Rate My Professor Robyn Munford

Professor Robyn Munford is a Professor Emerita in the School of Social Work at Massey University in the College of Health. She completed a Bachelor of Social Work at Massey University in 1978, a Master of Social Work at the University of Calgary in 1983, and a PhD at Massey University in 1989 with a thesis titled The hidden costs of caring: women who care for people with intellectual disabilities. She joined the staff at Massey University in 1991 and rose to full professor. Her research focuses on community development, young people's pathways to adulthood, disability studies, family and youth work, and social and community work practice.

Munford co-leads major national studies on vulnerable young people with Professor Jackie Sanders, including the Pathways to Resilience project and the Long-term Successful Youth Transitions Study. She has contributed to the development of the PARTH model for youth workers and guidelines for employers supporting young people into employment. Munford is co-editor of the journal Qualitative Social Work and an adjunct professor in disability studies at York University. In 2002 she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to social work education and policy. She received the Massey University Research Medal for postgraduate supervision in 2006 and was a finalist in the Public Policy Category of the 2015 Women of Influence Awards. She has authored or co-authored numerous publications, including books such as Social work theories in action (2005) and Making a difference in families: research that creates change (2003), as well as peer-reviewed articles on shame and recognition in social work practice with vulnerable youth and service engagement. In 2024 she was awarded the title of Professor Emerita in recognition of her contributions to the university and the discipline.