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

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 Conditions 1.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 deviances 8.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-individualisation 6.Material poverty 7.Impoverished experiences 8. Spiritual poverty 9. Life wasting 10. Brutalisation and death making 11. Source of anguish to loved ones 12. Personal insecurity 13. Resentment and hatred of privileged citizens

At risk of further life impacts.

Break

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 Social Role Valorisation: A Proposed New Term for the Principle of Normalization.)

SRV is a Social Theory 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.Unconsciousness 2.Social imagery 3.Expectancy & mind sets 4.Competency & the developmental model 5.Effectiveness of services & interventions 6.Relationships between people 7.Imitation and modeling 8.Integration and participation 9.Positive compensation

1.Unconsciousness The things that we do and say without thinking about, and sometimes without questioning The world is flat, people with a disability are contagious, all people with Down Syndrome are happy, the sun revolves around the earth.

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  Working at the rubbish tip  Person with a disability accompanied by a nurse  Adult with a disability dressed in children’s clothes  Cemetery located near a nursing home  Group home with lots of cars out front and cars coming and going

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 They help form our 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 work Tom 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.

Heightened vulnerability

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