Editorial

Great advocate: Celia Lashlie was a great New Zealander who pushed for social change. Photo abc.net.au

A great New Zealander leaves moral legacy of hope

The passing of community researcher and author Celia Lashlie has left a hole in New Zealand’s line-up of essential people.

Celia was a great advocate for social change having worked in both women’s and men’s prisons through a long-standing career in the corrections system.

I had the pleasure of interviewing her when she came to a town where I worked in media and she spoke about many social issues in the New Zealand community.

One conversation I clearly remember her having with me, was about the importance of parents showing love for their children.

Celia said that in her experience of often having some of the hardest criminals in her office, who had done some of the worst crimes, and how they became like crying babies when they talked with her about the relationships they had with their parents – particularly the mother/child relationship.

She said it was an eye opener as to how important that relationship is to the positive progress children make in life.

I thought at the time, ‘this is a woman who rolls her sleeves up and gets involved with the issues’, and obviously didn’t see her roles in the prisons as ‘just a job’.

Many people have told about their great experiences at meeting and knowing Celia Lashlie.

I only spoke to her for a few minutes, but those few minutes had a great impact on my life.

Books Celia Lashlie has written encompass her passion about social issues and communities dealing with these issues they face.

Such titles as:

The Power of Mothers

He’ll Be Ok: Growing Gorgeous Boys Into Good Men.

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