Together with Fairness: Research and Advocacy for Kinship Care
“To know that whatever we produce, and however we come together in the process, has a direct impact beyond just an academic scholarly activity… that is what’s so meaningful for our partnership”
Dr. Barbara Lee
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About the Episode
In this episode, Dr. Barbara Lee talks with Shari Monsma (President) and Gail Moilliet (Vice President) of Fairness for Children Raised by Relatives – a 100% volunteer-run non-profit society made up of kinship caregivers who advocate for equitable rights and support for the children in their care. They discuss the ongoing process of collaboration, developing research evidence to advocate for equitable kinship care support, and how this work has generated new opportunities and ideas. With openness and gentleness, Shari and Gail mentored and supported Master of Social Work (MSW) students while learning alongside them, fostering intergenerational connections and meaningful conversations. They have continued expanding their advocacy through research, digital storytelling, and public engagement. This episode is a celebration of learning by doing, embracing new opportunities, and finding joy in the process of research and advocacy.
Timestamps
1:25 – Get to Know: Shari Monsma
1:40 – Get to Know: Gail Moilliet
2:02 – Building Collaborative Relationships
5:29 – Creating Change Through Knowledge Mobilization
8:34 – Learning Through Witnessing Lived Experience
11:17 – Collaborating Across Generations
12:56 – The Challenges of Facilitating Change Through Research
29:01 – The Powerful Partnership of Research and Advocacy
21:31 – Understanding Kinship Caregiving
Mentioned in this Episode
Partner: Fairness for Children Raised by Relatives
Organization: Practice and Research Together (PART)
Research Project: Examining Support Needs for Children, Youth & Caregivers in Kinship/Out-of-Care Arrangements
Our Guests
Shari Monsma Shari has had a successful 37-year career at the British Columbia Institute of Technology as a Part-time Studies Administrator. She retired in 2020 and took on the leadership role as President of Fairness in October of 2021. She is looking forward to continuing in this role as her term has been extended for another three years. She is also a Director on the BCIT Retirees Association Board. She has four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and has raised two of her grandsons over the past 17 years.
Gail Moilliet Gail and her husband have raised their grandson from 4 days old until he was 19. She is also the Vice President of Fairness Children Raised by Relatives. Gail has experienced a system that was adversarial in nature and found herself having to take on the role of advocate and researcher to provide for the special needs of her grandson and to ensure the best possible outcome within the school system he attended, as well as in their community. Gail is now officially a past kinship caregiver and her grandson does still have his room in their home as he transitions into adulthood.