The Good Things in Life

Promoting positive roles for people with a disability

Facilitated by:

Chris Kuca-Thompson

Welcome

Who am I? Breaks Workshop rules Why are you here?

By the end of today, you will be able to: Identify your own values and attitudes, and

recognise those of our society Show an understanding of the impact of social

devaluation: Life experiences and Conditions Show an understanding of Social Role Valorisation Identify ways to assist people to establish, enhance

& maintain valued social roles

What are ‘Values’?

Values

“Values” are: Those qualities of behaviour, thought, and

character that society regards as intrinsically good, having desirable results & worthy of emulation by others.

They make up our belief system. Values are the beliefs that guide our behaviour and define what is good or bad, right or wrong, correct or incorrect.

They are often influenced by our upbringing and experiences.

What are “Attitudes’?

Attitudes

“Attitudes” are: The positive, negative or neutral feelings a

person has about something People’s biases, inclinations or tendencies

that influence their response to situations, activities, people or programs

How our values are manifested in our actions and in our thoughts to others

What are your….

Values

What are “roles”?

What are the roles you held today?

Devaluation

Occurs when a person is seen as being different and the differences are socially significant and negatively valued.

Is about what happens to a group of people when the majority or most powerful groups in society act negatively towards them.

Why does devaluation happen? People see differences as threatening to

them or the people they love A lack of information or education about

differences makes people wary and unsure of how to act

The strong desire for people to belong to the most popular, most powerful and most valued group

How has society reacted?

The history of disability is varied,

The last 150 years has seen some dramatic changes in services to people with a disability

People with a disability were devalued throughout history and this continues today.

Morning Tea

Impact of social devaluation

There are consequences of being devalued People can experience rejection and loss of

control over their lives Devaluation can affect anyone Some devalued people often do not have the

resources to gain value They are at risk of further devaluation

There are 21 Impacts of social devaluation: Life Experiences and Conditions1. A physical impairment }2. Functional impairment }3. Relegated to a low social status 4. Rejection 5. May be cast into one of the 6 historical deviancy roles:

Non-human Menace Object of ridicule Object of pity Burden of charity Eternal child or Holy Innocent Sick/diseased

Can lead to:

6. Symbolic stigmatising 7. Suspected of having multiple deviances8. Segregation or congregation

These 8 relate to REJECTION

The next 13 relate to LOSS OF CONTROL

Loss of control

1. Loss of control 2. Discontinuity with

physical environment 3. Relationship

discontinuity 4. Substitute free

relationships for paid ones

5. De-individualisation6. Material poverty 7. Impoverished

experiences

8. Spiritual poverty9. Life wasting 10. Brutalisation and death

making 11. Source of anguish to loved

ones12. Personal insecurity 13. Resentment and hatred of

privileged citizens

At risk of further life impacts.

Lunch

Social Role Valorisation

or

SRV

Renamed Social Role Valorization because:

“the most explicit and highest goal of normalisation must be the creation, support and defence of valued social roles for people who are at risk of social devaluation. If a person’s social role were a societally valued one, then other desirable things would be accorded to that person almost automatically, at least within the resources and norms of his/her society.”

(Wolfensberger, 1983 Dec, Mental Retardation 21(6) p.234-239 Social Role Valorisation: A Proposed New Term for the Principle of Normalization.)

There are several themes that run through SRV.

These themes help us to understand devaluation and also to understand ways to overcome devaluation.

The Themes of SRV

1. Unconsciousness2. Social imagery 3. Expectancy & mind sets4. Competency & the developmental model5. Effectiveness of services & interventions6. Relationships between people7. Imitation and modeling 8. Integration and participation9. Positive compensation

1. Unconsciousness

The things that we do and say without thinking about

Think about movies mentioned earlier, the historical treatment towards people with a disability

How are we influenced?

Magazines Doesn’t look tubby to

me

Newspapers Not a health department

crisis??

Popular Movies People with a disability often play the “bad” guy

Hook, Nightmare on Elm St., The Fugitive, the bad guys in Batman,

People with a disability often play the person we laugh at Mr. Magoo, Dumb & Dumber, Forrest Gump

Any others???

2. Social Imagery

Symbols and images that are attached to people who are devalued that influence expectations about them and their value

Which man is portrayed in a more positive way?

3. Expectancy & mind sets

“People are judged by the company they keep”

“Self Fulfilling Prophecy” Comparison of the expectations on someone

attending a mainstream classroom as compared to a segregated classroom at an Education Support Unit.

Pygmalion in the classroom

Person displays functional impairment

Person does not have opportunities for development.

No or few opportunities for growth & development provided

Observers have low expectation and make few demands

Stereotypes & prejudices exist about what they can do or be.

Growth & development impaired

4. Competency & developmental model Historically, people with a disability were not

expected to change, learn and adapt Developmental model believes all people are

able to change, learn and adapt Learning from experience

5. Services and interventions

Is the service: Relevant Potent Coherent

Do they focus on the individual and are they flexible to meet their needs as intensely as possible?

6. Relationships

Relationships support us and can protect us from harm

Social identity

Consider your current circle of friends, how different would it be if they were paid to spend time with you? And for 8 hours at a time?

7. Imitation and modeling

VERY powerful It is both conscious and unconscious Leading by example People watch what you do, how you interact,

how you speak to others (verbally and non-verbally)

8. Integration & participation

Improves competencies, status Participation within the community, as

compared to along side it, can improve a persons value, change community attitudes, create freely given relationships, and develop competencies.

9. Positive Compensation

Heightened vulnerability Impact of devaluation has a much greater

impact on people who are devalued Limited, or no, resources to cope with affects

of devaluation Extra effort to find positive attributes that

outweigh the negative Bending over backwards

Heightened vulnerability

7 strategies to creating, supporting and defending valued social roles Defend Maintain Acquire Re-valorise Image and Competence Role Management Act at different levels

Group workTom has an intellectual disability and limited communication. He is 43

years old. He does not have any contact with his family. Tom has lived in a residential service since he was 4 years old and

currently lives with 4 other men of a similar age.Tom is unemployed and currently does not participate in any

alternatives to employment. His group home has been short staffed for the last 3 months so Tom

has limited opportunities to go out.Tom’s favorite hobby since he was little is playing on the see saw, now he just watches the other children.

What roles does Tom have?

What ‘bricks’ does Tom have?

How could we remove some of the ‘bricks’?

How could we add valued roles to Tom’s life?

Summary Values and Attitudes are part of society. Some people or groups are valued more

highly than others. Negative things can happen to people who

are not valued (devalued). Historically, people with disabilities have

been devalued. As workers, you can assist people to acquire

and maintain valued roles.

Valued roles assist in creating positive perceptions of people who are seen as devalued. This can change attitudes.

Workers need to ‘bend over backwards’ to promote value in people who are devalued.

You can do this by: Getting to know the person Ensuring positive imagery Showing respect Being very aware of what you are portraying

unconsciously.

Next time you are at work, have a think about: The appearance of the people you work with, How they are spoken to in the home, in the community, in

their place of employment, The appearance of the staff, Where the people you work with go to recreate, to shop and

to socialise, How they may be perceived by their neighbours and their

community, Is there a distinction between staff and service users?, The terminology or jargon do you use, The terminology or jargon to other staff use, The appearance of their home or place of employment?

Objectives we started with

By the end of today you should be able to: Identify your own values and attitudes, and

recognise those of our society Show an understanding of the impact of social

devaluation: Life experiences and Conditions Show an understanding of Social Role

Valorisation Identify ways to assist people to establish,

enhance & maintain valued social roles