CanTeen’s dedicated employees and youth workers, however the restructure is critical to enable CanTeen to become financially viable and to continue to provide services to young people that are in need of our support,’’ Scholes said.
‘‘We have called on the services of CanTeen Australia who will be supporting us through the transitional phase to ensure our young people will continue to get the support they need.’’
Scholes said its vision remained unchanged – to make sure no young person went through cancer alone.
‘‘The restructure will include a combination of face-to-face and online support services alongside regular programmes around New Zealand,’’ she said.
‘‘The restructure will mean no matter where they live, all young people impacted by cancer in New Zealand will now have access to professional online counsellors and peer support via canteensupport.org.nz.’’
But from her own experience working with young people impacted by cancer, SkeddonTainui said they wouldn’t go online for support.
‘‘We had the last dinner for my members here and they were just all together and they talked about all the things I had set them at the moment.
‘‘They all support each other in that way, they are not going to be able to do that online.’’
She said the teens she worked with were upset by the changes and kept asking why the restructure was happening.
Skeddon-Tainui had been given a card from one of the children on Wednesday night, showing how important CanTeen was to him, she said.
Online counsellors would be available from midday to midnight on weekdays and 1pm-8pm on weekends.