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FOUNDATIONS. The Advocates Way is the philosophy that guides our work. It is based on the idea that ALL of us are unique individuals with great potential for health, well-being and fulfillment.
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The Advocates Way is the philosophy that guides our work. It is based on the idea that ALL of us are unique individuals with great potential for health, well-being and fulfillment. • It is a core value of Advocates that we treat people exactly as we would want a beloved member of our family, a friend, or ourselves – to be treated. CENTRAL TENETS
Part of life is having to overcome obstacles in order to live the lives we want to live, be the people we want to be and fulfill our hopes and dreams. Overcoming Obstacles; Realizing Dreams
People with disabilities often have to face additional challenges. These challenges can range from the physical, - such as an absence of curb cuts, to the emotional - such as prejudice, discrimination and oppression. • However, regardless of the severity of a person’s challenges, and no matter how long or difficult a person’s path has been, we believe that with the appropriate supports, a person’s own efforts and the appreciation of their rights, every person can grow, change and achieve a fulfilling life.
The voices of the people we serve are the most crucial ingredients in the success of our work. • We must be able to understand a person’s perspective, even when that person has difficulty expressing his or her perspective, or communicates in modalities other than language. Listen Deeply
We strive to listen with empathy and with both an open heart and an open mind. We strive to affirm the uniqueness of each individual we serve, to enjoy the experience of knowing that person and to be open to being changed by that person. • As staff members of Advocates, our role is to listen actively and to create opportunities for inclusion and partnership with the people we serve in every step of program design, service delivery and program evaluation. The experiences had by the people we serve are the benchmarks by which we measure success.
When we combine a person’s expertise on his or her own life with that person’s hopes and dreams and factor in our knowledge and capabilities, in an atmosphere of hope, collaboration and mutual respect, truly marvelous things can happen. A Powerful Union • We work to create relationships in which the people we serve feel heard and understood, are respected as experts about their own lives and take leading roles in all of the decision-making and planning that impact their lives.
We are committed to remember at all times the innumerable strengths, capacities, relationships, talents, accomplishments, skills and other remarkable attributes that make up a human being – and not simply whatever diagnosis or disability that human being might be faced with. Finding and Celebrating Strengths
We also try to imagine a person’s potential if given a full and real chance to live a life of his or her own design. In this way, we strive to avoid having our own preconceptions limit the potential of the people we serve.
It is the obligation of every staff member to communicate our commitment to partnership with the people we serve, and to demonstrate the utmost respect in every interaction and in every setting. • It is the obligation of all staff members to be conscious and deliberate in action and in communication to embody respect, inclusiveness and deference to the preferences of the people we serve whenever possible. EVERY INTERACTION IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESPECT
This sort of partnership requires openness, warmth, flexibility and friendliness on the part of the staff. We seek to help people grow, change, and realize their dreams in an atmosphere of acceptance and encouragement, in which they feel safe enough to take risks, learn from their mistakes and try new ways of being and living.
We aspire to treat each other with the same open-mindedness and open-heartedness that we extend to the people we serve. • Similarly, we strive to listen deeply to each other, and to find ways of partnering and collaborating based on mutual respect. • We strive to extend this same respect and collaborative spirit to the communities in which we live and work. Common Values with One Another and with Our Community
We remind ourselves, too, that people who have grappled with mental illness or the challenges of a disability want more than a solution to the problems caused by their difficulties of living. All people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best in themselves and to enhance their experiences of loving, working and playing. We All Desire a Fulfilling Life
We always want to find, nurture and celebrate each person’s capacities for love and work, courage and resiliency, compassion and integrity, self-knowledge and wisdom – among many other positive qualities in all members of the human family. We want to encourage the people we serve – and each other – to enjoy the good things available in life, including fellowship, laughter, and joy.
We appreciate that, unfortunately, many people have had experiences in which they have felt not listened to or respected by people in positions of power. • For that reason, we must take steps to demonstrate to the people we serve that we see them as true partners and full co-experts in our work. Building Trust
At times we are in situations and relationships with people who are engaging in behavior that is challenging and even sometimes dangerous, and we have to act in our professional roles in ways that the person we are serving does not want. Using Power Honestly, Wisely and Respectfully • For example, in a psychiatric crisis, we may have to commit a person to a hospital against his or her will; or we may be serving a person who has a guardian, and who is forced to take medications or to live in a setting not of his or her own choice.
In these situations, we must make every effort to honor a person’s dignity, respect that person’s rights and afford that person as many real choices as we can within the scope of the person’s legal situation. • It is however, crucial that we be as honest and clear as we can about the power dynamics in such situations.
How we speak to, with and about the people we serve is important. We need to be mindful that language can be demeaning and disempowering, without the speaker having any such intention in mind. Especially in the fields of mental health and developmental disabilities, short-hand terms can be profoundly shaming and hurtful. Respectful Language
To this end, we make every effort never to speak of a person as if they were defined by a condition or diagnosis. For this reason, the use of person-first language in all contexts and all settings is of paramount importance; we speak of a “person with schizophrenia,” or “a person with a developmental disability,” or “a person with substance abuse issues,” for example.
When we encounter a person who is facing a challenge, we try to think about that person from 4 perspectives… Understanding the Whole Person
First, a social or cultural perspective, that appreciates that we are all connected with one another in webs of relationships, and with our communities and society as a whole.
A second way of looking at people involves a biological perspective, acknowledging that each person has a unique biological endowment of strengths and vulnerabilities, and that sometimes human problems can be at least partially understood as “chemical imbalances,” for which biological treatments are sometimes helpful options.
The third perspective from which we try to understand people is a psychological perspective, appreciating that all human beings have scars from the past, and that sometimes recovery from suffering or living a fulfilling life requires working through old and unresolved issues.
Finally, we approach people from a spiritual perspective, appreciating that we all have to find meaning in our lives, and that sometimes people experience difficulty due to issues in their spiritual lives.
We acknowledge that we are not where we want to be with regard to putting this philosophy into action. We often fall short of the mark. We do not always treat the people we serve as equals in every regard. We do not always use our power wisely or mindfully, nor do we always acknowledge it when we use power in a disempowering way. Looking Inward
We acknowledge, too, that the staff of Advocates often face great difficulties in doing their work – the press of paperwork, not enough resources, overwhelming and competing needs, and sometimes community resistance and inadequate compensation. Advocates staff needs and deserves support and encouragement to practice The Advocates Way, day in and day out.
Miles to go before we sleep… • We pledge to be open in every interaction and to consider how we may be missing the mark. We pledge to continually try to behave in a way consistent with this philosophy. • We pledge to remain open always, to be taught by and changed by, the people we serve. • It is our great hope that this philosophy will grow and change as Advocates grows and changes.
