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HMA Blog

Working with passion and integrity to bring out the best in people

Western Australia interventions

March in Perth. 35 degree days (every day).Since 2008 we have had a strong working relationship with WA Department of Corrections. We have been involved in the ongoing development of […]

New book due out shortly – ‘Effective Interventions with Offenders – Lessons Learned’ Edited by Ken McMaster & David Riley, RRP $34.95

Interventions with those who offend are a worthy investment for any civil society. To not invest in intervention is to run the risk of maintaining patterns of behaviour that impact […]

Updated figures on Police Safety Orders

Significant changes to the Domestic Violence Act saw Police granted with the ability to issue on-the-spot Safety Orders (PSO) from 1 July 2010. These orders which require perpetrators of family […]

From Ken’s Desk February 2011

At the end of 2010, despite the Christchurch Earthquake delaying our fit-out by two months, we moved into our new premises on Level 4, Westpark Towers, 56 Cashel Street, Christchurch. […]

Book review – The Happiness Advantage

Author: Shawn Achor 2010 288 pages Virgin Books: UK ISBN-13 9780753539460Reviewed by Sam Hall-McMaster

From Ken’s Desk December 2010

A week ago another tragedy hit the South Island of New Zealand. This is of course on top of the 7.1 earthquake that shook Christchurch on 4 September. I am […]

Development of a General Stopping Violence Programme – DVA approval

HMA is taking the initiative to develop a National Domestic Violence Programme to meet the criteria for programme accreditation under the Domestic Violence Act 1995. I am aware over time […]

Military Activity Camp (MAC3) Criminogenic Programme Update

Last Monday I had the pleasure of supporting our two intervention workers (Matt and Lawrence) at the graduation of the MAC3 programme at Te Puna Wai youth justice residence near […]

We’ve moved!

From 13 December 2010 you will find us in our new premises – Level 4, 56 Cashel Street, Christchurch 8013. Update your records with our new contact details: PO Box […]

From Ken’s Desk November 2010

Whenever I meet people, and talk about the work that I do in designing intervention programmes and training people in programme delivery for those who offend, the question is, “What […]

Family violence statistics show violence is up on last year

We always look with interest this time of the year to the release of the New Zealand Police crime statistics. This tells us many things and is in need of […]

MAC3 Criminogenic Programme

During October, November and early December, HMA is delivering the criminogenic section of the MAC3 programme for Te Puna Wai (Child, Youth & Family). Our two people working on this […]

Nature versus nurture – The age old question

We’ve all heard the debate “is it nature or nurture that makes us who we are?”. Research into early brain development has come a long way in the last 10 […]

Family Violence increasing in the aftermath of the earthquake

How people cope with stress in the face of adversity is one of the questions that has vexed human service workers over time. In the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake […]

An insight into abusive behaviour

Unlike other offending, family violence incidents are perpetrated by people who are known and loved by the victim. Victims often experience a myriad of conflicting feelings associated with the offence […]

Probation Officers up skill in working with family violence

With increasing focus from the New Zealand Police on family violence, this filters through into assessment and sentence management of Community Probation Service. Earlier this year we were asked to […]

How to improve your relationship in three minutes a day!

A bold claim you might say. Well it is and it isn’t. If we remember that relationships are fundamentally about connection, then taking the time to bond is the key […]

Every breath you take” – understanding stalking behaviour

Every breath you take And every move you make Every bond you break, every step you take I’ll be watching you

From Ken’s Desk August 2010

Imagine this. It is 4 April 2010 and you are having a party. As things happen someone at another party said that you had stolen a car (a mistaken belief) […]

“Working With Challenging Clients” seminar gets a great response

In a joint venture between Hall McMaster and Associates (HMA) and the Creative Learning Network (CTN), seminars on ‘Working with challenging clients’ with American speaker, Michael Clark, have been held […]

Issuing of Police Safety Orders

Last month we ran a story on the new Police Safety Orders that came into effect on 1 July. These provide the police with additional powers to intervene in family […]

Parenting for a Peaceful World by Robin Grille

ISBN 978-1-921004-14-8 May 2005 Lougueville Media: New South Wales “Universal care for children’s emotional health is the key to creating a more peaceful and just global community that lives sustainably, […]

Motivational interviewing partnership is born

Many of you will know that staff at HMA have real interest and experience in motivational interviewing. Ken McMaster (one of HMA’s directors) was awarded an ALAC scholarship to attend […]

Another step forward in protecting victims of family violence – Police Safety Orders

From 1 July the New Zealand Police will have additional powers to intervene in family violence call-outs. They will be able to utilise what is known as a ‘Police Safety […]

Celebrating turning up or helping the helpers

Every week throughout New Zealand/Aotearoa, men and women sit in agencies working with men who have been abusive within their families. Think of all those facilitators heading out the door […]

Lethality arising from family violence

Family tragedy: Homicide within Families in New Zealand 2002-2006 This report provides the first complete picture of homicide within families in New Zealand. It found that there were 141 homicides […]

Good Training

Mark Tisdall, one of the HMA Associates reflects upon what makes good training. When I first read Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything in 2003 I thought I […]

What makes respondent programmes effective

Garth Baker This report summarises the findings of recent research on intervention programmes for men using domestic violence. Drawing on the latest Canada and the USA evaluations, along with recent […]

Strength Based Batterer Intervention: A New Paradigm in Ending Family Violence

The field of family violence has always had people who hold strong positions in relation to the lens (frame) that they bring to understanding the issue. As a consequence this […]

Doing parole differently

When you are involved in a field of practice for as long as I have (nearly 30 years – I know I am showing my age), you have the advantage […]

From Ken’s Desk, April 2010

We are developing a new project capturing the narratives of programme facilitators from New Zealand and Australia who are doing interesting work in areas of working with those who offend […]

From Ken’s Desk, March 2010

HMA is pleased to launch a fresh look website. After feedback from you, we have made it more user-friendly and accessible. A big thanks to Stuart and the team at […]

Shifting practice – thoughts on stopping violence work

Mike Cagney has a long history of working in the area of child protection, family violence and sex offender intervention. Last year Mike addressed the National Network of Stopping Violence […]

Triple P now well established in New Zealand

Suzanne Hall, one of the directors at HMA, has been a trainer for Triple P International for the past three years. In that time Suzanne has delivered Triple P training […]

Internal Affairs Launch Confidential Listening and Assistance Service

The Department of Internal Affairs has launched the Confidential Listening and Assistance Service for people who have been subject to abuse or neglect whilst in state care prior to 1992. […]

From Ken’s Desk, February 2010

The year has started with a flourish of projects including development of an Enhancing Parole training, developing an online and in-room training programme for group facilitators from the Department of […]

In the thick of it – reflections from Papua New Guinea

Sam Farmer has been one of our key associates for a number of years. He hails from the United Kingdom and has a background in social work and psychology. Sam […]

Advanced notice Michael Clark visit (12th – 16th July 2010)

During the week of July 12th – 16 we are pleased along with Creative Training Network to bring Michael D. Clark to New Zealand. Michael is well known as a […]

Coping, Resilience & Hope Building – Brisbane 9-11 July 2010

Strengths based practice is an approach to people rather than a fixed model of practice. It is primarily dependent on the attitudes and beliefs of the worker and the assumptions […]

Family violence has a level of complexity other violence doesn’t

Compared with many other violent crimes, the legal and social dimensions of domestic violence present several complications for effective legal control and intervention. Domestic violence differs significantly from other forms […]

Conversations about abusive practice

You are a social worker from a small rural provider, who suspects that within a family you are working with that violence is occurring. In the situation the social worker […]

Effective Interventions for the Alcohol and Others Drug Sector – Mobile Training

In New Zealand approximately 200,000 people are arrested each year, and a significant number are under the influence of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) at the time of arrest. It […]

Assisting Western Australia with Program Implementation

  Wednesday, 28 October 2009 Late last year HMA staff supported the introduction of a 137 hour Medium Intensity Violence Program into Western Australia. Over the past four months we […]

2009 Projects

We often get asked about what HMA is currently doing or has been doing. For those who are interested below is a list of projects we have been involved in […]

Contributing to best practice for Community Probation and Psychological Services

Criminal justice responses to reducing crime are always challenging issues to get right. In the 2008-2009 financial year Corrections managed 66,635 new community-based sentences and orders. During the same year […]

HMA goes carbon neutral

Hall McMaster & Associates Ltd have become the first professional human service teachers and practitioners in New Zealand to be certified carbon neutral through Landcare Research’s carboNZeroCertTM programme.

What do we know about men who abuse?

On the 22nd July 2009 Clayton Weatherston was found guilty of murder Sophie Elliott, his ex-partner. He stabbed her 216 times. What makes a man do the ultimate harm to […]

Thanks for the publicity

I generally keep away from commenting on issues in the media. I am more comfortable with behind the scenes work of creating effective interventions to intervene with family violence and […]

Do boot camps work? Actually they don’t.

There is little doubt that youth crime is a costly problem for our society. I applaud the debate that is emerging to find workable solutions to what are complex issues. […]

We have come a long way

This year the big hand on my life clock moves to one of those auspicious times. I am not saying which one – you will have to guess for yourself. […]

Smacking didn’t hurt me. Or did it?

How many times over the past year have we heard people state that they were smacked as a child and it didn’t hurt them? Over the years I have sat […]

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