Lecture Set 3 - Strengths Perspective PDF

Strengths Perspective Saleebey, D. (2013). The strengths perspective in social work practice (Sixth Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Strengths Perspective… An alternative to the dominate Medical Model Perspective A Few Review Questions: According to the deficit/medical model...

Strengths Perspective Saleebey, D. (2013). The strengths perspective in social work practice (Sixth Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Strengths Perspective… An alternative to the dominate Medical Model Perspective A Few Review Questions: According to the deficit/medical model: ´ What is the disability definition? ´ What would the identity perception be? ´ What type of terminology would be used to describe someone with disability? ´ What does service delivery focus on? A Few Review Questions: According to the deficit/medical model: ´ What is the disability definition? ´ Equated with being defective, inferior, or less than ´ What would the identity perception be? ´ Individuals have common deficits that are viewed as personal tragedy ´ What type of terminology would be used to describe someone with disability? ´ Negative (i.e. deficits, problems) ´ What does service delivery focus on? ´ Is a treatment based on deficits, problems, and/or characteristics Take a moment to think about it… How would you like to be described? A Few Definitions: ´ Cerebral Palsy: Chronic neurological disorder of movement and posture caused by a defect or lesion on immature brain. Cerebral Palsy affects body movement, muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance. It can also impact fine motor skills, gross motor skills and oral motor functioning. ´ Autism: A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior. Problems with the Medical Model/Deficit Perspective ´ Focusing on problems can inspire a gloomy forecast about: ´The Person ´The Person’s environment, and ´The Person’s true capacity. ´ Remember the Cycle of Devaluation ´ Focusing on what is wrong causes people to doubt their abilities (Saleebey, 2013) Strengths Perspective - Introduction ´Demands a new way of looking at individuals and communities ´All must be seen in the light of their capacities, talents, competencies, possibilities, visions, values, and hopes ´Requires an accounting of what people know and what they can do ´Requires composing a roster of resources existing within and around the induvial, family, and/or community (Saleebey, 2013) Puts the Lens of Focus On: “What people want their lives to be like, and what resources and strengths they have or need to get there” (Saleebey, 2009, p.12) Strengths Perspective - Strengths ´ Almost anything can be considered a strength - Capacities, Assets, & Resources can be strengths ´ Personal Qualities, Traits, and Virtues that people possess (humor, caring, creativity, loyalty, insight, independence, spirituality, imagination, patience, etc. (Wolin & Wolin, 1994) ´ Knowledge - Learned intellectually/educationally or through experience ´ Talents - Telling stories, motivational speaking, cooking, home repair, writing, blogging, carpentry, sewing etc. (Saleebey, 2013) Discovering Strengths ´Look Around You ´Look for interests, talents, and competences ´Go beyond the standard assessment protocols … LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES ´Stories and narratives contain signs of strength, interests, hopes, and visions (Saleebey, 2013) Discovering Strengths ´Essentials of the Strengths Perspective Discovering Strengths ´ Survival Questions – What is it that enables you to rise to challenges put before you? what are you thinking and feeling as you face uncertainties, etc. ´ Support Questions – What people or groups have given you special understanding/support/guidance – Who in your life can you depend on?, Do you belong to any groups, etc.? ´ Exception Questions – Questions that help the client identify and find exceptions to the problem – Tell me about a time in your life when things are going great! ´ Possibility Questions – What do you want out of life?; How would you describe your hopes, visions, and aspirations? What people and/or personal qualities are helping you move in this direction? (Saleebey, 2013) Discovering Strengths ´ Esteem Questions – When someone from your network describes you, what do they say? What have you done in your life that gives you great pride? ´ Perspective Questions – What do you make of your current situation? ´ Change Questions – What are your ideas about how things in your life (thoughts, feelings, behavior, relationships) might change. What do you think you could or should do to make things more satisfying? ´ Meaning Questions – What gives you purpose? What do you find value in? What did this come from; experience, group membership, spirituality? Group Activity You and your group are sports program facilitators and you are welcoming a new participant who lives with cerebral palsy. She experiences challenges with her mobility and enjoys floor hockey. In order to better understand her needs, you must get to know her. ´ Come up with two (2): ´ Support questions ´ Esteem questions ´ Perspective questions ´ Change questions ´ Meaning questions Strengths Perspective - Hope ´Key idea of the strengths perspective is Hope ´Tapping into the visions and dreams of the individual ´Hope and the belief in the possible ´We all have fabulous powers and potentials ´Some are muted and unrealized ´Some are glowing brightly ´Opportunities for choice, commitment, and action Strengths Perspective - Hope ´ All around us are people, policies, circumstances and conventions that may nurture and encourage these hopes OR may crush and degrade them. ´ Service providers (social workers, therapists, program coordinators, companions etc.) adopting the strengths perspective must find ways for the hope/ ‘the possible’ to survive. (Saleebey, 2013) Strengths Perspective – Resources ´Create a Roster of Resources ´ Resources exist within and around the individual, family, and/or community ´Needed services are determined by identifying the difference between where the person is at right now and his/her aspirations ´Examples: ´Awareness of the paratransit schedule ´Siblings who understand the person with disability’s needs ´Strong social skills Think-Pair-Share! Create a Roster of Resources ´ One of the best ways to support others in identifying their strengths, is to be aware of our own strengths and resources. ´ Take a few minutes to create your own list of resources related to recreation and share with a partner! ´ Every individual, group family, and community has strengths ´ Trauma, abuse, illness, and struggle may be a source of challenge and opportunity ´ Assume that you do not know the upper limits of the capacity to grow and change and take individual, group, and community aspirations seriously ´ We best serve clients by collaborating WITH THEM ´ Every environment is full of resources ´ Caring, caretaking, and context Principles of the Strengths Perspective