Social roles Vs
Community roles Vs Identity
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Contents
Role: (
Top)
Is not
exclusive
to how we see ourselves or each other. A role can describe
anybody or anything that we associate with or have any interaction
with.
We
learn
strategies
(a set of behaviors) that we find
useful in coping with our personal feelings and day to day situations.
These
strategies
can be
described as the person's role (or function) within the activity that
the
person is
participating in. We learn these
strategies
through our relationships with others in society. In the family, at
school, recreation or work all involve
strategies.
A lawyer, for example,
learns
a set of
strategies
in
defending someone in court. A person learns
set of
strategies
in teaching a class or being a father. A general learns
strategies
in defeating the enemy. A person with
an
intellectual disability
learns social skills, life skills, employment/recreational skills and
other positive behaviors that
provide a valued role for the person (friend, painter, gardener,
musician etc.). These
strategies
are often used in various similar
situations, or mixed and matched in new situations, where the person
has no existing sets of
strategies.
We generally have 2 or more sets of
strategies
that are used in different activities and situations, however, a person
may apply one
strategy
to all activities and situations that may arise.
Labels
are also a way to describe these roles, where a person is characterised
by a set of
strategies
or behaviors.
Social Roles:
(
Top)
Social
roles are how we see ourselves and others in society. They are often
about a particular characteristic (age, gender, race, ethnicity,
culture, occupation, disability or even ability) rather than the
person. A Muslim, for example, is often treated different because of
his/her religion and culture. If the Muslim also had a particular
disability or disadvantage, that person would have less chance of
becoming a valued member in society. The same can be said for an
aboriginal, a bikie or drugie, or possibily even a bank manager or used
car salesman.
The
term "Role" (also known as a social role or social function) is
also used to describe the
activity, the setting and the various interactions of the members
within the
activity and the setting, where these interactions are consistent and
can be defined and measured (
in
the
sense of comparison with other
consistent interactions), and have a particular function
within
the
activity and the setting.
These roles are determined by the society, community, club, team
or group that we are participating in, in that there are a set of
expectations and behaviours associated with the role within the
activity. (
Note: I
have avoided
the term "behaviors", as a behavior describes a person's actions and
reactions, rather than the
various
intercourses that happen between members, and their relationships with
each other, within the
activity and the setting.)
Our role
in a particular activity is often predetermined by the type of
activity, the
setting and the other members of the activity. In a classroom, for
example,
(1): the type of activity is structured towards learning and the
gaining of
skills and knowledge in applying the learning, (2): the setting is
separated
(restricted to members that fulfil a set of criteria etc) and (3): the
roles
of the members are Teacher (imparts the knowledge) - Students (learns
the
knowledge). In order for a person to have a valued role
within the activity and setting, the person must be able to satisfy the
criteria associated with the activity and setting. Introducing other
roles
into the classroom (social system) may create some problems.
A particular role (or
Label)
is also placed on a person or group of people by a society, community,
club, team
or group as a way to justify or legitimise a policy or treatment of the
person or group. This happens all the time where a particular behaviour
or characteristic of the person or group does not fit into the normal
behaviours or characteristics of the society, community, club, team
or group. These policies or treatments often become
institutionalised
into the society, community, club, team
or group.
Buildings also have different roles
or functions within society. The role of the building
describes the various ways buildings are used, and
the
various interactions that happen within the building. The
function
of
the building is determined by these interactions and how they relate to
the members. The most
obvious of this is a "
Function
center"
that is designed to be
used for different functions. A concert hall has a particular role and
function within society. Communities, hospitals, classrooms,
groups/teams
and even a
knife can
have a different role and function according to the user and others
within the
activity and the setting.
A social role
or a community role: (
Top)
While
the term Role
is useful in describing our relationships with each other, I feel that
there
has been some confusion in the practical application of the term in
service
delivery and outcomes. Are we applying an Implicit (Social)
role
to a specific activity and setting within a community? Are we applying
an Explicit
(Community) role
to a social setting?
Roles
are
neither positive or negative. The value that is placed on the
role is determined by the expectations and behaviours associated with
the role within the activity, within society. At a shop, for example,
there are a
number of roles of the people in
the shop. Two of those roles are 1) sales person and (2) customer. If a
customer can not behave accordingly (the Implicit social role), or has
some characteristic that
does
not fit into to the expectations of the sales person the customer may
not be treated with dignity or respect. Alternatively, the customer may
be a good friend, brother, father or someone well known to the sales
person (an Explicit community role), the customer will be treated with
dignity or respect.
The
value of a persons role
is purely subjective when applied to different settings and activities
in
different communities. We all have different roles
depending on what we are doing, where we are doing it and who we are
doing it
with, and therefore the person's role
takes on different meanings within each community that the person is
participating in. Roles
are like the clothes we wear. Each activity requires a different outfit
(both
literally and figuratively). The example of actors in a play also shows
us that roles
are learned behaviours. We all are conditioned to behave a certain way
(we
learn our lines from the moment of birth) according to the activity,
setting
and the expectations of others within the activity and setting i.e.: we
don't
wear our bathers to a formal dinner etc. It could also be argued that
communities have become conditioned in behaving a certain way when
looking
after devalued people (in the historical sense, as well as in society
today) (See Removing
the barriers to community participation and inclusion).
All members are expected to behave according to their role
within the setting. If a person’s role
is to be submissive, then, when the person takes on a more active role,
the person may be punished.
Social Role Valorisation (SRV) (which itself evolved from the concept
of Normalisation (N)) is
probably the most influential social paradigm used to provide a better
life for people with disability. The idea of N (where all
members of society have the same right to a the same way of life as
others within that society) has been around for a long time. It has
only been in the last 10 to 20 years that we have had the incentives,
skills and resources to provide for a more humanistic approach to
meeting needs of disadvantaged people in society. SRV is about social
roles. Society tends to group people into different classifications or
groups according to a particular characteristic of a person that stands
out. Regardless of the person's individual differences, society
generally assigns a particular role to all people that share that
characteristic. This role describes the person's behaviours, and how we
should associate with the person. Roles are also a way to visualise the
person and what we may expect from the person. Some social roles are
positive. Hero, friend, supporter, defender of the faith, aussie
battler, statesman etc. all create a positive image of the person.
Accordingly they are treated with respect and considerstion as valued
members of society. Whether they are good people or not, is not as
important as their social role. Other social roles are negative.
Druggie, criminal, nigger, deviant, sick, dole bludger, alcoholic etc.
all create a negative picture or impression of the person, and as a
result, the person will be negitavely valued, and treated differently
to others, regardless of any other positive characteristics the person
may have. SRV shows us that disadvantaged people were devalued by
society, and that by changing the way they are seen (their role), we
change our behaviours and expectations, and add value to their lives by
giving them the opportunity to participate in valued relationships and
activities.
SRV says (loose interpretation), that by arranging
(changing
or adapting) physical and social conditions of society at any level, so
that
devalued people are included, in such a way that their role
is positively valued by all members of society, devalued people have a
greater
opportunity to receive the good things in life. (
Joe
Osburn: An
Overview of Social Role Valorization Theory)
The implications of the above has meant that:
... institutions are bad
evil places
... devalued people are institutionalised and our goal is to
de-institutionalise them
... the principles of SRV can be automatically applied to any activity
or
setting
so that devalued people are positively valued
... people who have a valued role
in society automatically become members of the community in which they
are
placed
... devalued people are automatically empowered
Another
way to think of the above is: "By arranging (changing or
adapting)
physical and social conditions of all groups, clubs, organisations and
communities within society, where ALL members are positively
valued,
and
have positively
valued
roles,
in
such a way
that all members of the groups, clubs, organisations
and
communities within society
receive the good things in life.
When we change the perspective from Society to Community we have a
better idea of what we are trying to achieve. Community is all about
valued relationships, about careing and shareing, about being with
others we love. SRV is all about providing those valued relationships
and support networks to disadvantaged people who have been
disenfranchised by society for various reasons. Valued relationships
transcend roles. Without others to share our feelings with, life
becomes meaningless. It does not matter how much money or possessions
we have, if we have no one to share it with, life becomes meaningless.
SRV is all about Building
values and
relationships in
communities. These communities may be a part of an organisation or
service provider, a family or club, or work, or school. By providing
valued roles for ALL members of each community that the person wishes
to participate in and is most appropriate for the person, the person is
more likely to have valued relationships within those communities.
Identity: (
Top)
Using
the term "Identity" enables us to understand the person, as
well as the various roles
the person has within each community that he/she is participating in.
It is
immediately obvious what we are referring to i.e.: the person and not
the role
of the person. The concept of identity (as apposed to social identity
or role
identity - MASK,
ROLE, AND IDENTITY; THE SEARCH FOR THE INNER PERSON)
describes who
they
are, their feelings, their hopes and desires, their interests, the
essence of
the person as well as the characteristics of the person. By looking at
a person
in terms of his/her identity, we can see that the persons role
is only a part of the person. If a person's identity is positively
valued (by
the mother, brother, school mates etc) then sometimes, the role
of the person is of little importance.
I remember a saying "You can’t judge a book by its cover. You have to
read
it.” We all have preconceptions about others and often we never really
know the
person, no matter how often we read the book. These preconceptions come
from
others, a characteristic that the person may have, and our own feelings
at the
time, first impressions or any number of other reasons. Sometimes there
is a
negative chemistry that means that we may never feel comfortable in the
others
company. But at least, by looking past the person’s role
or particular characteristic we have a better chance of understanding
the
person for who he/she is.
When providing the most
appropriate
care for people with high support
needs ...
1) The community is not
where the
person is living, but where the
person participates, shares experiences and has valued relationships
with others.
2) People with high support needs (severe disability, aged etc.)
will always need support structures as a part of their lives.
3) The amount of participation in a community (living, education,
employment or recreation) is directly related to the skills and
resources of the person, and, the skills and resources of the
community that the person wishes to participate in.
4) Institutions are going to be around in one form or another
whether we like it or not, It is the way that they are used that is the
problem.
5) The institutions of a society towards a particular group
determine the way the group participates in society.
6) The institutions of a particular government department,
organisation,
profession or service define the way the person is supported within
that society.
7) Facilities that support people with high support needs do not
need to be the nursing homes or prisons in the
sense
that they are today, but can become warm inviting community places that
offer a range of services to the community, as well as be a part of the
wider community within that society.
8) People with high support needs are a minority group in our
society, and will have the same problems as other minority groups in
being a part of society.
Peter Anderson
http://www.psawa.com