SW 644: Issues in Developmental Disabilities Best Practice: Moving Beyond the Service System and Expanding Normalization in and with Community Lecture Presenter: Connie Lyle O’Brien, MSW
Call Forth the Light in Community Life
ways to embody their contribution Capacity Thinking The art of discovering what people can contribute to community life
Contributing Being Respected Sharing Ordinary Places Belonging Choosing Dimensions of Self-Determination
Ability & willingness to… Power over Power with Power from within …make decisions for others & enforce compliance …listen to & be influenced by others’ perceptions & suggestions & offer perceptions & suggestions in return …discover & creatively express abilities & concerns which are spiritually meaningful 3 kinds of Power
JUSTICE Beyond individualism, toward community Focus on person Freedom from interference Abstracted from social circumstances Supports our common humanity (sameness) Mutual responsibility to self & others Obligations arising from personal ties and connections Embedded in particular social circumstances Supports our unique individuality (difference) RELATIONSHIPS & CARINGINDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
Individual Rights Get people out of institutions, sheltered workshops, day hab Individual rights for those whose rights have been denied Demand for autonomy & self determination Seeing the necessity of asking people, “What do you want?” Result: Community services, mostly agency controlled & operated “home-like” placements or “job placements” Relationships & Caring What are we getting people into? Responsibility to & for each other Search for interdependence Work toward shared visions of desirable futures held together by mutual, personal knowledge, love, commitment, celebration & grieving. Aiming for support to live in my own home & have a job suited to my gifts where I can make a contribution & earn a decent wage.
The Service SystemCommunity The Language of… us citizen/member friend neighbor care love personal capacity (1/2 full) interest experience stories/gossip acting/doing common variety/surprise social/collective voluntary dreams consent capacity/abundance them client/consumer volunteer staff/provider service/programs treatment/training professional deficiency (1/2 empty) needs/problems curriculum/education studies planning reports specialization standardization individual paid for I_P’s/plans compliance/control scarcity
ENERGY used to develop & organize structures, agencies, organizations (which tend over time to conformity, uniformity, & discipline Thrives on: Principles, laws, procedures, due process, courts, contracts, rules & regulations, I__P’s, reports, plans, deadlines, justifications POWER OVER Connections, webs, circles, friends ENERGY used to find, call forth, support, regenerate, create community (which relies on diversity, pluralism, self governance, and self direction Thrives on: Trust, promises, dreams, experiences, personal knowledge, negotiation, time, stories, obligations POWER WITH RELATIONSHIPS & CARING Service System
RELATIONSHIPS TURN MY RIGHTS INTO REALITIES
A Variety of Resources Individual RelationshipNetwork Association Service qualities abilities possessions knowledge concerns * habits Individuals people can count on as friends: for fellowship, support & to get things done Informal groups: support one another and get things done together Identified group that confers membership, defines roles, takes positions, gets things done Bureaucratic structure to get things done for eligible people: formalized relationship.
Can’t ride on own Riding Stable No, insurance Saturday riders Only expressed interest ? Better Listening Interest in Horses reveals Disabled Riding Group search
Discovering Capacity Creating Vision Sharing Resources Building Community Developing Supports Themes of Person-Centered Work
Discovering Capacity Creating Vision Sharing Resources Building Community Developing Supports Contributing Being Respected Sharing Ordinary Places Belonging Choosing