Reaching the Hard to Hear

Laura (Mole) Chapman

Welcome

Without certain groups represented in the room, we miss out on the voices we need to hear in order to change.

From mindscapes to landscapes

We would be foolish to assume that it’s easy to achieve a fairer society.

If it was easy we would have cracked it, and we would all live in an equitable world.

• It is not.• We have not.• We do not.

Think!

Flowerboxes or landscaping?

Mainstream is not enough

•Questioning ideology - whose standards?

•Transformation - improvement

•Profound change means bringing in bulldozers …

•Special places or special education?

Perceived Inequality

High InequalityLow social mobility

Deprivation and povertyDeprivation and poverty

Low InequalityHigh social mobility

The wider the perceived inequality - the unhealthier the community

“The first thing to recognise is that we are dealing with the effects of relative rather than absolute deprivation or poverty” Fullan

Inequality and Wellbeing

• Inequality affects all of society• Affluenza - Treadmill culture• Individualism - materialism

culture • Education Hierarchy - target

culture

Wilkinson, Layard and Oliver

Factors that promote wellbeing

EconomicWell-being

Contribution

Enjoy and achieve

Health

Safety

FlourishingPersonal Capacity

Equality:Social, culture Environment

Equality & Diversity:Equality • Equal treatment for all: The availability of the same rights,

position, and status to all people, regardless of gender, sexual preference, age, race, ethnicity, ability or religion. All individuals need to have equal choices and opportunities regardless of their ability.

Diversity • Understanding that each individual is unique, respecting of

differences. A safe, positive, and nurturing environment; where people go beyond tolerance to embracing and celebrating the dimensions contained within each person.

Population change

Reflective practice:strategies for change

Bradford Play Partnership Inclusion Statement:"Inclusion is a process of identifying and breaking down barriers

which can be environmental, attitudinal and institutional. This process eliminates discrimination thus providing all children and young people with equal access to play.”

(Play Partnership 2007)

“Is an ongoing process of reviewing and developing practice in order to adjust and celebrate diversity. It is the journey not the destination!”

(EQuality Training 2006)

The Facts

• Visually impaired people are four times more likely to be verbally and physically abused than sighted people

• People with mental health issues are 11 times more likely to be victimised

• 90% of adults with a learning difficulty report being 'bullied'.

Scope 2008

EquityThe principle of equality has to be reinforced and extended by the practice of equity.

Three broad principles about the nature of social justice:

• Equality: every human being has an absolute and equal right to common dignity and parity of esteem and entitlement to access the benefits of society on equal terms.

• Equity: every human being has a right to benefit from the outcomes of society on the basis of fairness and according to need.

• Social justice: justice requires deliberate and specific intervention to secure equality and equity.

(West-Burnham & Chapman 2009)

Defining wellbeing

Wellbeing is more than absence of pain • Deeper and longer-lasting than pleasure - aspiration and potential• A measure for wellbeing • Specific implications for flourishing Wellbeing recognises growth and development Prioritising wellbeing is fundamental to achieving equity• Seligman’s 3 lives = not an empty life

The Medical Model of disability

• Medical approach to the problem.

• Defined by non-disabled professionals

• Equated to illness in terms of research and findings.

• Care and benefits have been awarded to compensate for personal tragedy.

Medical Model thinking

Badimage

No qualificatio

ns

Expensive

Nothing to bring

Victims

Only know about

disability

Networks

Difficult behaviour

The impairment is

the focusThe person

is perceived as faulty

The Social Model of disability

• The problem owned by the whole community.

• It defines disability in terms barriers, attitudinal, structural and systemic.

• Acknowledges the oppression, and need for action.

• It recognises disabled people’s leadership in finding a solution.

Disabled people as active members of the community

Great P.R

expertise

Challenges

tolerance

Diverse skills

Social skills

Does it differently

Feelings

Assessment panels

Social Model thinking

Social model thinkingAttitudes, the environment & systems are a

problem

We participate in

change for equality

We have an individual &a collective

responsibility

we are allowed to

do what is right for ourselves

we have a positive image and are

proud of who we are

we have expertise

and might wish to

take risks

we are all equal members of the

community

Culture ChangeCompliance → Commitment

Tolerance → Acceptance

Mindscape (me)→ Landscape (us)

Single/Other → Diverse

Deficits → Assets

Barriers → Boundaries

Rigid Rules → Flexible Values

Improve → Transform

EQuality training

Equity and Commitment The principle of equality has to be reinforced and extended by the practice of equity. Three

broad principles about the nature of social justice:

• Equality: every human being has an absolute and equal right to common dignity and parity of esteem and entitlement to access the benefits of society on equal terms.

• Equity: every human being has a right to benefit from the outcomes of society on the basis of fairness and according to need.

• Leadership activity require ethical practice: deliberate and specific intervention to secure equality and equity.

(West-Burnham & Chapman 2010)

Reflective PracticeEnlightenment (understanding)

• Understanding why things have come to be as they are in terms of frustrating self’s realisation of desirable practice.

Empowerment

• Creating the necessary conditions within self whereby action to realize desirable practice can be undertaken.

Emancipation (transformation)

• A stable shift in practice congruent with the realisation of desirable practice

Reflective Practice

Plan

DoReview

What do you know?

What can we learn?What has changed?

Plan

DoReview

New ideas New practice

New outcomes

Reflective Practice

Seeking Congruence Head

• Theory, vision, understanding

Heart

• Feeling, reflection, response

Hand

• Action, practice, learning

From Compliance to Commitment:the implications of ethical practice

How far do your daily activities translate the aspirations of vision into ethical practice?

To what extent do strategies for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating practice focus on a commitment to equity?

How might the wider community be involved in creating the vision?

Defining happiness

• Flourishing is more than absence of pain or suffering.• Not to be confused with pleasure.• A measure for wellbeing and lifechances. • Specific implications for development. • Positive: permanent and pervasive.• 3 lives = not an empty life

Layard, Seligman, and Deiner

‘The pleasant life’

Broaden-and-Build - Positive emotions and feelings – Flexible, creative and clearer thinking

Skills and interest – Plasticity of intelligence– ‘Opportunity cost’

Fredrickson

Intelligence portfolio

Verbal / Linguistic

Logical /mathematicalVisual / Spatial

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Bodily / Kinesthetic

Musical

Naturalist

‘The pleasant life’

• Choice & option– Free play and creativity– Choice and control

• Resilience – Positive emotion = positive feelings – Virtuous cycle

‘The good life’

• Barriers to engagement and boundaries for safety

• Need for change or complexity• (Mike) Csíkszentmihályi - ‘Flow’• Risk not hazard • The right choice to suit interest

‘The Meaningful Life’Core purpose

• People who drift become unhappy• No moral or value judgement • Happiness is a skill - time• Other people’s experience and

Personal feelings

Inclusive Practice

• A commitment to ethical practice

• Celebrate growth and effort

• A change in culture:– Culture of belonging

– Culture of acceptance

– Culture of possibility

EQuality training

The pleasant life - participation

Broaden-and-build (Fredrickson): – Positive feelings and emotions – Flexible, creative and clearer thinking

• Development of skill• Choice & option

– control

• Resilience – Positive emotion = positive feelings

Meaningful relationships

Contradicts:• Marginalisation • Negative attitudes • Alienation and exclusion • Stereotypes and prejudice Promotes:• Safety and Belonging• Information Sharing• Collaboration• Liberation • Capacity and resilience

The Good Life - Engagement

Balance – Barriers and Boundaries • Level of engagement

• Need for change or complexity

• Flow

• Risk not hazard

• Unlike pleasure, lack of feeling

Meaningful Life - contribution

Positive purpose and deeper belief• People who drift become unhappy

• No moral or value judgement

• Happiness is a skill so needs time

• Other people’ experience and personal feelings

• Present quality

• Value based purpose

SummaryTo enable the development of strategies to increase

wellbeing strategies may include the following aspects:

• Participation: Friendships and pleasant activity

• Engagement: Association with other young people and adults

• Meaning: from community activity to enrich life and add to sustainability

Implications for personal and shared practice?

Personal meaning • What do I understand by

inequality? • How do I promote wellbeing and

health and happiness?• How do I strengthen my own

understanding?• How do I enable others to grow?• What can I do to take more

responsibility?

Shared understanding • How do we work together?• How do we value others?• How do we address common

language?• How do we enable our children?• How do we involve parents and other

groups?• How do we share action?