TISSN 1932 - 6963e SRV JOURNAL 5 55555   ' ,5hfgf5R5)&/' 5k5R5/' ,5h5 5 551118-,0#*8),! PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES R. Barken 26 Intellectual Disabilities & Institutionalization in Nova Scotia

ARTICLES W. Wolfensberger 15 Some Further Toughts on the Limits & Capabilities of Social Role Valorization J. Armstrong 17 What Does Social Role Valorisation Have to Teach Us About How Best to Support People with Disability? F. Reed with 34 A Two-Hour Visit to a Rehab Facility M Tumeinski J. Yates 37 Don’t Be Surprised

REVIEWS & MORE

S. Tomas 47 Book ‘Seeking Community’ by Standards Plus

W. Wolfensberger 47 Book ‘My Journey with Jake’ by M. Edelson

S. Hartfel 49 Book ‘A Rat Is a Pig Is a Dog Is a Boy’ by W. Smith

S. Tifany 53 Book ‘A Rat Is a Pig Is a Dog Is a Boy’ by W. Smith

M. Tumeinski 56 Book ‘Anti-oppressive Practice in Health and Social Care’ by V. Nzira & P. Williams

59 List of Items to be Reviewed

TRAINING

62 Calendar of SRV & Related Trainings

COLUMNS

M. Duggan 10 Te Value of SRV to People’s Lives

M. Tumeinski 22 On a Role

M. Tumeinski 41 Te Ring of Words: On Rhetoric, Writing & Social Role Valorization Dissemination

W. Wolfensberger 63 Social Role Valorization News & Reviews

FEATURES

4 SRV Focus Question

5 Index of Past Authors

7 Letters

60 Discussion Questions Te SRV JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD We encourage readers & writers in a variety of roles & Marc Tumeinski Joe Osburn from a variety of human service backgrounds to subscribe Jane Barken Judith Sandys, PhD & to contribute. We expect that writers who submit items Jo Massarelli will have at least a basic understanding of SRV, gained for example by attendance at a multi-day SRV workshop (see EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD this issue’s training calendar), by studying relevant resourc- John Armstrong Peter Millier es (see the next page of this journal), or both. Erica Baker-Tinsley David Race, PhD We are particularly interested in receiving submissions Tom Kohler Susan Tomas from family members, friends & servers of devalued people Zana Lutfyya, PhD Ed Wilson who are trying to put the ideas of SRV into practice, even Tom Malcomson, PhD Wolf Wolfensberger, PhD if they do not consider themselves as ‘writers.’ Members of our editorial boards will be available to help contributors EDITORIAL CONSULTANT/PRODUCTION with articles accepted for publication. Te journal has a Sandra Sasowski peer review section.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE INFORMATION FOR SUBMISSIONS We believe that Social Role Valorization (SRV), when We welcome well-reasoned, clearly-written submis- well applied, has potential to help societally devalued people sions. Language used should be clear & descriptive. We en- to gain greater access to the good things of life & to be courage the use of ordinary grammar & vocabulary that a spared at least some negative efects of social devaluation. typical reader would understand. Te Publication Manual Toward this end, the purposes of this journal include: 1) of the American Psychological Association is one easily avail- disseminating information about SRV; 2) informing read- able general style guide. Academic authors should follow ers of the relevance of SRV in addressing the devaluation of the standards of their feld. We will not accept items si- people in society generally & in human services particularly; multaneously submitted elsewhere for publication or previ- 3) fostering, extending & deepening dialogue about, & un- ously electronically posted or distributed. derstanding of, SRV; & 4) encouraging the application of Submissions are reviewed by members of the editorial SRV as well as SRV-related research. board, the editorial advisory board, or external referees. Our We intend the information provided in this journal to double-blind peer review policy is available on request. be of use to: family, friends, advocates, direct care workers, Examples of submission topics include but are not lim- managers, trainers, educators, researchers & others in rela- ited to: SRV as relevant to a variety of human services; de- tionship with or serving formally or informally upon deval- scriptions & analyses of social devaluation & wounding; ued people in order to provide more valued life conditions descriptions & analyses of the impact(s) of valued roles; as well as more relevant & coherent service. illustrations of particular SRV themes; research into & de- Te SRV Journal is published under the auspices of the velopment of SRV theory & its themes; critique of SRV; SRV Implementation Project (SRVIP). Te mission of the analysis of new developments from an SRV perspective; SRVIP is to: confront social devaluation in all its forms, success stories, as well as struggles & lessons learned, in try- including the deathmaking of vulnerable people; support ing to implement SRV; interviews; refection & opinion positive action consistent with SRV; & promote the work pieces; news analyses from an SRV perspective; book or of the formulator of SRV, Prof. Wolf Wolfensberger of the movie reviews & notices from an SRV perspective. Syracuse University Training Institute. SEND CORRESPONDENCE TO EDITORIAL POLICY Marc Tumeinski, Editor Phone: 508.752.3670 Informed & open discussions of SRV, & even construc- Te SRV Journal Email: [email protected] tive debates about it, help to promote its dissemination & 74 Elm Street Website: www.srvip.org application. We encourage people with a range of experi- Worcester, MA 01609 US ence with SRV to submit items for consideration of publica- tion. We hope those with much experience in teaching or TYPEFACE implementing SRV, as well as those just beginning to learn Main text is set in Adobe Garamond Pro and headlines in about it, will contribute to the Journal. Myriad Pro, both designed by Robert Slimbach. A Brief Description of Social Role Valorization

From the Editor

As this is a Social Role Valorization (SRV) journal, we feel devalued by others will typically get badly treated it important to print in every issue a few brief descriptions by them. Tis implies that in the case of people of our understanding of what SRV is. Tis by no means whose life situations are very bad, and whose bad replaces more thorough explanations of SRV, but does set a situations are bound up with occupancy of devalued helpful framework for the content of this journal. roles, then if the social roles they are seen as occupy- Te following is taken from: Wolfensberger, W. (1998). ing can somehow be upgraded in the eyes of perceiv- A brief introduction to Social Role Valorization: A high-order ers, their life conditions will usually improve, and concept for addressing the plight of societally devalued people, often dramatically so. and for structuring human services (3rd ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Training Institute for Human Service RESOURCE LIST Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry, p. 58. t
A brief introduction to Social Role Valorization, 3rd ... in order for people to be treated well by others, (rev.) ed. Wolf Wolfensberger. (1998). (Available from the it is very important that they be seen as occupying Training Institute at 315.473.2978) valued roles, because otherwise, things are apt to go ill with them. Further, the greater the number of t PASSING: A tool for analyzing service quality accord- valued roles a person, group or class occupies, or the ing to Social Role Valorization criteria. Ratings manual, more valued the roles that such a party occupies, the 3rd (rev.) ed. Wolf Wolfensberger & Susan Tomas. (2007). more likely it is that the party will be accorded those (Available from the Training Institute at 315.473.2978) good things of life that others are in a position to ac- cord, or to withhold. t
A quarter-century of Normalization and Social Role Valorization: Evolution and impact. Ed. by Robert Flynn Te following is taken from: SRV Council [North Ameri- & Ray Lemay. (1999). Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press. can Social Role Valorization Development, Training & Safe- (Available from the Training Institute at 315.473.2978) guarding Council] (2004). A proposed defnition of Social Role Valorization, with various background materials and t
Social Role Valorization and the English experience. elaborations. SRV-VRS: Te International Social Role Valori- David Race. (1999). London: Whiting & Birch. zation Journal/La Revue Internationale de la Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux, 5(1&2), p. 85. t
A brief overview of Social Role Valorization. Wolf Wolfensberger. (2000). Mental Retardation, 38(2), SRV is a systematic way of dealing with the facts of 105-123. social perception and evaluation, so as to enhance the roles of people who are apt to be devalued, by t
An overview of Social Role Valorization theory. Joe Os- upgrading their competencies and social image in burn. (2006). Te SRV Journal, 1(1), 4-13. the eyes of others. t
Some of the universal ‘good things of life’ which the Te following is taken from: Wolfensberger, W. (2000). A implementation of Social Role Valorization can be ex- brief overview of Social Role Valorization. Mental Retarda- pected to make more accessible to devalued people. Wolf tion, 38(2), p. 105. Wolfensberger, Susan Tomas & Guy Caruso. (1996). SRV/ VRS: Te International Social Role Valorization Journal/La Te key premise of SRV is that people’s welfare de- Revue Internationale de la Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux, pends extensively on the social roles they occupy: 2(2), 12-14. People who fll roles that are positively valued by others will generally be aforded by the latter the t
A Social Role Valorization web page can be accessed at: good things of life, but people who fll roles that are http://www.socialrolevalorization.com/ 4 The SRV JOURNAL FROM THE EDITOR

ONLINE RESOURCE We continue publishing our blog relevant to SRV: http://blog.srvip.org/. Take a moment to read the blog and send us your comments. You can also sign up to receive new postings by email.

VALUES IN ACTION ASSOCIATION (AUSTRALIA) NEWSLETTER VIAA is publishing a newsletter ‘SRV in Action’ which I recommend getting your hands on. Te frst issue came out this past summer and a new issue is in the works for early 2011. Issues will include brief articles on SRV-related topics, columns (including one that will highlight/review our Journal ar- ticles), ‘letters to the editor’ and ‘my favorite SRV concept.’ Tis would be a great resource to get and read, which you can do by contacting Greg Mackay at [email protected]. Te newsletter would also make a useful handout at workshops or to give to people you run across in your work who might be interested in Social Role Valorization.

SRV FOCUS QUESTION

In each issue, we publish a focus question & invite you our readers to submit a 200-300 word re- sponse to the question. Commentaries on the question, if accepted, will be published in the following issue. General advice: write clearly; focus on 1 or 2 most important points; share your opinion, backed up by evidence &/or logical argument; incorporate SRV language & concepts. All submissions will be reviewed for suitability for publication & are subject to editing; authors will have fnal approval. Please email your response to [email protected].

QUESTION “From an SRV perspective, ‘integration’ means ‘personal social integration & valued social participation.’ Tis in turn would require (a) valued participation, (b) with valued people (c) in valued activities that (d) take place in valued settings” (Wolfensberger, 1998, 123). In light of this understanding, remember the frst time(s) as an adult that you were an active, ongoing participant in a particular activity & social group/setting. What valued role were you in? What roles were the other people in the social group/setting in? Who did you look to as role models? What ‘good things of life’ did this role open the door to? How did you initially become involved? When & how often did you participate? Where did the activity take place? And so on.

Drawing on this personal refection, what can you learn, adapt & use to help societally devalued people/groups to acquire & maintain valued social roles in valued contexts & valued activities with other people in valued roles? Keep in mind that valued social roles are key to personal social integration & valued social participation. Lemay explicitly frames integration in terms of valued roles: “(valued) social participation requires a (valued) role in a given (valued) context; personal social integration is said to be occurring when an individual is engaged in (val- ued) reciprocated role activities with other (valued) role incumbents in a given (valued) social setting” ([2006]. Social Role Valorization insights into the social integration conundrum. Mental Retardation, 44(1), 5). December 2010 5 INDEX OF PAST AUTHORS

This is our tenth issue, marking the completion of our frst fve years of publication. We are so grate- ful to all of the authors who have contributed such a wide range of thought-provoking manuscripts from various categories–reviews, vignettes, poetry, guest columns and lengthy articles–and on relevant topics, all related to Social Role Valorization training and/or implementation. We are quite gratifed to look back and see that we have reached one of our initial goals in publishing this journal; namely, to create a body of work that has involved authors from a variety of connections to and backgrounds with SRV. We have published manuscripts from university students, research professors, service workers, doctors, long-time SRV/PASSING trainers, parents and more. We hope that this encourages more of you our readers to consider submitting manuscripts to the journal, as well as to keep reading! Below is a useful index to the authors we have published during the past fve years, including in this issue. After authors’ names are dates indicating issues in which that author has a published article. A number in parentheses following a date indicates more than one item by that author in that particular issue. For further reference, check our website http://www.srvip.org/journal_past_issues.php which has copies of the Table of Contents from each issue of the Journal.

Alvarez, N. Dec 2006 Dewick, S. Dec 2008

Armstrong, J. Dec 2007, Dec 2010 Doody, J. Dec 2006

Armstrong, J. & Shevellar, L. Jun 2006 Duggan, M. Dec 2010

Barken, E. Jun 2010 Dunnigan, S. Jun 2010

Barken, J. Jun 2008, Jun 2010 Elks, D. & Neuville, E. Dec 2007

Barken, R. Dec 2010 Ford, J. Jun 2007

Brunault, J. Dec 2006, Jun 2007 French, Brian. Dec 2009

Caruso, G. Jun 2006, Dec 2006 Hartfel, S. Dec 2006, Dec 2008, Dec 2010

Cignoni, C. Dec 2006 Higgs, L. Dec 2007

Cocks, K. Dec 2008 Kendrick, M. Jun 2007, Jun 2009

Costner, J. Dec 2007 Lavallee, C. Dec 2007

Cussen, B. Jun 2008 Lemay, R. Jun 2007, Dec 2007, Dec 2009, Jun 2010 (2) 6 The SRV JOURNAL

Lunden, A. Jun 2007 Ringwald, C. Jun 2006, Jun 2008

Lyn, P. Jun 2009 Sandys, J. Dec 2009 (2)

MacNeil, C. Jun 2007 Schwartz, K. Jun 2009

Malcomson, T. Jun 2008, Jun 2009 Seetoo, P. Jun 2009

Martin, B. Dec 2006 Sevink, M. Jun 2008

Massarelli, J. Dec 2006, Jun 2008 Sherwin, J. Dec 2009

McGaughey, J. Jun 2010 Shevellar, L. Dec 2008

Neuville, T. with Smith, C. Hanna. Dec 2008 Tomas, S. Jun 2006, Dec 2006, Jun 2007, Jun 2008, Dec 2008 (2), Jun 2009, Dec 2009, Oak, E. Jun 2008 Jun 2010, Dec 2010

O’Brien, J. Dec 2007 Tomas, S. & Wolfensberger, W. Jun 2007

Osburn, J. Jun 2006, Jun 2007, Dec 2008, Tifany, S. Dec 2010 Jun 2009, Dec 2009 Tumeinski, M. Jun 2006 (2), Dec 2006, Jun 2007 Osburn, J. & Massarelli, J. Jun 2006 (2), Dec 2007, Jun 2009, Dec 2009, Jun 2010 (2), Dec 2010 (3) Pacey, S. Jun 2008 Uditsky, B. Jun 2009 Pealer, J. Dec 2006, Jun 2007, Jun 2008 van Bommel, H. Dec 2007 Peters, M. Dec 2007 Van Rootselaar, J. Jun 2008 Preneta, E. Jun 2006, Dec 2007 Williams, P. Jun 2006 Quinn, A. Dec 2006 Wilson, E. Jun 2006, Dec 2006 Race, David. Jun 2006, Dec 2007, Dec 2008, Jun 2009, Jun 2010 Wolfensberger, W. Jun 2006, Dec 2006, Jun 2007, Dec 2007, Jun 2008, Dec 2008, Race, Deb. Dec 2009, Jun 2010 Jun 2009 (2), Dec 2009, Jun 2010 (2)

Ramsey, S. Jun 2007 Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. Jun 2007, Dec 2009, Dec 2010 (3) Reed, F. with Tumeinski, M. Dec 2010 Yates, J. Dec 2010 December 2010 7 LETTERS

To the Editor:

I am sending you an article which I read this week in a local magazine which is an interview with the care home manager who was charged with the ofences noted in my article for the SRV Journal in June 2008 [3(1), 7–19].1 She was convicted in 2009 for these ofences and sentenced to 150 hours of community service. Te journalist paints a sympathetic picture of the woman and clearly believes that she has been wrongly convicted. Te care manager continues to protest her innocence and says she will continue to fght to prove this. She defends her actions by saying that she used practices which would have been acceptable 10 years earlier. Using this rule of thumb we could also say that it would be fne for DNR (do not resuscitate) orders to be used in hospitals in cases where a person with disability is admitted with a life-threatening condition, as this was routinely practised not so very long ago. An alarming aspect of this case though is the fact that the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tri- bunal (QCAT) ruled in her favour when she appealed for reinstatement of her Blue Card (which would allow her to work with vulnerable adults and children). A public outcry followed and the Children’s Commissioner appealed against the decision to reinstate the Blue Card which was upheld by QCAT. Surely a person with a standing conviction of assault and deprivation of liberty against vulnerable children in her care should never have been considered ft to work with vulnerable people again. While the outcome as it now stands in this case is sound, it is alarming that the initial decision by QCAT was reached. If her convictions were overturned and she were declared innocent then that might be a diferent matter. I thought you might be interested in knowing how this particular case concluded, if it has con- cluded, that is.

Best wishes, Sharyn Pacey Brisbane (AUS)

1. Pacey’s article, entitled What keeps people safe? An exploration of Australian historical roots & contemporary expressions of abuse, was based on her presentation given at the Fourth International Social Role Valorization Conference held in Ottawa in May 2007. Te article described an investigation into the abuse, assault and neglect of people with disabilities within government-run or government-funded services in Queensland, AUS. Pacey focused on two stories of particular individu- als who had been abused. She ended the article with SRV-relevant recommendations on what helps to keep societally devalued people safe. 8 The SRV JOURNAL

Papers and Presentations are now being accepted for the Fifth International Conference on Social Role Valorization Getting the Good Life: From Ideas to Actions Social Role Valorization as a Framework for Transforming Lives

Where and When Hellenic Club in Canberra, Australia from 21– 23 September 2011

Purpose of the Conference Te conference will address the question of what it takes to secure ‘Te Good Life’ for those people who live lives apart from society. Delegates and presenters will explore strategies and approaches that provide a genuine alternative to the continuing reliance on human service approaches–especially ones that bring much formality and bureau- cracy–and consider the compelling outcomes of a service that is truly benefcial.

Conference Temes Te conference will address social marginalization through:

t
Meaningful and Sustainable Relationships: What is the glue that makes relation- ships sustainable; how might reciprocity be obtained; how do people identify with each other when a party is devalued?

t
Belonging: When do people really belong; what brings sufcient safety and security; what is it that people become connected to so that belonging is a legiti- mate experience?

t
Contribution: When are people free to contribute; what does it take for observ- ers to recognise the contributions of a devalued party; when do the contributions of severely impaired people become recognised?

Registration Full conference registration information will be available in March 2011. http://www.socialrolevalorization.com/ December 2010 9

CONFIRMED LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Susan Tomas holds degrees in psychology and special education, and has been an associate of Dr. Wolfensberger at the Syracuse University Training Institute (US) for many years. She is author of sev- eral articles on Normalization and Social Role Valorization and is co-author, with Dr. Wolfensberger, of PASSING and other publications. Ms. Tomas has also worked for many years in voluntary, infor- mal service to people with disabilities, and poor and homeless people.

Ray Lemay holds a M.Sc. in the Education of Emotionally Disturbed Children and is the Executive Director of Integra pour enfants et adultes de Prescott-Russell/Integra Children and Adults of Prescott- Russell in Plantagenet, ON, Canada, a multi-service organization with over 450 employees. He has authored articles and books on resilience, normalization, Social Role Valorization and management.

Janet Klees has been coordinator with the family-governed Deohaeko Support Network (Canada) for the past 15 years and has been deeply afected by the lives of the people that she has come to know. Janet is the author of two books directly rooted in the Deohaeko experience as well as numerous other reports, documents, tools and writings. Janet works closely with other Scarborough, Ontario families, and several family groups and projects across Durham Region.

Debbie Killroy was imprisoned for drug trafcking in 1989 for six years. After her 1992 release, she es- tablished Sisters Inside which advocates for the human rights of women in the criminal justice system. Debbie undertook a Social Work degree, was awarded an OAM for services to the community in 2003 and the National Human Rights Medal in 2004. Debbie was the frst person in Australia with serious criminal convictions to be admitted by the Supreme Court of Queensland to practice law.

George Durner is a graduate of the University of Loyola in New Orleans, Louisiana (US). Today, he lives with his wife, Danielle, in a L’Arche community in France and is coordinator of training for the International Federation of L’Arche communities, founded by Jean Vanier. From 1986 to 1989, George worked for the Georgia Advocacy Ofce in Atlanta, Georgia, and was responsible for the Citi- zen Advocacy program ofces throughout the state.

Mike Rungie comes with 30 years perspective in the application of SRV. His particular interest has been in the bettering of human services and how to make services more able to support people to be citizens and have good lives. In his CEO role at the ACH Group and more broadly, Mike continually challenges people to be innovative in their thinking around what constitutes the good life, especially in regard to vulnerable older people.

Michael Kendrick will ofer his thoughts on the day’s proceedings. Dr. Kendrick is an independent consultant in human services and community work with a focus on both national and international work in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. In his work he has occupied a variety of roles, including being the Assistant Commissioner for Program Development with the Massachusetts (US) government, the Director of the Institute for Leadership and Commu- nity Development, and the Director of the Safeguards Project. Guest Column

The Value of SRV to People’s Lives

Michael Duggan

Editor’s Note: Te following article is based on a frankly that this was a fne bit of quackery. As I presentation given by the author at the Second In- grew older, I wasn’t doing the things I should have ternational SRV Conference in Boston, MA (US) been for my age. in 1999. Somehow, someone fgured out that I ftted the ‘Cerebral Palsy’ label. I know that I was one of Introduction the frst to attend what was called in those days I am honoured and humbled to be with you all the Queensland Spastic Welfare League in Austra- at this Second International Normalization and lia. I started there, aged three or four, being one Social Role Valorization Conference. For a long of the frst to attend their kindergarten. I went while, I had cold feet and almost didn’t make it. through school, reaching leaving standard. How- My change of mind and heart were caused by a ever, I never sat for any examinations–well, likely number of things. I realised that I probably would because nobody had any expectation that I should never get this opportunity again and so should or would want to. make the most of it. Moreover, I started to ponder So, what to do now? Tough I had completed the title of this conference: “Creating Possibilities: my secondary school studies, I was not qualifed Te Diference Social Role Valorization Makes” to do further study. My two ‘placement options’ and relate it to events and experiences in my life. were to go to a Sheltered Workshop or an Activ- I fnally decided that I had to come and share with ity Training Centre (ATC). Choice is a wonderful you all! thing! Come to think about it, I really didn’t have a choice. A Look at My Challenges in Because I use a head-pointer for all physical Getting an Ordinary Life tasks, my productivity rate was not considered Let me give a short potted chronicle of my life. high enough for the Sheltered Workshop, ini- Mum tells me that when I was a young baby, I tially anyway. But because I was said to have a cried a fair bit–nobody knows why. Apparently, very active mind, I didn’t ft the ATC status ei- my birth was quite traumatic, and I think one ther. Trough some fated stroke of luck or mis- doctor said that things did not look hopeful. fortune (depends how and when I think about What that meant in those days I really do not this), I fell over the line to gain entrance to the know. Mum says that I said my frst word on that Sheltered Workshop. I will never forget my frst doctor’s table, and he said that if he had seen me given task. One of the things they did in these earlier, he would have had me walking. I believe was to make rubber door mats. Te mats were December 2010 11 made from strips of rubber cut from old tyres. years after Dad died. I did this because I fgured My job was to pull the rubber strips apart. For that if I stayed home, Mum would simply wear some reason, when the strips were delivered, they out. In those days, the concept of “Family Sup- were still in their original shape of tyres. Tough port,” as we know it today, wasn’t even coined. they were meant to be cut into strips, the cuts Yes, toward the very end of my living with Mum, were incomplete. Terefore, I had to separate the we did get support from a domiciliary nursing strips of rubber. To do this, I would wrap one service, especially to assist Mum to get me out part of the tyre around a door handle, a table leg, of the bathtub. But Mum, in her own inimitable another part around my head-pointer–and pull way, would rush to get me out of the bath before … pull the strips apart. Great stuf, especially if the nurse came, just to ‘make it easier on her’ one wants well-developed neck muscles. (the nurse). After due time it was determined that prob- My decision to try to talk Mum into letting me ably I wasn’t best ftted to this kind of physical go into the institution was a difcult one for me. task. After doing a number of typing jobs, tedious It was contrary to everything I wanted for myself– and quite boring, I fnally graduated to doing the probably because I was leaving behind my prima- invoicing and basic accounting-type jobs for the ry carer, the lady who really felt that there was no workshop. Little did I know then that later on, I one else in the world who could or should care for would hold down the role of Treasurer of a Sup- me. But the fact that I was able to go without her ported Accommodation agency for four years. putting up too much opposition indicated that Eventually I had a job of addressing envelopes the timing was right for Mum. in the workshop. However, in many ways I found I would say the frst few months in that institu- myself in a similar situation to before, doing a tion were truly the worst of my life. What were diferent but still a repetitive task. Granted, some those strange people, calling themselves sisters and people would consider using a word-processor as nurses’ aides, going to do to me? Why couldn’t I more sophisticated than a typewriter, but a boring have an orange drink frst thing when getting up task is a boring task, despite how much one tries in the mornings? Why did I have to have a shower to ‘dress it up’. I suppose the biggest disappoint- at 5:30 am? Why? Why? ment was the lack of opportunity to do any kind For at least the frst year or so, I went home of computer programming-type tasks. Why didn’t for every weekend, public holiday, cracker this eventuate? I really don’t know; I can only sur- night, and for any other reason I could come mise that here again people just didn’t hold very up with. But of course, this was defeating the high expectations for people with disability. purpose of moving away from home. Eventu- It was around this time–around the early ally, I decided to bite the bullet–and never went 1980‘s–that I really started to wake up. I fgured home after that. that if I didn’t get out of that place fairly quickly, Why did I have so many problems living at the I could well end up rotting there. I also fgured institution? Firstly, I wasn’t used to living away that probably my only avenue out was education. from home. I believed Mum’s thoughts and feel- After a few unsuccessful attempts I was fnally ac- ings, that nobody could look after me except her. cepted into a Diploma of Community Welfare Secondly, I had great difculty accepting and course. From there I went on to do a Bachelor of coping with the regimentation of activities which Social Science. were carried out in such an utterly disempowering At the time I started the Diploma course, I was manner. I felt totally powerless, vulnerable and on living in an institution especially built for adults the receiving end of any of the wild whims the with cerebral palsy. I put myself in there a few staf might come up with. 12 The SRV JOURNAL

But I survived this 12-year period in that insti- tion, etc. But I didn’t have to be a quick learner tution relatively unscarred emotionally. Tat’s my to fgure out how hard it is, almost impossible in story and I’m sticking to it. I did what I had to do. fact, to change a system from within. I suppose I just learned to become more ‘street- I had managed to escape the institution in a wise’ about things. I quickly came to be able to rather bloodless coup. One of the many virtues of easily distinguish the staf ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies.’ the landmark piece of the Commonwealth Dis- I quickly learnt to ‘hide’ when the ‘baddies’ were ability Services Act of 1986 legislation was the on duty, and to become ‘more apparent’ when credence it placed on Demonstration Projects. So the ‘goodies’ signed on for duty. In a bizarre kind I became a Demonstration Project–well, a part of of way, this was one of the main things which one, centered on four of us with the label of hav- helped me through what I consider to be one of ing ‘high support needs.’ When I left the insti- the toughest periods of my life. Because of my tution, the powers that be decided I could only genuine interest in and concern for people, just have one month to change my mind. After four watching the various multi-dimensional power weeks my bed would be given to some poor other plays and general game-playing between staf and undeserving soul. I think this only made me more staf, between residents and residents, but prob- determined to make everything work out. ably more so between the staf and residents, was While I was having fun hiring and fring work- enthralling–at times very entertaining indeed, at ers, there were other things going on in my life. other times quite frightening. I graduated with a Diploma of Community Wel- For me the institution was a place of good, nec- fare. I took a three-year Pastoral Care course. My essary learning. I learnt a lot about the human frst job in open employment was as an Advocacy spirit, about what makes people get out of bed Support Worker, which lasted two years and then in the mornings. I learnt about power, oppres- ended because of a funding cut to that particular sion and vulnerability, and about injustices, par- project. I thought at this time (that is, the ear- ticularly social injustices. I learnt about my own ly 90’s), jobs were going to be difcult to come personal views, vision and virtues, especially those by, so I thought I had better go back to Univer- pertaining to the concepts of personal and collec- sity and get another piece of paper. I really just tive empowerment, participation, self-determina- wanted to go back to school. I did a three year tion, access to resources and opportunities, and Degree course in two, only because I was able to my belief in building communities that are more obtain credit from my previous Diploma course. inclusive and accepting of the ‘other.’ For such in- It somehow wasn’t quite as good the second time sightful and precise learning, I hope that I will be around. And I suppose I was doing it for reasons eternally grateful. outside of myself. Te Demonstration Project was But at some point, one must act! Whilst in the such a success, it eventually became a service. I institution, I helped to establish its frst Residents’ lived there for about fve, six years but somehow I Committee. As it turned out, being the inaugural just didn’t feel at home with congregated living. It president of this Residents’ Committee was the often reminded me of the institution. Terefore, precursor of becoming the inaugural president of my aim in life was to get a place of my own. a statewide advocacy organization and of a Sup- I went about this in a very scheming manner. ported Accommodation Service. Te Residents’ “Mum” was the word–in more ways than one! Committee was only able to infuence change on Because I didn’t feel comfortable in confding in mundane things–basic, but important things; for Mum or my then-service provider, I had to be- instance, scattered meal times, menu options, hav- come very sneaky indeed. I was fortunate indeed ing a say in decor, having some voice in staf selec- to be able to gather some wonderful and beau- December 2010 13 tiful people around me. Tey were people with to never allow my disability to completely sub- whom I felt completely at ease to share my deep- sume me or to become over-preoccupied with it. est longings. I knew I could trust them. I knew We don’t want a service; we want, and deserve, they would follow me anywhere I wanted to go. a life. Having relationships–reciprocal relation- Together we took on the Department of Housing ships–is a central and pivotal component if we, and won. Together we took on the Brisbane City as people with disability as well as those without a Council and won. Together we strategised every- ‘labelled disability,’ are going to achieve this, that thing. I think most of all, we enjoyed whilst in is, get a life! (cf. Wolfensberger, Tomas & Ca- ‘the battle.’ ruso, 1996) So where am I at now, you might wonder? I have a great little unit in the West End area. I can walk Conclusion to the shops, I can walk to church, I can walk The above section is not only an attempt to to an accessible railway station. I am living in an tell you just a little bit about myself, but also to area which endeavours to be more of a commu- demonstrate that I have a very practical and inti- nity than just a suburb. I have a part-time job, as- mate understanding of social devaluation. I have sisting in the establishment of a Speech-to-Speech experienced, and do experience, oppression, dis- Relay telephone service for people with disability empowerment, disenfranchisement, and of course who need the assistance of a third person, a relay vulnerability. I not only experience these myself, operator, to make phone calls. but also know the vulnerability of my fellow trav- How do I really experience life at the moment, ellers who have disabilities. now that I am living in the community? At times Because generally people with disability are it seems like hard work. I have a mighty band systematically ostracised by society, from soci- of (personal care) workers, but they always need ety, ultimately they and we have become and are managing. Overtly or covertly, consciously or un- becoming more and more vulnerable, thus open consciously, there are times when they try to get to segregation, isolation, institutionalisation, ne- away without doing tasks. Tese times I fnd quite glect, abuse of all kind, even low expectations, difcult. In any kind of relationship, power dy- which is all encompassed in what Wolf Wolfens- namics are quite tenuous–I think none more so berger terms “deathmaking.” than in these kinds of situations. Te power of the idea of valued social roles Tere are times when I feel quite alone, which has helped me to have the courage and energy to can be a good thing in itself–that is, in a spiritual try to achieve an ordinary life. To quote my dear sense–but not if it turns into loneliness. Maybe friend, Joe Osburn, from his article ‘An Overview I have portrayed an erroneous notion to others. of Social Role Valorization Teory’: Because they see me going of to work three days a week, going of to meetings and the like, see my Te major goal of SRV is to create or sup- (personal care) workers coming in at least twice port socially valued roles for people in their daily, I must be doing quite okay, thank you very society, because if a person holds valued much! What about my need for intimacy? What social roles, that person is highly likely to about my need to feel loved and to love uncon- receive from society those good things in life ditionally? What about my need to feel I belong? that are available to that society, and that Like everyone else on this earth, I search for life’s can be conveyed by it, or at least the oppor- meaning and my particular calling. My disability tunities for obtaining these. In other words, is not me! It is just an appendage; yeah, a fairly sig- all sorts of good things that other people are nifcant ‘added on bit,’ but I must do my utmost able to convey are almost automatically apt 14 The SRV JOURNAL

to be accorded to a person who holds soci- REFERENCES etally valued roles, at least within the re- sources and norms of his/her society. Osburn, J. (2006). An overview of Social Role Valorization theory. Te SRV Journal, 1(1), 4–13.

For the major part of my life, when I was en- Wolfensberger, W. (1998). A brief introduction to Social Role deavouring to bring about positive and lasting Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of so- changes for myself, and also later on in the lives cietally devalued people, and for structuring human services (3rd of others, I frankly was not aware of ‘Normaliza- ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Training Institute for Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. tion’ or ‘Social Role Valorization’ (Wolfensberger, 1998). So what drove me? As someone with a dis- Wolfensberger, W., Tomas, S. & Caruso, G. (1996). Some ability, labelled as having ‘high support’ needs, I of the universal ‘good things of life’ which the implementa- wanted to make at least a start at setting the record tion of Social Role Valorization can be expected to make more accessible to devalued people. SRV/VRS: Te Interna- straight. Tere is obviously a l-o-n-g way to go, tional Social Role Valorization Journal/La Revue Internation- but there must be a beginning point. For people ale de la Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux, 2(2), 12–14. with disabilities to be able to attain equal status in society, it must be acknowledged and embraced MICHAEL DUGGAN is a long-term activist for a that we all share a common humanity–created, I more just society & a member of the Manage- believe, by a very Loving and Caring God. • ment Committee of CRU in Brisbane (AUS).

THE CITATION FOR THIS COLUMN IS Duggan, M. (2010). Te value of SRV to people’s lives. Te SRV Journal, 5(2), 10–14.

Since you are reading this journal, why not tell someone else about it? We believe Social Role Valorization is an important tool that concerned individuals can use to address social devaluation in people’s lives. As someone who shares that belief, encourage others to read and subscribe to the only journal dedicated to SRV. Information available at http://www.srvip.org/journal_general.php. Some Further Thoughts on the Limits & Capabilities of Social Role Valorization

Wolf Wolfensberger

n critiquing Social Role Valorization things (rather than the missing limbs) may render (SRV), people sometimes say that while SRV such a child very incompetent, dependent for life, may combat devaluation and wound-striking, or even dead. Iit does nothing about certain impairing, painful 3. Being positively imaged–as emphasized by or disfguring afictions that a person may have. SRV–makes it easier to recruit address of afic- For instance, SRV does not eradicate Down’s syn- tions. For instance, it is only when a person who drome, insanity, scoliosis, senility, etc. However, has a condition such as Down’s syndrome, PKU, such critiques commonly fail to take fve realities cerebral palsy, or senility is seen and interpreted into consideration. as a valuable and worthwhile human being, and/ 1. One of the themes of SRV is the importance or in valued roles in family and society, that all of employing a developmental model, with its sorts of opportunities are likely to be provided to emphasis on positive expectancies, and the pro- do something about these conditions and the im- motion of competencies. Te actualization of pairments they generate. Without such positive the developmental model will therefore relieve or interpretations, such persons might not be ofered overcome at least some afictions. medical care, surgery, prosthetics, education, the 2. Te wounds resulting from devaluation that guiding presence of other people, and similar SRV might be able to address can have a vastly things that can do much to alleviate the efects of more devastating impact on a person than an af- these conditions. fiction, disfgurement, etc. For instance, even However, it is a disproportionate emphasis on having been born with missing limbs, a child can imagery, and a neglect of the competency and de- still grow up and lead a relatively normal life (ex- velopmental model implications, that can result in emplifed by many children who were disfgured a pessimistic stance toward a person’s afictions. by Talidomide) as long as the child flls valued 4. Occupying valued roles can be a decisive com- roles, with all the good things that usually result pensation for those suferings that are irreducible, therefrom, such as being provided with a stable regardless from what source they come. For instance, and loving family, a decent education, integration even when nothing can be done to stop an aged per- into the ordinary activities of life, and opportu- son’s mental deterioration, or to restore the sight of nities to participate–all things that tend to come a blind person, or to enable a paralyzed person to with positively valued roles. But if that child is walk again, if such persons hold valued roles, then rejected, put away, denied an education, and sub- these are apt to be sources of comfort, of a sense of jected to many of the other typical wounds, these purpose and security, and even of joy and happiness. 16 The SRV JOURNAL

All four points are illustrated in the life of former stabilize, or decline more slowly; a mentally re- Superman actor Christopher Reeve who got para- tarded person may actually function more intel- lyzed in an accident. He never walked again or was ligently; a senile person may be less confused; etc. able to take care of any of his bodily needs, but it Te above thoughts must be considered in the is clear that his valued roles as husband and father, context of the general limitations of SRV, which movie star and former athlete enabled him to con- are very briefy reviewed at the end of Introduc- tinue to live, to participate in many activities (he tory SRV workshops, and which are explained at frequently traveled to one function or another), to length in the Advanced SRV workshop. • resume professional acting and even to assume new valued roles, such as flm director, advocate, public WOLF WOLFENSBERGER, PHD, is Emeritus Professor at Syracuse speaker and leader of voluntary organizations. University & directs the Training Institute for Human Service 5. Finally, if valued roles do bring peace, rec- Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry, Syracuse, NY (US). onciliation, comfort, joy, etc., to a person’s mind, then at least those afictions that are afected by THE CITATION FOR THIS ARTICLE IS Wolfensberger, W. (2010). Some further thoughts on the a person’s mental state may be alleviated. For in- limits & capabilities of Social Role Valorization. Te SRV stance, an insane person may become less insane, Journal, 5(2), 15-16. or even recover; a sick person may recover faster, What Does Social Role Valorisation Have to Teach Us About How Best to Support People with Disability?

John Armstrong

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article was (e.g., beauty, wealth, competence, youthfulness, commissioned by Disability Services Queensland independence, etc). Te opposites of such quali- (Australia) to be used with orienting its profes- ties are regarded negatively (e.g., ugliness, age, ill- sional staf. Tis article would be particularly ness, incompetence, dependence, etc.) and thus useful as a handout at staf meetings or at SRV- anyone seen to embody those negative qualities related workshops. becomes devalued, at least to some extent. Peo- ple seen to contravene important social values or ometimes the focus upon people’s physi- many social values will likely be more signifcantly cal and intellectual impairments obscures devalued, and especially so if there are no appar- the realisation that people are also very de- ent positive qualities observed in the person, like Svalued by their society and community, and often some valued history, skill or association to others. even by human service agencies themselves. De- Tus, when serving a particular class of people, valuation brings social repercussions to people’s it will be important to know in what ways that situations that can be more impactful and perva- class is likely to be judged negatively or be other- sive than the intrinsic impairments that occupy wise vulnerable. In addition, it is important to re- much of our attention. alise what pre-existing ideas may exist in a culture Tis article introduces the reader to the major about a particular group of people, ideas which implications of social devaluation and proposes can create an additional risk for them. People a set of strategic responses, utilising substantial with an intellectual disability, for example, have empirical evidence taken from the felds of edu- long had a mixture of positive but also particu- cation, psychology and social science, especially larly negative images and ideas held about them. role theory. Some negative expectations are that such people Devaluation is the name given to the negative will be slow, display inappropriate emotions, have judgement made by others about the relative clumsy movements and childish interests, be eas- worth of another person or class of people. Te ily distracted, tend to be gullible, stare and gape, capacity for devaluation has been present across dress oddly, have poor grooming and communi- all time and historic periods. Te nature and di- cate with little or indistinct speech. rection of devaluation in a culture is signifcantly Some of the assumed social roles for people infuenced by the prevailing social values that in- with an intellectual disability include: eternal dicate or even dictate what qualities people in that child, village idiot, sex ofender (especially against culture must have to become valuable or desirable children), arsonist, clumsy clod. 18 The SRV JOURNAL

When considering these two lists (one being the people are likely to respond with sadness or rage ideas about people and the other the actual roles and see life only through their own experiences. ascribed to people), one begins to realise just how Te tremendous sense of insecurity and distrust is much risk people with a disability face–particu- compounded by problematic testing of relation- larly when they are presented to society in even ships and pre-occupation with past relationships the slightest way that conforms to any of this–and or fantasising about relationships that may have the importance of ensuring that a service does not never existed. Wounding can drive people to be- unwittingly reinforce an already existing nega- come irrational and impulsive, and some of these tive stereotype or vulnerability surrounding that problems (like talking about oneself all the time group or class. or insatiably seeking contact) can lead to even fur- Socially valued people very typically respond ther devaluation and rejection from others. in negative ways to devalued people. Low status A sensitive analysis of the wounds of people will invites and ‘legitimises’ bad treatment.1 Te bad bring to light a more adaptive response to peo- treatment has many universal features and is so ple’s circumstances than most of the typical as- detrimental that Wolf Wolfensberger uses the sessments and checklists that are commonly given metaphor of “wounds” to describe them (Wolfen- in services. Worst of all is to fail to appreciate or sberger, 1998, 12). For instance, it is very com- to underestimate the social dilemma that people mon for devalued people to become rejected be- face, while we remain in the relative safety and cause of their low status. Tis rejection produces security of our paid and professional identity, thus behavioural responses that include casting deval- possibly becoming yet another source of these ued people into negative roles (like ‘vegetable,’ wounding events. menace, eternal child, sick or diseased organism, Clearly, our frst response is to become keen- etc.) and locating them into environments that ly aware of the potential for devaluation, even convey negative images (dirty, decay, contagious, caused by our actions, and the precarious social dangerous, etc.). Te rejection is compounded position of service recipients who face a relent- by locating people away from others where free- less exposure to wounding events. Such awareness ly given relationships are replaced by paid ones. calls for a pro-social orientation that motivates Authorities take control of every aspect of their our best judgement and expertise towards actions life, including being moved around arbitrarily so that prevent, reverse and compensate for the dis- that people more and more lose contact and con- advantaged position people are in. tinuity with family, friends and even possessions. What has been found that is an antidote to de- Te experience of having so little expected of you valuation? What could be so powerful as to both leads to trifing investments to the point of “life alter the perception of the observer and ensure wasting.” Yet so many wounded people still per- people get access to a good life? sistently wait for something benefcial to happen Te strongest indication of a person’s status rela- to them. Historically the bad treatment has too tive to observers (and the person themselves) is via often resulted in people being neglected and mal- their social role. Tus if one wants to increase the treated to the point that their very life is in peril. value of a person in the eyes of others–and im- If one has received many of these wounds and prove their resultant treatment–one would have from an early age, the impact can be devastating to change the value of the role or change their and life-defning. Tat is, one may become pri- role to one of greater value. Tis concept has been marily known through one’s poverty or by one’s called Social Role Valorisation, or SRV. Indeed, negative role(s) and the accompanying abandon- the aim of this strategy is to enable a person to ment from familiar community. Deeply wounded experience the ‘Good Tings in Life’ (Wolfens- December 2010 19 berger, Tomas & Caruso, 1996) that others en- ate consoler, honest and forthright speaker, the joy: a home, security, to be appreciated, to be able moral conscience of others, ice-breaker at gather- to work or contribute to others, to have a positive ings. It is possible to think about ways that these reputation, a chance to grow and develop, to have positive impressions could be enhanced and built a range of roles and relationships, to belong, and upon. How might that be done? many others aspects that most people agree are Messages and roles to and about people are the things we most appreciate in a good life. In communicated via the same ‘channels.’ Tat is, fact, the more roles a person has, and the more they are communicated via: valued are those roles, the more chance a person t
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BQ- become available. Competency itself is highly pearance, names of a service, logos and fund- valued and therefore is a powerful way of coun- ing sources). teracting devaluation. A role provides a powerful Each of these occurs in daily life–but they also context for competency attainment that when function within human service contexts to signal used properly brings relevance to instructional to people about how they (and others) should be- and therapeutic eforts. Tese ideas are incorpo- have. You could use these six channels to assess rated in a service approach known as the Develop- what kind of message and role expectations a ser- mental Model, that utilises the most relevant and vice is presently giving people. As a rule of thumb, potent ways of building people’s capacities. For it will usually be benefcial if these channels com- example, the developmental model incorporates bine in ways that match how the valued part of a relentless pursuit of competency enhancement the culture operates. Te more a service practice by providing opportunities for frequent experi- diverges from valued cultural practices, the more ences that are challenging at a level believed to likely that negative expectations and impressions be within the person’s ability (often referred to as will be conveyed about people, especially if they “the dignity of risk”). are already suspected of being devalued. Images that surround a person or group cre- Tus a powerful and related component of de- ate strong expectations and messages about that livering an efective service is to do so in ways group. Tey might be positive and constructive that approximate, as much as possible, how simi- or negative; incorporating such messages as flth, lar needs of people would be met in the valued poverty, disease, danger, incompetence, depen- parts of the culture. In other words, to educate dence, laziness and distrust and the like, or some as the culture does; to receive health care, work, of the specifc image and role risks covered earlier. friends, a home as other valued people do. We of- Negative ideas are not the only stereotypes held ten talk about using ‘generic services’ wherever we about people with a disability–there are positive can, because they are also used by ordinary people ones as well. For example, society also holds im- and are therefore usually typical of valued cul- pressions of intellectually disabled people as being tural practices. Generic arrangements also tend to trusting, innocent, open and spontaneous, telling be safer than segregated environments. As such, things as they see it, joy in simple things, bringing they signifcantly enhance the status and role of gentleness from others, and roles like compassion- devalued people who use them and dramatically 20 The SRV JOURNAL increase the chances that they will be seen more can be done in discussion with the person and favourably, even to the extent of having contact, others in their life: what daily roles do they have, interactions and relationships with valued people. those that are less frequent, any special interest Te more distant a service response is from how roles, do we know about all of the relationship the rest of the culture operates, the less likely re- roles they have, roles within their house/neigh- cipients will be seen as like other people, which bourhood, and so on. Typically, the role inven- potentially freezes them out of ordinary contact tories of devalued people are smaller and contain with their community. more negative roles compared with valued coun- Tese perspectives allow us to examine our own terparts. Yet once known, this inventory becomes conduct. We each desire to be of real service to the building blocks for ‘valorising’ the person’s people, don’t we? We talk about being ‘person roles, meaning that we pursue new possibilities: centered,’ ‘fexible’ and ‘individualised,’ amongst to build new positive roles, or upgrade existing many other buzz words that abound in our feld. roles, or make a negative role less negative, or a But are we really? Or are we just going along with combination of these approaches. Te roles that the way things have always been done, failing to are built create the life we imagined possible, and really see what we have done? will transform the person’s standing, opportuni- Where to start? ‘Before one starts, one should ties and reputation in the eyes of others. have the end in mind.’ What kind of life might an It won’t happen overnight, but neither will it hap- individual have if they received the right supports? pen if we individually and collectively fail to act. Te answer is almost always–an ordinary life. SRV has some helpful strategies that guide real Seeking an optimistically realistic outlook about change in our practice and expectations of what a person’s future allows us to consider what sup- is possible for people with disabilities and their ports are needed: where might they come from, families. When this is combined with profes- can they be ofered in unpaid/informal ways, can sional knowledge and ethic-driven motivation, we utilise services that valued people use, can they the contributions of individuals and combined be used when they are typically used by others, team efort can become an awesome force for re- what skills and images are needed by someone in ally changing lives. • these settings, what roles are we trying to develop with a person? SEE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ON PAGE 60

Not everything will be possible immediately, ENDNOTES but having a vision of what life could be like pro- vides a powerful–even essential–requirement for 1. Nothing truly legitimises bad treatment. But because hu- creating a better life. For one thing, a vision allows mans judge situations largely through what they perceive, us to examine our immediate goals and priorities low status when applied to people acts as a legitimising force, excusing and virtually inviting actors to behave poor- and assess to what extent they contribute to the ly and to do so without censure from their own conscience future life we imagined possible. If our present or by the conscience of others. priorities contribute to a better future, then our initiative may be said to be relevant to that per- 2. It is not wrong that staf and family needs get met by son’s future. If it does not contribute, it will not service arrangements. It becomes a moral problem though when the needs of the service recipient are sacrifced so that be just irrelevant but may even be life-wasting, only the needs of others are met. perhaps because it is meeting the needs of other 2 parties, like staf or family members. REFERENCES It will be important to also know the current roles of the people you support. A role inventory Wolfensberger, W. (1998). A brief introduction to Social Role Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of so- December 2010 21 cietally devalued people, and for structuring human services (3rd ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Training Institute for JOHN ARMSTRONG works as a consultant & Senior SRV Trainer Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. in Australia & New Zealand, & is a corresponding member of the North American SRV Development, Training & Safe- Wolfensberger, W., Tomas, S. & Caruso, G. (1996). Some guarding Council. See John’s website http://www.socialrolevalo- of the universal ‘good things of life’ which the implementa- rization.com/ tion of Social Role Valorization can be expected to make more accessible to devalued people. SRV/VRS: Te Interna- THE CITATION FOR THIS ARTICLE IS tional Social Role Valorization Journal/La Revue Internatio- Armstrong, J. (2010). What does Social Role Valorisation nale de la Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux, 2(2), 12–14. have to teach us about how best to support people with dis- ability? Te SRV Journal, 5(2), 17–21. Column

On a Role

Marc Tumeinski

Introduction: Purpose & Background understand social roles so that we can support a We intend to run this column for several issues. societally devalued person/group in a valued role? Our goal is to give a basic look at a specifc valued A role can be described as a societally-expected social role in each column, providing a helpful fo- pattern of responsibilities, behaviors, expectations cus and a foundation for further individual refec- and privileges. Student, aunt or uncle, athlete, tion and group discussion. Tis column is aimed receptionist, parishioner, customer, chef and au- at those learning and teaching Social Role Valori- thor are examples of valued roles. Roles indicate zation (SRV), and those applying SRV. Its content a person’s social status, i.e., they give us a place is meant to be illustrative, not exhaustive. (NB: in the world, and also help us to ‘place’ or situate Page numbers in this column refer to Wolfens- others in the world (39). Roles help us answer the berger’s 1998 monograph about SRV.) question: what is this person/group’s status and Regarding SRV, it is minimally essential to be place in this society, town, neighborhood, family, able to (a) think and plan in terms of social roles, school or classroom, workplace, club, church? (b) make the connection between valued roles Roles tell others what to expect of the person in and the ‘good things of life,’ and (c) operational- the role and help shape the mind of the person who ize a particular social role into concrete strategies, flls the role or is being ‘role-cast.’ What am I ex- goals, next steps and so on. Tese are useful men- pected to do in my role as husband or wife, friend, tal habits which can be learned and practiced. co-worker, neighbor, student, team member? What A few caveats: the description of any particular can I expect from this person who is a police ofcer, role will be simplifed to ft within a brief column. nurse, fellow gym member, teacher or taxi driver? Note also that social roles are more or less shaped by A key premise of SRV is that acquiring valued the culture of the prevailing society (whether that social roles helps someone to be spared at least society is as broad as a national culture or as narrow some of the wounds which result from social and as a particular town or social club), which can afect societal devaluation, and also opens the door to its particular expression in that culture, what ‘good the ‘good things of life,’ such things as home, things of life’ are associated with that role, and so on. good health, relationships, meaningful ways to spend time, and so on (46). Tis connection lies A Quick Sketch of the Concept of Social at the heart of addressing societal devaluation. Roles, Especially Valued Social Roles Roles afect: how a person or group in a particu- What is a social role? What can we teach about lar role spends their time, how they dress, who roles from an SRV perspective? How can we better they spend time with, where they go, the language December 2010 23 they use, and what they do. Social roles can vary others hold in their minds about an individual from small to big (31). Tis can be thought of as the or group” (63). Competency refers “very broadly role’s bandwidth. Mother or father is a wide band- to integrity of body and mind, what is in a per- width role; customer in a store or restaurant is fairly son’s behavioral repertoire, social competencies, narrow. Wider bandwidth roles, if they are socially and the skills, habits, motivations, and disciplines valued, typically have greater chances of opening with which these internal resources are used” (70). the door to the ‘good things of life’ for a devalued person or group. Some social roles are more likely An Important Clarifcation to create greater opportunities for participation in Regarding the Nature & Existence socially valued activities and relationships (97). of Specifc Valued Social Roles In terms of acquiring roles, we may choose to step Some servers (employees or volunteers of hu- into a role or we may have a role imposed on us (28). man service organizations) can get confused about We choose our friends, for example, but we are not whether a particular role which someone has is truly always thrilled about becoming a taxpayer. Either socially valued. Tey may talk about a role as socially way, if the role is a valued one which might bring valued that by most people in society would not be some beneft to a person/group, then we can do cer- considered valued. Te client role is a prime example tain things to help the person/group learn and carry of this confusion (Wolfensberger & Tomas, 1994). out the role, perhaps even to the point of deeply in- Another example might be staf of a residential pro- ternalizing the role. Acquiring, learning and inter- gram who describe a client of the program as being nalizing a valued role can take time of course. in the role of neighbor, because the person lives in a Certain ‘communicators’ will tell us about the role typical neighborhood. Tis of course may have some a person has, such as the setting, the person’s appear- surface validity, yet the person may still be unknown ance, what activity they are engaged in, who they in that neighborhood, never talked to by the other are in relationship with, plus any language or other neighbors or invited over to their homes. Physical miscellaneous imagery which surrounds them (107). presence in a particular setting is a necessary but not If for example we see a person sitting in a room with sufcient element of having a role. desks, books and computers; with other people rela- It can be benefcial to consider that SRV uses tively the same age, all of whom are reading, writing the minimum standard of what is typical or cul- and asking questions; while someone demonstrates turally normative, but even more calls for ‘bend- an experiment in the front of the room, asking ques- ing over backwards’ to push for what is highly tions of the people in the room; then we can surmise positively socially valued. I have found it help- that the person is in the student role. ful to encourage servers to refect on particular Relatedly, we can ask ourselves, how can we questions concerning the roles of the people they help make this person/group’s valued social role(s) serve, especially if they seem confused about the better known in their society, city, neighborhood, actual positiveness of certain roles. Such refection family, school or workplace? can help clarify the issues. Tese questions might Helping a societally devalued person or group serve as a type of litmus test, and can include: to acquire and/or maintain a valued social role requires paying attention to both image enhance- t
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Some of the ‘good things of life’ which the been protected from? worker role can open the door to include: pay and benefts; greater independence; increased compe- Valued Role of Employee for Adults tency; richer opportunities; skill, stamina and en- The social role of employee is one of the most durance development; an adult image of strength, highly valued roles in western countries, and falls commitment, competency and intelligence; rela- in the role domain of economic productivity and tionships; learning; an engaging and valuable way occupation (30). Te employee role is a fairly to spend time; and acting as a springboard for broad one that can take many forms and is also other pursuits (e.g., leisure) or even other work related to several other valued roles. Related roles roles. Particular job roles will have particular ben- might include volunteer, business owner and con- efts, broadly understood in terms of the ‘good sultant. Expressions of the social role of employee things of life.’ Are these ‘benefts’ that this par- are numerous, and are quite concrete (e.g., nurse, ticular devalued person or group needs? Are there desk clerk, postal worker, accountant). Certain other benefts which this job will likely not pro- variables add to this complexity, e.g., time worked vide? If not, might a diferent employee role be (full- or part-time), pay arrangements (salaried or preferable, or could the person perhaps have more hourly), longevity (temporary or career), and so than one job role? on. Typically, the worker role, particularly when Does this person/group have any particular vul- it is full-time, prestigious or well-paying, is a large nerabilities which the employee role can help com- bandwidth role in western countries. pensate for? Are they, for example, vulnerable to Some of the generic responsibilities of the worker getting confused easily, to being isolated and alone, role can include showing up and leaving on time, to further rejection because of their appearance, or fulflling particular job duties, getting along with to others having low expectations of their abilities? others (coworkers, customers), being honest and Particularly for societally devalued individuals and working hard. Particular responsibilities vary with groups, we can analyze what negative stereotypes the concrete work role, e.g., being a cashier in- the particular work role helps to counter, e.g., the volves being able to use the register, make change, worker role can counteract or lessen the efects of interact with customers, know the prices of prod- the negative stereotype of incompetence. ucts, realize when to ask for help from a manager, We should note also that so many societally etc. When it comes to supporting a societally de- devalued people/groups are cut of from the val- valued person or group in a valued work role, then ued role of employee/worker, which has a host of we should consider the particular responsibilities negative consequences, particularly in a society associated with that role. Can the person fulfll all that highly values work and employment. For ex- or most of the responsibilities? What help do they ample, it can further ensconce them into the de- need to do so? Who can best help them? What valued role of human service client and exacerbate skills do they need to learn? Who can best teach the wound of life-wasting, which has devastating them? Who can best role model these skills? image and competency impacts. Tough the worker role theoretically can be ei- As mentioned earlier, SRV calls for starting with ther acquired or attributed, it does typically require the standard of what is typical, and then bend- at least a certain level of competency, though that ing over backwards to reach for what is ideal for competency level can vary widely depending on the the person/group. We can start by observing and particular role. Some work roles require quite com- asking ourselves what other workers in a similar plex skill sets (accountant, engineer); others call for role dress, talk and act like. If we want to sup- simpler competencies (toll collector, dishwasher). port someone in the role of receptionist, then how December 2010 25 do other receptionists present themselves? What Now What? hours do they work? What skills do they need? For learning and teaching about SRV and How do others talk with them and about them? valued roles, we can use the framework above to How do they spend their time? What do they do begin to facilitate discussions, craft exercises, write when they frst show up for work, at breaks, dur- examples, develop teaching materials, etc., about ing lunch, and when they get ready to quit for the the role of employee. When it comes to applying day? And so on. SRV, the above might be helpful in a planning Regarding the setting of where people work, session, identifying with a devalued person, en- workers’ personal presentation is matched to the visioning possible work roles, etc. Understanding work setting as well as to the job expectations the reality and the dynamics of valued social roles (e.g., does the employee have to interact with cus- lies at the heart of learning, teaching and apply- tomers?; does the job involve manual labor?; is it ing SRV. Te more that people who are concerned an indoor job or an outdoor job?). with the lives of societally devalued individuals Language associated with the worker role is vast, and groups can habitually think and act in terms some of it technical, but it can include such lan- of social roles, the greater the likelihood that we guage as work, pay, vacation, hours, boss, cowork- will be able to make a concrete positive diference er, training, hiring and so on. Particular work in the lives of vulnerable people. • roles may have specifc language practices, which the devalued person and/or their servers and sup- Editor’s Note: My thanks to Jane Sherwin and porters should be aware of and use positively. Milt Tyree for their insights into the power of val- Regarding grouping, the worker may spend time ued roles, and for their constructive feedback on an primarily alone, or with coworkers, or with cowork- earlier draft of this column. ers and customers, and so on. Grouping questions can be crucial for competency enhancement, e.g., REFERENCES are there opportunities for formal and informal Wolfensberger, W. (1998). A brief introduction to Social Role role modeling at work? How can we take advantage Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of so- of or structure these, with an eye toward helping cietally devalued people, and for structuring human services (3rd the person internalize the role of worker? Who are ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Training Institute for good role models, and what particular aspect of the Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. work role are they modelling (i.e., appearance, ful- Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. (1994). An analysis of flling job duties, being on time, working well with the client role from a Social Role Valorization perspective. others)? A good job in other respects–such as pay, SRV/VRS: Te International Social Role Valorization Journal/ social status and so on–may not be the best ft for La Revue Internationale de la Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux, someone who truly needs to be in relationship with 1(1), 3-8. others if the role means that they work on their own most of the time. Such a situation might mean MARC TUMEINSKI is a trainer for the SRV Implementation Proj- ect in Worcester, MA (US) & editor of Te SRV Journal. supporting that person in additional valued roles which are likely to lead to mutual relationships THE CITATION FOR THIS COLUMN IS (i.e., gym member, neighbor, synagogue member). Tumeinski, M. (2010). On a role. Te SRV Journal, 5(2), We should also consider associated role behav- 22–25. iors. How does one take breaks and lunch, e.g., go- ing to the break room, bringing lunch, going out to eat, eating alone or with others? Do workers so- cialize together outside of work hours? And so on. Peer reviewed ArtiCle

Intellectual Disabilities & Institutionalization in Nova Scotia

Rachel Barken

Editor’s Note: Te following article is based on the alization, however, the Nova Scotia government author’s graduate-level research at Dalhousie Uni- continues to provide funding to expand existing versity in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Given the institutions (People First of Canada and Cana- historical and ongoing infuence of normalization/ dian Association for Community Living, 2007; Social Role Valorization on deinstitutionalization Nova Scotia Department of Community Services eforts in North America, this historical review and [DCS], 2008). In response to these issues, this contemporary analysis of deinstitutionalization in article addresses some of the socio-cultural and a particular Canadian province resonates strongly historical imperatives for the institutionalization with SRV teaching and application. Touching on and deinstitutionalization of people with intel- such topics as devalued roles, wounding, the likeli- lectual disabilities. It then provides a critique of hood of reproducing institutional care within com- institutional models in general and of Nova Sco- munity services if underlying social and societal de- tia’s current residential services policies. Tis work valuation is not adequately addressed, etc., this ar- represents some of the preliminary research that ticle is worthy of study and refection by our readers. I have done for a Master’s thesis in Sociology at Dalhousie University, in which I will examine the Introduction specifc socio-cultural imperatives that are embed- ccording to the 2008 Report of Resi- ded in the institutional and community models of dential Services, over seven hundred Nova care that currently exist in Nova Scotia. Scotians with intellectual disabilities are Acurrently segregated in institutional settings.1 Socio-historical Context of Institutionaliza- Te continued existence of institutions for peo- tion & Related ‘Deviant Roles’ ple with intellectual disabilities in the province n Canada, the institutionalization of stands in contrast with the deinstitutionalization people with intellectual disabilities began in that has occurred in some other parts of Canada the middle of the nineteenth century and and around the world, as well as with practices Iwas a common practice until the 1960s (Davis, supported by the World Health Organization, the 2006). Early institutions were established in ac- United Nations and many disability rights orga- cordance with the belief that people with dis- nizations. Tese groups advocate for people with abilities deserve charity and should be protected, intellectual disabilities to be provided support cared for and rehabilitated (Wolfensberger, 1975; based on their needs in integrated community Walmsley, 2005; Weeks, 1996).2 Following the settings. Instead of moving toward deinstitution- philosophy of Philippe Pinel, these asylums em- December 2010 27 phasized moral treatment, which is the belief that dition” and to the control and order associated the mentally ill and defective will exhibit the type with it (Hughes, 2009, 405). Tese fears can be of behaviour that is expected of them, and that if related to the high value placed on autonomy and they are treated as rational and capable adults they rationality in Western societies (Kittay, 2001). will act as such. Pinel and his followers believed On a more pragmatic level, people with intel- that a “strictly controlled environment” such as an lectual disabilities might be viewed as a menace asylum was the best place for moral treatment to to the non-disabled because of the individual risk occur (Weeks, 1996, 4-5). Since care in asylums they are thought to pose to others through “al- emphasized development (rather than simply leged crimes against persons and property” as well custodial care) with the goal of reintegrating pa- as the collective risk they are thought to contrib- tients into mainstream society, asylums were often ute “to social disorganization and genetic decline” considered more benevolent and progressive than (Wolfensberger, 1975,13). Te idea that people the earlier segregation of ‘lunatics’ with criminals, with disabilities are a genetic threat became espe- poor people and other socially deviant groups in cially prevalent in North America during the eu- poorhouses and workhouses (Weeks, 1996). genics movement in the late 19th and early 20th Te idea that people with disabilities need to be century (Malcomson, 2008). During this time protected and cared for, however, may also pro- it was widely believed that segregated housing mote the belief that they are passive objects of pity for people who had ‘less desirable’ cognitive and rather than full human beings. Tis pity image physical capacities was an efective means of keep- is common in charity campaigns, which typically ing them from having children and ensuring that emphasize the individual sufering of people with only those who ft the prototype of the strong, ft disabilities and thus leads to others treating them and rational human being reproduced (Wolfens- as if they are wounded victims (Oliver, 1990). berger, 1975; Grifths & Brown, 2006). Tese attitudes, according to Shakespeare (1994), On another note, Oliver (1990) proposes that enable those without disabilities to feel “both institutions for people with intellectual disabili- powerful, and generous” (287-288). Historically, ties were established because they were an ef- they have served to justify paternalistic models of fcient way to deal with the burden created by care, including institutionalization (Wolfensberg- non-productive members of society. He suggests er, 1975; Walmsley, 2005). that the inability of people with disabilities to In contrast to this emphasis on charity, protec- perform industrial labour contributed to their in- tion and development, Wolfensberger (1975), stitutionalization during the early phases of capi- Shakespeare (1994), and Hughes (2009) also dis- talism in Western societies. As industrialization cuss how people with intellectual disabilities are occurred in Britain in the late eighteenth cen- often viewed as social deviants or menaces. Ac- tury, people with disabilities–both physical and cording to these authors, institutionalization can intellectual–were increasingly regarded as reliant be understood as a way for people to distance on others because they were unable to work in- themselves from that which they see as threaten- dependently in the factories that predominated ing or dangerous. On one level, Hughes (2009) during this period. In addition, the high value and Shakespeare (1994) suggest that people with placed on work outside the home in contrast to disabilities are often oppressed and excluded from caring work meant that people with disabilities mainstream society because they embody people’s who may have formerly lived with their families fears about being frail, vulnerable or incapable of in the community no longer did so because oth- independence. People with disabilities are thus er family members needed to spend more time seen as threatening “to the ‘civilized’ human con- working in order to meet the demands of capital- 28 The SRV JOURNAL ism. People with disabilities were therefore ‘dealt moral than institutionalization, made individuals with’ by being placed in institutions. and the private sector responsible for providing care for people with long-term mental illnesses Socio-historical Context of Deinstitutional- and disabilities who required support (Davis, ization & Community Services 2006; Teghtsoonian, 2009). n the latter half of the twentieth century, Studies suggest that the consequences and ef- community-based residential services that at- fectiveness of deinstitutionalization depend tempted to better integrate people with intel- considerably on the economic and political cir- Ilectual disabilities into mainstream society were cumstances in which it occurs and the rationale developed. Tis shift toward deinstitutionaliza- behind the community services model. Deinstitu- tion has occurred in varying degrees in difer- tionalization is not always a response to economic ent parts of Canada. While all large institutions imperatives, nor is it necessarily characteristic of have been closed in Newfoundland and Ontario, neo-liberal reforms, as the Swedish example illus- people with intellectual disabilities continue to trates. Here, increased funding for social services be institutionalized in other provinces, including that began as the welfare state developed in the Nova Scotia and Alberta (People First of Canada 1960s encompassed deinstitutionalization and and Canadian Association for Community Liv- the provision of community support services for ing, 2007). people with disabilities (Ericsson, 2002; Tideman, From one perspective, the process of deinstitu- 2005). Likewise, Bigby & Fyfe’s (2006) compara- tionalization can be seen as the result of chang- tive analysis shows how community group home ing attitudes toward people with disabilities and services in Australia are developed and imple- increasing awareness about the inhuman nature mented diferently depending on whether gov- of institutions. Davis (2006) notes that this oc- ernment authorities remain directly involved in curred as patients’ rights were included in the civil providing them or whether they are tendered out rights movements of the 1960s. Many of those to non-governmental organizations on a competi- who oppose institutionalization do so on the basis tive basis. Tey conclude that there are a number of certain assumptions, such as that people with of problems with the application of the “manage- intellectual disabilities should be treated as equal rialist or business principles” (570) that charac- human beings rather than objects of pity, that terize neo-liberal reforms to community services, they can live in the community with adequate including decreased change and involvement on supports, and that rather than being social men- the part of the broader community and a lack of aces they are more likely to be the victims rather continuity in the lives of residents. than the perpetrators of ofences (Wolfensberger, 1975; Johnson & Traustadóttir, 2005). Residential Services in Nova Scotia: Contrastingly, some argue that deinstitution- A ‘Continuum of Care’ alization was really motivated by the economic urrently, the Nova Scotia Depart- imperatives that characterized the shift from wel- ment of Community Services provides fare to neo-liberal forms of governance in North a ‘continuum of care’ for people with America. According to Scull (1984), deinstitu- Cdisabilities that includes both institutional and tionalization provided a means for Western gov- community models of support. Non-residential ernments, who were facing a fnancial crisis in the services include Direct Family Support, which is 1970s, to decrease public expenditures by closing funding for families to purchase respite services; institutions that were costly to maintain. Instead, Independent Living Support, which consists of up community care, justifed as more benevolent and to 21 hours a week of support for people who are December 2010 29 semi-independent and live in their own homes; (1961) similarly argues that people who live in insti- and Alternative Family Support, which is “sup- tutions learn certain behavioural traits that he calls port in an approved private family home” (DCS, ‘adjustments’ in order to adapt to the setting. Tese 2008, 13). Residential services range from Small adjustments are regarded as strange in mainstream Options Homes, which are supported homes society and thus lead to the further stigmatization of for three or fewer people; to Group Homes and people who have been institutionalized. Developmental Residences, where four to twelve Te continuum of care model in Nova Scotia is people live; to Adult Residential and Regional Re- also problematic because there is “a lack of capac- habilitation Centers, which are larger institutions ity” (DCS, 2008, 15) among the support options that house between 32 and 115 individuals who currently provided. Tis means that people often require higher levels of support and exhibit behav- remain in the same residential setting for long pe- iour that is thought to be challenging or problem- riods of time instead of moving from one setting atic in mainstream environments (DCS, 2008). to another as they are thought to be rehabilitated. In the 2008 Report of Residential Services, the Both faulty logic, as identifed by Taylor (2005), Nova Scotia Department of Community Services and organizational problems thus counteract the (DCS) claimed that rehabilitation is the aim of aims of the continuum of care model. Given these the continuum of care model and of the insti- problems, it is unlikely that such a model could ef- tutions that form a part of it. In many ways the fectively serve the best interests of the people with continuum refects the ‘least restrictive environ- intellectual disabilities who use these services. ment’ (LRE) principle that became popular in the United States in the1960s and 1970s. Supporters What Is Wrong with Institutions? The Per- of the LRE principle advocate for the continued petuation of Wounding & Devalued Roles existence of institutions at one end of a set of ser- oth academic researchers and dis- vices that range from the “least restrictive to most ability advocates have extensively doc- restrictive setting” (Taylor, 2005, 95). In doing so umented the oppressive and inhumane they believe that institutions can be rehabilitative Bnature of institutions. Gofman most famously and that residents will “move progressively to less describes this oppression in his ethnographic and less restrictive settings and ideally to indepen- study Asylums (1961), in which he details the de- dent living” (Taylor, 2005, 97). Similar goals are humanizing and isolating characteristics of a large refected in the mandate of Adult Residential and American psychiatric hospital. In this environ- Regional Rehabilitation Centers in Nova Scotia, ment residents were made to conform to institu- which purportedly aim to teach residents with in- tional life as they were stripped of their former tellectual disabilities community-oriented, inter- identity and their ability to make autonomous personal and life skills (DCS, 2008). decisions. Malacrida (2005) provides another ex- Taylor critiques the logic of the LRE principle, ample of the mistreatment that has occurred in however, because it assumes that more intensive institutions in her study of the Michener Centre, services can only be provided in a segregated envi- which was opened in Alberta in 1923 and contin- ronment. He argues that they could just as easily be ues to house people with intellectual disabilities made available in more integrated settings and that today. Based on in-depth interviews with former the most restrictive institutions have often failed at residents, Malacrida describes how they were providing proper support. Taylor further doubts that publicly humiliated and punished by being sent institutionalization can efectively ofer rehabilita- to ‘Time-out Rooms’ when they exhibited ‘resis- tion given that institutional life is so fundamentally tant behaviour’ such as refusing to follow eating, diferent from the outside community. Gofman sleeping and working routines; attempting to es- 30 The SRV JOURNAL cape the institution; or acting aggressively toward and experiences of the people who are actually liv- staf or other residents. A ‘Time-out Room’ was a ing in Riverview. small locked room with nothing but a mattress in While these examples point to some of the spe- it and with a small opening where staf could pass cifc instances of abuse that are likely to occur in food to the inmate. Te rooms also had one-way institutional settings, Wolfensberger’s historical mirrors so that staf and other residents could see tracing (1975) provides evidence that institution- in while the inmate could not see out. Such puni- al models are “unworkable” given the extent to tive practices exemplify the prison-like conditions which they have failed to provide proper support of this institution. in many parts of the world (69). Even if no spe- Te inhumanness of institutions is also docu- cifc abuses occur within an institution, the fact mented in the flm Freedom Tour (Boulanger, that people with intellectual disabilities are coer- 2008), in which people with intellectual disabili- cively placed in such settings without their own ties discuss their experiences in Canadian insti- choosing or against their will, and are not provid- tutions, including the Michener Centre. While ed with the opportunity to live in the same types these experiences include many instances of abuse of homes and communities that the majority of and mistreatment, the disability self-advocates other people are, refects the extent to which they in the flm argue that all institutions should be are often regarded as lesser human beings (Tosse- closed because institutionalization is a signifcant bro, 2005). Institutional life is thus problematic human rights injustice toward people with intel- because it “erodes the human spirit, diminishes lectual disabilities. Tis flm provides an especial- well-being and self-worth, and decreases people’s ly important perspective given that people with value in the wider community” (Nova Scotia Res- intellectual disabilities–whose voices have often idential Agencies Association, 2007). been silenced and who are often invisible in main- stream society–are providing their own views and Conclusion: The Reality & Challenge describing their experiences. of Segregation & Institutional Roles An example of the problematic nature of insti- in the Community tutions as they currently exist in Nova Scotia is the t their best, community-based residen- Riverview Residential Centre, which houses 100 tial services should provide people with people with long-term mental illnesses and dis- disabilities who require support a more abilities, where nineteen cases of physical, sexual Anormal life and enable them to be more fully and emotional of abuse were reported in the last integrated in the mainstream society. However, two years (Canadian Press, 9 September 2009). both disability rights advocates and scholars sug- In response to these abuses, the DCS undertook gest that many of these community-based ser- a review of Riverview (Mattson, Reade & Petti- vices often refect the institutional practices they pas, 2009). While this review addresses how con- aim to replace. In a 2001 report, human services ditions could be changed within the institution consultant Michael Kendrick wrote that residents pertaining to its physical environment, stafng of Nova Scotia Community Based Options do and fnances, it does not address whether or not not live in real homes even if they are located in it is the right thing for people with intellectual the community: disabilities to be living in such a setting. Further- more, while the review does include interviews Many CBO residents have little say in with some of Riverview’s staf and board members where their homes are located, in the type as well as focus groups with family members, no of accommodation, in the key rules of the research was conducted to garner the perspectives home, in those that they live with, in those December 2010 31

who are selected as staf. Tey are then not that increased community inclusion is a necessary living in a real home . . . but in a facility, a means of fostering greater acceptance of people quasi-public place invaded by bureaucracy with intellectual disabilities in our society. In this . . . in a mini-institution under the con- light, Hubert (2000) describes how we value the trol of others (Kendrick, 60-65, as cited in lives of those who are seen as an integral part of Clark & Quinton, 2001). our communities and families much more than we value the lives of those who remain excluded Similarly, People First of Canada and the Ca- and invisible in institutions. She writes that when nadian Association for Community Living defne “someone crosses the threshold into an institu- an institution as “any place in which people do tion, people’s perceptions of them change, atti- not have, or are not allowed to exercise control tudes towards their behaviour are diferent and over their lives and their day to day decisions.” they become ideologically as well as physically An institution is therefore not simply defned by excluded” (Hubert, 2000, 197).3 In her anthro- the number of residents, but by the characteristics pological study, Hubert compares perceptions of the environment that might enable or restrict of people with disabilities who have been insti- residents to enjoy the same freedoms and respon- tutionalized with those who have not. She fnds sibilities that the majority of other people do in that family members, care staf and professionals their own homes. largely defned men with severe intellectual dis- An example of institutional practices that have abilities who were living on a locked institutional continued in the community is the lowest common ward in an entirely negative sense; considering denominator (Wolfensberger, 2005, 336) approach them simply as institutionalized, disabled people employed in some residences. Gardner & Glanville with neither personal histories nor futures outside (2005) refer to a secure group home in Australia of the institution. In contrast, families described where doors are locked at all times because some their children with similar types of disabilities residents have a tendency to wander away from the who lived at home, instead of in an institution, home and get lost. Other residents, however, would in terms of “their pasts and futures, and reciprocal be capable of entering and exiting their home free- relationships” (199). ly, but they must adapt to restrictions put in place In a discussion of her severely disabled daughter for their housemates. Tis approach restricts the Sesha, Kittay (2001) similarly reminds us that the freedoms of residents who require lower levels of family and community integration of people with support and could safely choose when to enter or intellectual disabilities serves as an important re- exit their home, in order to suit the needs of those minder of the relational aspects of personhood: who require more support. Tis is a recognized problem in Nova Scotia as well, where the place- Because we as a family have been able to ment of people with disabilities in residential care keep Sesha in our home and community, depends largely on the type of services available and those who have made contact with her the needs of the group rather than those of the in- . . . have gained new perspectives on what dividual (DCS, 2008). Symbolically, secure homes it means to be a person . . . that being a that lock residents in while keeping others out re- person has little to do with rationality and fect “the classic institutional context,” even when everything to do with relationships – to our they are physically located in mainstream commu- world and to those in it (566-67). nity settings (Gardner & Glanville, 2005, 228). Despite the challenges inherent in the provision Hubert and Kittay’s insights serve as important of community services, I nevertheless maintain reminders of the extent to which attitudes towards 32 The SRV JOURNAL disability could be changed if people with disabili- the wider society for an appreciable period of time, together ties were more fully integrated in society. Given lead an enclosed, formally administered round of life” (xi). that we are less likely to devalue and conceive of 2. Te frst asylum established in Nova Scotia was Mount those who are included in the community as out- Hope, in Dartmouth, in 1858. Mount Hope is now the siders or as the ‘other,’ it is more likely that we will Nova Scotia Hospital (Weeks, 1996). consider it morally necessary to provide them with the same opportunities in life as other people. 3. Editor’s Note: Consider how this point connects to valued roles, in that SRV afrms that valued roles are a key to personal In order for increased inclusion to occur, inten- social integration and valued social participation; and that valued sive community services planning and co-ordina- roles help to create positive perceptions of socially devalued people. tion is necessary at the level of the government, of non-governmental organizations, and of the indi- REFERENCES vidual and their support network. In many ways, this preparation must occur within the “receiving Bigby, C. & Fyfe, C. (2006). Tensions between institution- community,” and has little to do with “the limita- al closure and deinstitutionalization: What can be learned from Victoria’s institutional redevelopment? Disability & tions of the individual” with a disability (Grifths Society, 21(6), 567-581. & Brown, 2006, 14). I argue that community ser- vices need to be developed in this way in order to Boulanger, J. (Producer & co-ordinator). (2008). Te Free- ensure that Nova Scotians with intellectual dis- dom Tour/En Route pour la Liberté [Motion picture]. Win- abilities are attributed due value and respect. nipeg: People First of Canada. Other social scientists have researched both the Canadian Press. (9 September 2009). 19 abuse cases at Ri- causes and efects of institutionalization (see Gof- verton residential centre. Retrieved from www.cbc.ca. man, 1961; Wolfensberger 1975; Hubert, 2000; Malacrida, 2005). By critiquing institutional mod- Clark, J. & Quinton, M. (January 2001). A synopsis of the Kendrick report: An independent evaluation of the Nova Scotia els, these studies have contributed to increased Community Based Options community residential service sys- awareness about the problematic nature of institu- tem. Unpublished manuscript. tions and have provided evidence that community models of support are necessary. As such models Davis, S. (2006). Deinstitutionalization and regionaliza- become increasingly prevalent, further research tion. In S. Davis, Community mental health in Canada: Te- ory, policy, and practice into how the shift from institutional to commu- . Vancouver: UBC Press, 103-110. nity care is occurring will be instrumental to ensur- Ericsson, K. (2002). From institutional life to community par- ing that these services are developed morally and ticipation: Ideas and realities concerning support to persons with humanely, and to ensuring that institutional mod- intellectual disabilities. Uppsala, Sweden: Uppsala University. els are not simply reconstructed in community & settings. Accordingly, my Master’s thesis examines Gardner, J. Glanville, L. (2005). New forms of insti- tutionalization in the community. In K. Johnson & R. the social context of the ‘continuum of care’ model Traustadóttir (Eds.), Deinstitutionalization and people with of residential services that currently exists in Nova intellectual disabilities: In and out of institutions. London: Scotia. Tis article represents some of the prelimi- Jessica Kingsley, 222-230. nary work that I have done for that project. • Gofman, E. (1961). Asylums: Essays on the social situation SEE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ON PAGE 60 of mental patients and other inmates. New York: Doubleday Anchor Books. ENDNOTES Griftths, D. & Brown, I. (2006). Commentary on Hen- 1. Many people typically understand an ‘institutional setting’ nen’s “Te efects of deinstitutionalization.”Clinical Bulletin as it is defned by Gofman (1961) as “a place of residence of the Developmental Disabilities Division, University of West- where a large number of like-situated individuals, cut of from ern Ontario, 17(2&3), 9-17. December 2010 33

Hubert, J. (2000). Te social, individual, and moral conse- Taylor, S.J. (2005). Te institutions are dying, but are not quences of physical exclusion in long-stay institutions. In J. dead yet. In K. Johnson & R. Traustadóttir (Eds.), Deinsti- Hubert (Ed.), Madness, disability, and social exclusion: Te tutionalization and people with intellectual disabilities: In archaeology and anthropology of diference. London: Rout- and out of institutions. London: Jessica Kingsley, 93-107. ledge, 196-207. Teghtsoonian, K. (2009). Depression and mental health in Hughes, B. (2009). Wounded/monstrous/abject: A critique neoliberal times: A critical analysis of policy and discourse. of the disabled body in the sociological imaginary. Disabil- Social Science & Medicine, 69, 28-35. ity & Society, 24(4), 399-410. Tideman, M. (2005). Conquering life: Te experienc- Johnson, K. & Traustadóttir, R. (Eds.). (2005). Deinstitu- es of the frst integrated generation. In K. Johnson & R. tionalization and people with intellectual disabilities: In and Traustadóttir (Eds.), Deinstitutionalization and people with out of institutions. London: Jessica Kingsley. intellectual disabilities: In and out of institutions. London: Jessica Kingsley, 211-221. Kittay, E.F. (2001). When care is justice and justice is caring: Te case of care for the mentally retarded. Public culture: So- Tossebro, J. (2005). Refections on living outside: Continu- ciety for transnational cultural studies, 13(3), 557-579. ity and change in the life of ‘outsiders’. In K. Johnson & R. Traustadóttir (Eds.), Deinstitutionalization and people Malacrida, C. (2005). Discipline and dehumanization in with intellectual disabilities: In and out of institutions. Lon- a total institution: Institutional survivors’ descriptions of don: Jessica Kingsley, 186-202. time-out rooms. Disability & Society, 20(5), 523-537. Walmsley, J. (2005). Institutionalization: A historical per- Malcomson, T. (2008). Applying selected SRV themes to spective. In K. Johnson & R. Traustadóttir (Eds.), Deinsti- the eugenic movement in Canada & the United States, tutionalization and people with intellectual disabilities: In 1890-1972. Te SRV Journal, 3(1), 34-51. and out of institutions. London: Jessica Kingsley, 51-65.

Mattson, B., Reade, A. & Pettipas, D. (December 2009). Weeks, C. (1996). Te frst 100 years: Te role of Sunset ARC Report on Riverview Home Corporation. Prepared for De- in the evolution of mental health care in Nova Scotia. Pug- partment of Community Services, Services for Persons wash, NS: Sunset Residential and Rehabilitation Services. with Disabilities. Wolfensberger, W. (1975). Te origin and nature of our insti- Nova Scotia Department of Community Services. (June tutional models. Syracuse, NY: Human Policy Press. 2008). Report of Residential Services. Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. (2007). PASSING: A tool Nova Scotia Residential Agencies Association. (2007). Po- for analyzing service quality according to Social Role Valori- sition paper on deinstitutionalization. Retrieved from www. zation criteria. Ratings manual. (3rd rev.ed.). Syracuse, NY: institutionwatch.ca. Syracuse University Training Institute for Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. Oliver, M. (1990). Te politics of disablement: A sociological approach. New York: St. Martin’s Press. RACHEL BARKEN is a Master’s candidate in Sociol- ogy at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. People First of Canada and Canadian Association for Com- munity Living. (2007). Provincial/Territorial Updates. Re- trieved from www.institutionwatch.ca. THE CITATION FOR THIS ARTICLE IS Barken, R. (2010). Intellectual disabilities & institutional- Scull, A. (1984). Decarceration: Community treatment ization in Nova Scotia. Te SRV Journal, 5(2), 26-33. and the deviant–A radical view (2nd ed). Cambridge: Polity Press.

Shakespeare, T. (1994). Cultural representations of disabled people: Dustbins for disavowal. Disability & Society 9(3), 283-301. A Two-Hour Visit to a Rehab Facility

Frank Reed with Marc Tumeinski

ow many times do we have the oc- Te following notes sent to me by Frank Reed, casion to drive past a human service who has attended several of our shorter training program, wait in the lobby of a service events (www.srvip.org), prompted me to consider Horganization or take a brief walk through a pro- the prevalence of such learning opportunities: gram–whether a nursing home, rest home, special education program, sheltered workshop, adult Tis past summer, I had the occasion to go day health center, homeless shelter, food pantry, to a rehabilitation facility to visit John who jail or prison, and so on? How often do we read had just entered the facility. Te purpose of an article in a magazine, newspaper or online that my visit was to try to accommodate John’s touches on a human service program, or see a flm request for help arranging a transition from or news clip that does the same? the rehab to a community setting with sup- Even such brief times of observation, if we are ports. He had told me that he was extremely aware of and take advantage of them, can pro- unhappy at the facility, and asked me to vide opportunities for SRV-specifc refection, visit to see for myself what he felt were un- which can then help us to learn more deeply reasonable conditions. about the interrelated and often unconscious When I arrived, one of the frst things I processes of societal devaluation carried out noticed was that the ‘handicapped park- within and by human services, and sometimes ing’ areas were over 200 feet away from the even learn more about powerful ways of sup- main entrance, while several ‘able parking’ porting vulnerable people in valued social roles. spots were right up close to the main entry. In colloquial terms, we can put on our ‘SRV Once inside, I saw stairs but no elevator. glasses’ and take a good hard look at services, Since I use an electric scooter, as a conse- followed up by critical refection. quence of polio, the stairs were not an op- Acquiring and honing this skill of observation tion for me. I was told by the receptionist and analysis is one beneft of attending a practi- that I must exit the front doors, go around cum PASSING workshop as well as of reading the rear of the building to the ambulance and studying the PASSING manual (Wolfens- entrance, ring the bell, and wait for some- berger & Tomas, 2007), though even attendance one to let me in so I could then take an el- at a multi-day leadership level Social Role Valori- evator to the second foor where John lived. zation workshop can teach us some of these tools After this trek, I did fnd John’s room. of observation and refection. In it were two beds, both adjustable using December 2010 35

hand cranks. Tere were no fans and no in the nurse’s station paid them no atten- air conditioning, and though the windows tion, nor did staf seem to notice the people were open, the room was far too hot to be in wheelchairs or those standing about the comfortable on a mid-summer day. desk, waiting and waiting. After chatting with John, we both went to meet three of the facility’s staf. Te meet- hat sort of SRV-related issues ing room was in the basement so we were might this brief description raise for directed back down the elevator. We came our refection and learning? out into an administration area which W was, I could not help but notice, adequately t
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was done the day before my visit, though nurses’ station–raises questions concerning segre- this was nearly three weeks after John’s ar- gation and congregation (123 Image Projection of rival. We were also told that occupational Intra-Service Recipient Grouping Composition, p. therapy was being provided and that the 159 & 221 Competency-Related Intra-Service Re- written order for that was still in process. cipient Groupings, p. 335); the level of interperson- It was fnally agreed that since John was al identifcation between staf and residents (R223 very unhappy and wanted to go home that Life-Enriching Interactions Among Recipients, it would be benefcial to honor his request Servers, & Others, p. 363); interaction between and make appropriate arrangements to staf and service recipients; service address of recipi- help move him back into the community ents’ personal impressions (R141 Service Address of with necessary medical supports. Recipient Personal Impression Impact, p. 235); use At the end of the meeting, we returned to of service recipients’ time (R232, p. 403); and the the elevator to go back to John’s bedroom. role of client (Wolfensberger & Tomas, 1994). On exiting the elevator on the second foor, I saw a resident lying on the foor staring at am sure our readers can identify even other the ceiling, and another resident in a corner lessons from the description above, especially wearing urine-soaked clothing. Several staf Iif this short narrative were to be read and dis- 36 The SRV JOURNAL cussed in a group. My larger point, however, be- La Revue Internationale de la Valorisation des Rôles Sociaux, yond this one specifc example, is to encourage 1(1), 3-8. SRV students, teachers and practitioners to be on Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. (2007). PASSING: A tool the lookout for such opportunities for observa- for analyzing service quality according to Social Role Valori- tion, writing and refection, and to take advantage zation criteria. Ratings manual. (3rd rev.ed.). Syracuse, NY: of them, either on one’s own or in a group learn- Syracuse University Training Institute for Human Service ing/discussion context. Such learning ultimately Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. should be aimed at the long-term beneft of soci- etally devalued people, of creating and sustaining FRANK REED is a retired Vice President of Chase Bank & a long-term advocate for vulnerable people. MARC TU- greater access to the good things of life through MEINSKI a trainer for the SRV Implementation Proj- valued social roles. • ect in Worcester, MA (US) & editor of Te SRV Journal.

SEE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ON PAGE 61 THE CITATION FOR THIS ARTICLE IS

REFERENCES Reed, F. with Tumeinski, M. (2010). A two-hour visit to a rehab facility. Te SRV Journal, 5(2), 34-36. Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. (1994). An analysis of the client role from a Social Role Valorization perspective. SRV/VRS: Te International Social Role Valorization Journal/

LEARNING TO TEACH SOCIAL ROLE VALORIZATION (SRV)

Social Role Valorization, when well applied, has potential to help societally devalued people to gain greater access to the good things of life and to be spared at least some of the negative efects of social devaluation. Tis is one of the reasons why it is important for people to learn to teach SRV, so that its ideas and strategies are known and available to the right people in the right places who can apply it well. Unless people continue to learn to be SRV trainers, the teaching and dissemination of SRV will cease. Many SRV trainers for example could teach lots of people how to implement SRV, but not how to teach it to others. At a certain point there might be implementation of aspects of SRV, but the knowledge of SRV itself might not be passed on to others, such as the next generation of human service workers. Teaching about SRV, and learning to teach SRV, can be done in many ways, depending in part on one’s abilities, interests, resources and so on. Te North American SRV Development, Training & Safeguarding Council has developed a spe- cifc model for teaching people to competently do two things: (a) teach Social Role Valorization; and (b) teach other people to teach SRV. Te Council named this a “Trainer Formation Model.” A description of the Trainer Formation Model is available if you are interested (http://www.srvip.org/ about_mission.php); also see the article referenced below. To fnd out more about studying SRV and learning to teach it, please contact Jo Massarelli at Te SRV Implementation Project, 74 Elm Street, Worcester, MA 01609 USA; 508.752.3670; jo@srvip. org. She will be able to help you or to put you in touch with someone more local to your geographic area who can be of help.

RESOURCE SRV Development, Training & Safeguarding Council (2006). A Brief Overview of the North American SRV Council’s Trainer Formation Model (November 2005). Te SRV Journal 1(1), 58-62. Don’t Be Surprised

Jack Yates

am a member of an Internet ‘list-serve,’ a and the symbol for intellectual disability was the group of a few hundred people who write e- same human fgure shown in a hollow outline, mails to everyone on the list on topics raised rather than flled-in as it was drawn for the other Iby any of the members. Its members are (roughly three symbols. One correspondent remarked on speaking) progressive on the issues of services. Re- the representation of an empty person. Others, cently, there was a two-day furry of entries on the too, objected to the symbol for people with intel- topic of a logo for intellectual impairment (intel- lectual impairment. lectual disability or mental retardation), a furry One member shared the logo of a self-advocacy which I joined. organization which was intended to be inclusive One list member began the exchange by asking of all people, and which was composed of fve other members if they could help her with sug- markedly triangular cubist-style faces. gestions for a logo, a symbol for intellectual im- pairment. She included a copy of an existing logo which showed four symbols, each one represent- ing a diferent disability. Te symbol for physi- cal disability was an abstract human fgure in a

Another member noted the difculty of using human fgures and recommended sticking with logos representing energy and direction, like the Nike ‘swoosh’ symbol. Someone shared a logo from an Asian country which included four symbols. Te symbol for physical impairment was a stick fgure in a wheel- chair; the symbol for hearing impairment was a hand using sign language; the symbol for visual wheelchair; the symbol for deafness was the same impairment was a hand scanning Braille text; and human fgure using sign language; the symbol for the symbol for intellectual impairment was a face blindness was the same human fgure using a cane; half black and half white. Puzzling. 38 The SRV JOURNAL

satisfactory) solution to the question of how to represent an inherently negative reality in an en- hancing way. I do not mean that the person is in any way negative, or less worthy than others. Te impairment in itself, however, is a negative reality, a defcit, a lack of something which is otherwise taken for granted. Further, it is the impairment which is the defning shared characteristic meant to be conveyed by the symbols this discussion is evaluating. Te people themselves are more than Various members wondered in print why cer- their impairment; their impairment is not their tain events needed logos or why logos needed to most important characteristic. But impairment is be representational. A one-time event gains little the characteristic which diferentiates (as a group) or nothing by having a logo (which is a tool of the group about which we are puzzling how to ‘branding,’ working by repetition over time), and represent symbolically. an efective logo (either as branding or just aes- Tis is also the ultimately insurmountable dif- thetically) need not be representational. A logo fculty in trying to come up with an enhancing representing people will almost always be prob- phrase to describe this group–there is no perfect lematical. Symbols do convey messages: univer- solution, because the reality of the shared charac- sally, powerfully and often unconsciously. So we teristic is inherently not enhancing. As we have do need to pay attention to such symbols. experienced with the changes in accepted termi- One point missing from this discussion thus nology over the past several decades, the inher- far is more particular to the issue of intellectual ently negative reality catches up quickly with the impairment, rather than logos in general or logos newly-coined group names. about people in general. Te logos representing So it should not surprise us at all: there is no blind people, deaf people, people who use wheel- international symbol for people with intellectu- chairs–these represent a group of people by the al impairments. And it would not be surprising concrete, picturable, recognizable means those that, if there were one, we would not be satisfed people may use to adapt to their impairment. with it at all. Seeking to choose or design such a One can draw hands signing, wheelchairs roll- symbol would be a treadmill: lots of work, get- ing (preferably in an upward direction), a white ting us nowhere. It might make more sense, in cane, a page of Braille text. Tose adaptations or the rare instances when a logo or symbol is worth supports are, in themselves, positive things, even having, to try to represent symbolically the key though they compensate for a defcit of some sort. principles or ideals which guide our work (e.g., But there is no analogous concrete, picturable ad- full community membership for all) rather than aptation for intellectual impairment. How could the people for whom those principles and ideals there be–it is not a physical, material impairment have become our life’s work. • but an impairment of mind. Note that the above recognizable logos for groups JACK YATES is a long-term supporter & trainer in SRV & of people are representations of adaptations, not SRV-related ideas, as well as a member of the North Ameri- can SRV Development, Training & Safeguarding Council. representations of the impairment itself. Pictur- ing the impairment itself would be negative–in- THE CITATION FOR THIS ARTICLE IS evitably, because the impairment is inherently a Yates, J. (2010). Don’t be surprised. Te SRV Journal, 5(2), defcit. Tere will be no perfect (nor perhaps even 37-38. December 2010 39

Announcing the publication and “appearance” of APPEAR:  65 5&5
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5 BY MEANS OF THE APPEAR TOOL a recent publication by Wolf Wolfensberger Personal appearance (including so-called “self-presentation”) is certainly one of the most immediate, and often also one of the most powerful, infuences on how a person will be perceived and interpreted by others, and in turn, on how others will respond to and treat the person. Personal appearance is also one of the domains of social imagery, which is a big component of Social Role Valorization (SRV): the more observers positively value a person’s appearance, the more likely they are to aford that person opportunities to fll valued roles, and thereby access to the good things in life. Unfortunately, the appearance of many members of societally marginal or devalued classes is far from enhancing, or even outright repellent to many people, and increases the risk that bad things get done to them, or that good things are withheld from them. Tis 2009 book explains all this. APPEAR is an acronym for A Personal Physical Appear- ance Evaluation And Record. It documents the powerful infuence of personal appearance on attitudes, social valuation and social interactions. Te book explains the many components of personal appearance and the ways in which these features can be changed for better or worse. It also includes a very detailed checklist, called the APPEAR tool, which identifes over 200 sepa- rate elements of personal physical appearance, so that one can review a person’s appearance features from head to toe, noting which are positive, which are neutral, which are negative–all this with a view to perhaps trying to improve selected aspects of a person’s appearance about which something can actually be done. Te book also explains how such an appearance review, or appearance “audit,” would be done. Te book contains a sample APPEAR checklist at the back, and comes with three separate (free) checklist booklets ready for use in conducting an individual appearance audit. Addi- tional checklists may be ordered separately (see order form on next page). Reading the book, and especially using the APPEAR tool, can be useful as a conscious- ness-raiser about the importance of appearance, and in pointing out areas for possible appearance improvement. An appearance audit using APPEAR can be conducted by a per- son’s service workers, advocates, family members and even by some people for themselves. It could be very useful in individual service and futures-planning sessions, and in getting a person ready for a new activity, role or engagement (for instance, before entering school or going on a job interview). Studying and applying the APPEAR tool can also be a very useful follow-up to Introductory SRV training, as it deepens one’s understanding of image and appearance issues. 40 The SRV JOURNAL

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The Ring of Words: On Rhetoric, Writing & Social Role Valorization Dissemination

Marc Tumeinski I write entirely to fnd out what I’m think- or homeless shelter? What is it like to spend day ing, what I’m looking at, what I see and after day, month after month, year after year, in a what it means. sheltered workshop or day program? What would ~ Joan Didion, Why I Write make for a better life for this person or group? What diferences would the role of student or Writing is an extraordinary tool for sharp- neighbor make in this person’s life? Where do I ening our individual and communal skills of ob- wish to see this person in a year? servation, refection, interpersonal identifcation, Tese are clearly important questions, but why analysis, decision-making and planning from a is story and narrative writing relevant? We can Social Role Valorization (SRV) perspective. To and should certainly refect on such questions, varying degrees, writing can and should be used by ourselves and as part of a group, but is writ- to augment SRV learning, teaching and imple- ing necessary? Tough perhaps not essential mentation. Tese beliefs lie behind the purpose in the strictest sense, the tool and discipline of of this ongoing column. My hope is that readers writing can be a great aid to refection, as well as of this column will more consciously incorporate to observation, analysis, planning and decision- writing into the context of their own particular making in light of SRV. Putting ideas, memories, connection to SRV, whether as learners, teachers thoughts, plans and decisions into words forces us and/or implementers. into greater clarity, can help us brainstorm new In this particular piece, we will focus on writing options, and can point out our blind spots and stories and narratives, an idea introduced in the areas of unconsciousness. Making it a written nar- June 2010 column. Rather simply put, to write rative, rooted in the identity and experience of a stories and narratives is to write accounts of con- societally devalued individual or group, will help nected events. In SRV and PASSING, though, maintain focus where it belongs: on striving to the narratives will ultimately be about societally make a positive diference in the lives of real peo- devalued individuals and groups. We might write ple. Writing narratives in my opinion can be in- about questions such as the following: Who is valuable for SRV teachers (e.g., writing workshop this person I am serving? What has their life been material or vignettes), planning session facilitators like? What is their life like now? What is it like to (e.g., note-taking, writing up the plan), PASS- be poor or homeless or orphaned? What does it ING report writers, authors and reporters, those mean to be cast into the role of burden or men- applying SRV, and so on. Te rest of this column ace by others? What is life like in a nursing home will ofer some suggestions on how to start. 42 The SRV JOURNAL

Narrative in SRV Teaching & Application values in this workplace, neighborhood, city or Writing stories to be shared at SRV teaching town, country? What is this program doing or not events, either spoken from the podium or given doing in the lives of the people it is paid to serve? in writing as a handout, can invite listeners and What decision points are we as an organization readers to refect on devaluation and wounding currently facing? in one person’s life or to truly see the ways that Tese skills of observation, refection, identifca- a valued role can make a positive diference in tion, analysis and planning naturally lend them- someone’s life. Inviting learners to refect on such selves to a cyclical process. Our refection guides stories in the lives of devalued people whom they further observation; our actions lead to further know, and encouraging them to write these stories analysis. A written narrative can help thread these down, even just spending a few minutes doing so elements together in a way that is more potent in for their own private refection, can help keep teaching and applying SRV, helping us to see past SRV from being shelved as a dry academic theory. trends and identify future patterns and possibilities. For SRV teaching and application, of course, the stories must have a point. In teaching, the point Narrative & PASSING is to help someone learn about the processes of In terms of learning and teaching SRV, how societal devaluation or about one of the themes of can and does writing play a part in PASSING? SRV. In application, the point may be to encour- In a typical PASSING workshop, team members age imagination, to challenge negative stereotypes are instructed on what to look for from an SRV or to help someone step into the shoes of a vulner- perspective when they visit a service and tour its able wounded person. neighborhood. Team members are encouraged to How can writing stories further help us to take notes on what they see, hear, feel, taste, touch sharpen our skills of observation, refection and and observe. Later these written notes are used in analysis, in line with SRV? group discussions, from which the team leader Writing can help us to manage and better un- usually writes further notes on easel paper. One derstand the wealth of experiences which we are of the consistent pieces of participant feedback immersed in every day, including our experiences from PASSING workshops is how much team as servers, as family members, and/or as citizens members learn from hearing each other’s obser- concerned with the lives of vulnerable people. vations and from the group discussion. Writing Writing can help us to step back, take a breath plays an important part in these individual and and refect on what we are doing, day after day. group learning processes. We can engage in a conscious process of observ- Team member’s notes, as rough as they are, ing, writing what we see, re-reading and adding can be a great aid to learning and teaching about details to our written accounts, sharing these with SRV and PASSING, about societal devalua- others, combining the information gathered from tion and the power of roles in real people’s lives. various observers (such as coworkers), looking for Later, these individual and team notes are used patterns, and so on. Tis process lends itself well in the PASSING report writing process, when a to evaluation and assessment. Particular to SRV, more polished and thorough narrative of what such writing and observation can be centered on: the team learned is completed by the team re- the experiences of societally devalued people, the port writer. values of a particular society, the patterns of valued In my experience with report writing, team and devalued social roles, the dynamics of specifc leading and foating at PASSING workshops, service programs, and so on. What has Sarah’s life writing and story telling have been key tools for been like up to now? What are the primary social teaching and learning SRV. During site visits December 2010 43 and interviews, the team strives individually and Narrative & Planning Sessions communally to learn the stories of people’s lives. In a PASSING workshop or in an SRV-based Team members are helped by the PASSING pro- personal planning session, a major goal is to invite cess to step into the shoes of service recipients. participants not only to understand the existential During conciliation, service recipients’ stories narrative of the lives of societally devalued people are shared, refected on and analyzed. Te team but to craft a positive narrative of what is possible leader can consciously use such narratives to tie and even ideal. Tell the story of where you see together the details observed and facts gathered Jonathan in a year, in two years, in fve years … by team members. Leading a planning session often involves writ- Rather than share isolated facts alone, team ing in many forms; from taking notes on group leaders encourage and model taking a more holis- discussions, perhaps on easel paper, to writing a tic look at the human story of people’s lives. For report with recommendations. Participants in the example, for someone who has been long institu- planning session can also be invited to write; per- tionalized, perhaps even from a young age, or for haps to take a few minutes to write on a particular someone in a special education program or living question or issue. Tis time for focused writing in a homeless shelter, a team leader may compare can help enormously in inviting participants to two narratives: that of the service recipient and step into the shoes of another person, to refect that of someone their age who is not devalued. deeply, to envision positive possibilities, and so on. Hearing and imagining the story of these two lives unfolding side by side can bring home the Learning to Write, Especially with Others lessons of SRV in a life changing way, awakening In human services, such writing as described and deepening a motivation to work for positive above may be individual but also collective. Just as change on behalf of vulnerable people. in a PASSING workshop, when the whole team Perhaps just as important as what a PASS- contributes to what is being written on easel pa- ING team learns is how they learn. Team mem- per and to the fnal report, so in a human service bers write down their observations. Team leaders meeting or planning session, all can and should write down group discussions. Pressing issues are contribute to what is written. identifed and written down. Summary lessons are written and shared. Questions are written t
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bring back with them from a PASSING work- human service program, write about it. Write shop can help them to use SRV to make a positive down what you saw, heard, read and learned. diference in the lives of the people they serve. We Who did you meet? What patterns of societal can learn to observe, write about, refect on and devaluation did you observe? What social roles, analyze the services that we are a part of provid- valued and devalued, do the service recipients ing, with the goals of better helping societally de- hold? Were any strategies of interpersonal iden- valued people and of improving the relevance and tifcation in place? What ‘good things of life’ did coherence of our services. the people served have access to? What ‘good 44 The SRV JOURNAL things of life’ were they missing or denied? And ence? Is it consistent with SRV goals? Does it take so on. Writing can help us to identify patterns, into account the elements taught about in SRV potential trouble spots, and coherent and po- and PASSING, such as setting, relationships, ap- tent action steps. pearance, activity, time use and so on?

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I strongly encourage you to give writing, includ- individual facts and details together. As we teach ing writing stories and narratives, a try. As you SRV or lead a meeting or planning session, share begin or continue writing in line with SRV and a relevant vignette or story. As appropriate, con- PASSING, write to us with your own thoughts, sider writing it down before you share it. I do not experiences and suggestions. Send us your writ- necessarily recommend reading what you wrote ten stories and narratives concerning the lives of verbatim; it is often better to tell a story than to vulnerable people or of eforts to help craft and just read it. However, writing it down, reading maintain valued social roles. • it aloud, and revising a story ahead of time will help us to really understand what the narrative Bright is the ring of words when the right can teach us. Strive to appreciate the deeper, truer man rings them. ~ Robert Louis Stevenson, story which the facts and details point us to. Te Songs of Travel details are the walls and beams, but what is the ‘building’ as a whole telling us? REFERENCE

Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. (2007). PASSING: A tool t
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for analyzing service quality according to Social Role Valori- not only necessary but helpful. We cannot write a zation criteria. Ratings manual. (3rd rev.ed.). Syracuse, NY: polished manuscript or narrative right of; it takes Syracuse University Training Institute for Human Service time, refection, revision and more writing. Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry.

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BOE MARC TUMEINSKI is a trainer for the SRV Implementation Proj- or others. Listen to how it sounds. Good stories ect in Worcester, MA (US) & editor of Te SRV Journal. catch readers/listeners and pull them in. THE CITATION FOR THIS COLUMN IS Tumeinski, M. (2010). Te ring of words: On rhetoric, t
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writing & Social Role Valorization dissemination. Te SRV a story thinking about the message(s) from the Journal, 5(2), 41–44. story. Te message may take a while to sink in but it should be there. Te idea in telling a story at an SRV/PASSING workshop or during a staf meet- ing or planning session is not to entertain or pass the time but to communicate something truthful about a devalued person or group.

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hearers without overwhelming the fundamental message or truth of the story.

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have written. Is it honest to the person’s experi- December 2010 45

Announcing the availability of A SET OF FIVE DVDs OF TWO PRESENTATIONS BY DR. WOLF WOLFENSBERGER ON THE HISTORY OF HUMAN SERVICES

In 2009, the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities produced a set of DVDs, based on a videotape, of two one-day presentations on the history of human services presented by Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger & Susan Tomas at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. Te frst day is en- titled “An Interpreted Pictorial Presentation on the History of Human Services with Emphasis on the Origins of Some of Our Major Contemporary Service Patterns, & Some Universal Lessons for Plan- ning & Structuring of Services Which Can Be Learned from this History.” It constitutes approximately 6:15 running time. Te second day is entitled “Refections on a Lifetime in Human Services, from Prior to the Reforms of the 1950s-70s to the Present, with Implications for the Future: What Has Gotten Better, What Has Got- ten Worse, What Is the Same, & What Lies Ahead.” It constitutes approximately 3:50 running time. Each day consists of lecture presentations on the topic, using many overheads & slides (photos & illustrations). At the end of each day, the presentation draws out some lessons from the coverage to contemporary services. Te set of fve DVDs takes about 10 hours to show. Te set is available for purchase for US $485.00, which includes permission to show the DVDs to others; for instance, in teaching a class or conducting a seminar. To order, complete the attached form & send it, along with full payment, to the address on the form on the next page.

DAY 1: An Interpreted Pictorial Presentation on the History of Human Services 1a Pre and Post Greco-Roman Times (26:33) 1b Early Christianity and the Middle Ages (28:03) 2a Medieval Hospice and Hospital Design (32:01) 2b Te “Menacization” of the Aficted (10:35) 2c Te Rise of Pauperism (29:42) 3a Deportation and Exile (16:28) 3b Containment and Confnement (15:47) 4a Degradation and Elimination of the Altar (11:46) 4b Te Panopticon and Central Observation Stations (28:11) 5a Service “Deculturation” and Moral Treatment (17:09) 5b “Menacization” Images and Associations with Leprosy and Contagion (23:58) 6a Te Association of Hospices with Houses of Detention (13:43) 6b Various Beliefs Tat Played a Role in Menacization (4:59) 6c Human Service Assumptions Based in Materialism (14:18) 6d Further Menacization Trough “Treatments” Based on Punishments (31:23) 6e Regimentation and the Use of Military Imagery (17:07) 7a Historical Lines of Infuence in the Perversion of Western Human Services (14:51) 7b Core Realities, Strategies and Defning Characteristics of Contemporary Services (31:21) 7c Some Conclusions (10:53) 46 The SRV JOURNAL

DAY 2: Refections on a Lifetime in Human Services 1 Te Bad Old Days, Part One (23:48) 2a Te Bad Old Days, Part Two: Te Institutional Scene, Part 1 (33:06) 2b Te Bad Old Days, Part Two: Te Institutional Scene, Part 2 (15:59) 3 Te Bad Old Days, Part Tree: Te Educational Scene (19:54) 4a What Has Gotten Better, Part One: Te Early Reform Era (27:39) 4b What Has Gotten Better, Part Two: Normalization (12:53) 4c What Has Gotten Better, Part Tree: Te Rights Movement (5:55) 4d What Has Gotten Better, Part Four: Summary of Positive Developments (17:53) 5 What Is Still the Same, New Problems Tat Have Arisen & Tings Tat Have Gotten Worse: Part One (12:30) 6a What Is Still the Same, New Problems Tat Have Arisen & Tings Tat Have Gotten Worse: Part Two (31:18) 6b What Is Still the Same, New Problems Tat Have Arisen & Tings Tat Have Gotten Worse: Part Tree (23:27) 6c A Few Action Implications (8:19)

ORDER FORM ~ HUMAN SERVICE HISTORY DVD SET

Name Address

City State or Province Zip or Postal Code Country

I am ordering set(s) of fve DVDs containing two presentations by Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger on the history of human services.

$485.00 (per set) x (no. of sets) = $

Add Postage & Handling: within North America: $ 8.00 all other addresses: $15.00

TOTAL IN US FUNDS: $

Make check or money order, payable in US funds, to: Syracuse University Training Institute

Mail completed form, along with full payment, to: Syracuse University Training Institute 518 James Street Suite B3 Syracuse, New York 13203 USA REVIEWS & MORE

SEEKING COMMUNITY: HE NGAKAU AATA KITEA, paired people. After each or a few stories, there LIVING WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY. By Stan- are short commentaries (each again about two to dards Plus. Auckland, NZ: Standards Plus with three pages) either on the stories themselves, or Whitireia Publishing, 88 pages, 2007. REVIEW explaining what are called “fve aspects of inclu- AVAILABLE ONLINE @ www.srvip.org sion” attributed to John O’Brien: sharing ordinary places and activities, making choices, contribut- Reviewed by Susan Tomas ing, growing in relationships, and having the dig- nity of valued social roles. Te authors of these This 88-page book contains 11 brief stories, interspersed commentaries are not identifed. each about three to six pages long, and each about Te two pages on “the dignity of valued roles” one person “with a learning disability.” Tis is the (pp. 64-65) emphasize that severity of impair- current terminology in New Zealand to refer to ment must not be seen as an obstacle to valued those whom in the US would still be called “men- roles, but give only two examples of valued roles, tally retarded,” especially since the term “learning both in the domain of work. disability” in the US refers to a wide range of dif- Tere are also photographs throughout the ferent and much milder impairments, such as not book, identifed in the foreword (on p. 9) as pic- being able to decode letters, or to learn to read the tures “that have meaning to” the writers. Unfor- way most other people learn to do so. Some of the tunately, few of the pictures are without some, people “with a learning disability” in the book are and sometimes signifcant, image problems. For mildly impaired, some are very seriously so. Te instance, the appearance of the impaired people stories are told either by the person him or herself, in about half the photos is less than positive, with or by family members. Some of the impaired per- ill-ftting clothing, very casual and often sloppy- sons are Maori, or part-Maori, others are white. looking clothing, and numerous juxtapositions of Some of the stories are written in both English devalued persons to each other. Te authors take and Maori. But even in the English sections, there pains to explain their terminology in the very frst are numerous Maori words that are not translated, chapter entitled “Labels,” but other image issues so people outside New Zealand and not familiar have not received as much attention. with these terms are at a disadvantage. Te stories are typically about what the person’s SuSan ThomaS is the Training Coordinator for the Train- life used to be like and what it is now. Most tell of ing Institute for Human Service Planning, Leadership the person’s birth, childhood, the discovery of the & Change Agentry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (US). She is the co-author of PASSING. impairment, how it afected the person’s family and clan, some of the wounds that were inficted, THE CITATION FOR THIS REVIEW IS and of current vulnerabilities. Most of the sto- Tomas, S. (2010). Review of the book Seeking community: ries tell of a reasonably contented life at present, He Ngakau Aata Kitea, Living with a learning disability by though those impaired adults who live on their Standards Plus. Te SRV Journal, 5(2), 47. own appear to live in marginal settings and in or near poverty, and the lives of the families are not • • • free of worry, concern or work. Te book is forthright in elevating “inclusion” MY JOURNEY WITH JAKE: A MEMOIR OF PARENT- to being the defning quality of a good life for im- ING AND DISABILITY. By M. Edelson. Toronto, 48 The SRV JOURNAL

Ontario, Canada: Between the Lines, 2000. RE- Te story also highlights the dilemma of so VIEW AVAILABLE ONLINE @ www.srvip.org many secularists: living out the decadent culture of modernism while yearning for spiritual mean- Reviewed by Wolf Wolfensberger ing, resulting in incoherent dabbling in spiritual or religious activities. In this case, the author pur- This is a problematic book: insightful and in- sues Jewish culture and ritual while not embrac- structive on the one hand, and refective of the ing Jewish religion. Strangely, the author states culture of modernism on the other. Te author is that the secular worldview she shares with her a secular Jew in the public relations business in husband unites them in their positions. Ontario, Canada, with a “total control” mentality, Te author is a hyper-intense person who con- who was married to a secular Christian. In her late stantly courts burn-outs, and gullibly falls for pro- 20s (in 1990), she gave birth to a profoundly re- fessionals who by-and-by diagnose her as having tarded son Jake who had the extremely rare chro- depression, anxiety, panic attacks and seasonal af- mosomal abnormality of lissencephaly. She tells fective disorder. As a result, she also ends up on many of the usual horror stories, including predic- prescription mind drugs with their adverse efects, tions that her son will soon die. Despite her many and conjures up the stereotypical image of a dis- bad experiences with professional and service con- contented neurotic Jewish wife. tacts, the author is very gullible about professional Te parents also fell for a number of treatment expertise, and the death talk dominates her life crazes for Jake, but were wise enough to draw the and her relationship with her child, and is passed line at heroic treatments. on to her later second child, Emma, who grows A child like Jake is not manageable by most par- up expecting her brother to die imminently. Te ents, and his parents were extremely fortunate to death expectancy is also acted out by their holding fnd a group home for medically fragile children Jake’s Bar Mitzvah at age fve. Te book ends with near Belleville, Ontario, run by highly competent Jake being 10-years-old, having survived one cri- and totally committed Christians. sis after another, without the mother ever having Te author seems unaware of how privileged caught on that she was a victim of dead-talking. she was. She was able to recruit all sorts of help, But in the end, even after the predictions of his supports and services, and seems unaware of death had been proven wrong for 10 years, the au- those parents who come with poor skills and get thor buys an urn for Jake’s ashes once he really dies, no support. She also takes for granted the services and enshrines the waitful urn in her living room. she receives for herself: massage, mental therapies, Once the author is beyond ordinary child-bear- swimming, etc., etc. At the same time, she gets a ing years, she and her husband decide to have a dose of the typical service disfunctionalities, such second planned child, and go about it the “total as endless discontinuities of paid helpers–a situa- control” way, prepared to abort if tests should re- tion she analyses astutely. veal abnormalities. She also points out the wastefulness of forcing Te author is totally devoted to Jake, but for rea- families to undergo constant reassessment of their sons not at all clear, she separates from her admira- situation when the child sufers from a condition ble, stable and totally involved husband.Te author that hardly changes over time. and the children’s father Jim had both been involved Tere is a chapter devoted to the 1995 battle be- in previous quasi-married relationships, she with a tween the Ontario provincial government versus man who had a child. But the author gets a lesson parents and unions to close Tistletown Residen- of how much more difcult child-rearing is without tial Treatment Center, a small provincial institu- a spouse, even if the former spouse is still involved. tion and service center. Te author was one of the December 2010 49 organizers of the opposition to the closure, and for us but thankfully, both reviews were well-written, ultimately won. Te narrative is too one-sided rooted in SRV, and focused on diferent elements of to leave the reader with enough information on the book. Terefore, read on and you will gain a fuller the wisdom of the decision, except that the whole understanding of the issues raised in Smith’s book from book brings out the evil that resides in the provin- these two complementary reviews. cial government, on which I had already taught in the 1970s. A RAT IS A PIG IS A DOG IS A BOY. By W. Smith. She also points out that the eforts to “priva- New York, NY: Encounter Books, 312 pages, tize” care services are really a disguise for try- 2010. REVIEW AVAILABLE ONLINE @ www. ing to push service workers into the minimum srvip.org wage category. Te author makes an eloquent argument that a Reviewed by Susanne Hartfel society which forbids parents to euthanize their severely impaired children has an obligation to The title of Wesley J. Smith’s new book is taken support the family, and provide the services need- from a 1986 interview with Ingrid Newkirk, head ed. Unfortunately, she falls at least in part for the of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals quality-of-life arguments. She also misinterprets (PETA). She said: “A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. the situation in the Netherlands, apparently un- Tey are all mammals” (p. 3). Smith’s title cap- aware of the deathmaking policies there. She also tures the theme of the book in which he analyzes falls for the myth that Tracy Latimer, a young girl the contemporary animal rights movement; traces with cerebral palsy who was euthanized by her fa- its history; describes its ideology, language and ther in Saskatchewan, “lived in pain.” goals; identifes core adherents and organizations; Te book is well-written. Te reader will not describes its methods and campaigns, including readily lay it down. its lies and deceptions; talks about its success in To students of SRV, this book is one of the best reshaping people’s minds and societal values; and examples of how an inappropriate death expec- fnally warns against its acceptance in Western so- tancy and a dying role can be built up and acted cieties, as it poses a threat not only to the lives of out for a remarkably long time, and how experi- vulnerable people but to society in general. ences contrary to the expectations may still not be For people interested in Social Role Valorization able to falsify it in the mind of the perceiver. (SRV), the book is especially relevant in terms of three aspects of SRV theory which get promoted WOLF WOLFENSBERGER, PHD, is Emeritus Professor at Syracuse by the animal rights perspective: (1) inficting University & directs the Training Institute for Human Service the wound of deathmaking onto devalued people Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry, Syracuse, NY (US). (Wolfensberger, 1998, 21); (2) putting vulner- able people into the devalued roles of ‘animal,’ THE CITATION FOR THIS REVIEW IS ‘subhuman being,’ ‘being which would be better- Wolfensberger, W. (2010). Review of the book My journey of-dead’ or ‘ought-to-be-dead,’ and ‘object of with Jake: A memoir of parenting and disability by M. Edel- son. Te SRV Journal, 5(2), 47-49. medical experimentation,’ (Wolfensberger, 1998, 14-16); as well as (3) impeding devalued people’s • • • competency enhancement by hindering research that would alleviate or cure diseases and impair- Editor’s Note: Something rare happened in preparing ment, or develop therapies to improve movement. this issue of the Journal: We received two reviews of According to Smith, the term ‘animal rights’ the same book! Tis could have been a sticky decision “denotes a belief system, an ideology, even a qua- 50 The SRV JOURNAL si religion, which both implicitly and explicitly Smith traces the animal rights movement’s ori- seeks to create a moral equivalence between the gin back to Peter Singer and his 1975 book Ani- value of human lives and those of animals” (p. mal Liberation, in which he promoted a utilitar- 3) and whose central dogma is that domesticat- ian morality of judging actions not according to ing any animal or using animals for alleviating unchanging principles of right and wrong but ac- human sufering or for human consumption is a cording to likely or actual outcomes. What pro- moral evil. Criteria, such as ‘painience’ (the abil- motes happiness or reduces sufering the most ity to feel pain) or ‘sentience’ (the ability to expe- while serving the interests of those with the high- rience sensation) are used to claim that animals est ‘quality of life’ (i.e., those with higher cogni- and people are equal, and that animals should be tive abilities or similar criteria) is morally right (cf. attributed rights. Tus, killing people is seen as Wolfensberger, 1994). Singer did not distinguish equal to killing animals. Te raising and killing of between animals and people, but decried such chickens in a chicken factory, for instance, is seen distinctions as ‘speciesism,’ something similar to as just as morally wrong as the Nazi holocaust of racism or anti-semitism. Instead, he redefned the the Jews or the American enslavement of Africans. term ‘person’ which ought to include any being Although there are personal, ideological, as well as (human or animal) that exhibits ‘rationality’ and organizational overlaps, the animal rights move- ‘self-consciousness.’ Te implicit threat to the lives ment is not to be confused with animal welfare ef- of vulnerable people is obvious: if they are not forts and organizations which advocate for a more perceived as having certain abilities (such as intel- humane treatment of animals but which are not ligence) but of having ‘low quality of life’ and/or opposed to the human use of animals. if they are not defned as ‘persons,’ they are seen as

Invitation to Write Book, Film & Article Reviews From the Editor

I encourage our readers to submit reviews to Te SRV Journal of current flms, books and articles. For people who are studying SRV, looking for everyday examples can help deepen one’s understand- ing. For people who are teaching SRV, learning from and using contemporary examples from the media in one’s teaching can be very instructive for audiences. For people who are implementing SRV, contemporary examples can provide fruitful ideas to learn from. Some books and articles mention SRV specifcally; others do not but are still relevant to SRV. Both are good subjects for reviewing. We have written guidelines for writing book and flm reviews. If you would like to get a copy of either set of guidelines, please let me know at:

Marc Tumeinski Te SRV Journal, 74 Elm Street, Worcester, MA 01609 USA 508.752.3670; [email protected]; www.srvip.org

Tank you. December 2010 51 being below animals in moral worth (at least be- in the worst evil” (p. 239). Or, as Hans Jonas put low some higher animals, such as dolphins, pigs or it: “something like an ‘ought to’ can issue only dogs) and thus considered killable, just like we kill from man and is alien to everything outside him” animals for any number of reasons. Tus, Singer (p. 239). Not one single animal in the world can and his intellectual followers, who can be found understand the concept of ‘rights,’ and it would in many prestigious universities, have suggested all be completely absurd to ask an animal to respect kinds of deathmakings (e.g., killing unborn and other animals’ or people’s rights. For instance, newborn children, using impaired people’s organs a female lion who kills a human baby does not to save animals’ lives, using vulnerable people in commit a moral evil because she is only acting as medical research alongside animals) as well as dis- a lion who is trying to feed her young; one cannot gusting practices (e.g., sex between animals and expect her to act otherwise and she is not free to people, creating human/animal chimeras). If ani- act diferently. Tus, no animal can be held mor- mal ‘persons’ and human ‘persons’ are similar in ally accountable for its actions, which also means moral value, and if human ‘non-persons’ and ani- no animal has duties, no animal has rights. mal ‘non-persons’ are also similar, there is no logi- According to Smith, the whole question of ‘ani- cal argument against such practices. mal rights’ boils down to the question of what re- However, unlike the proponents of the modern sponsibilities humans have vis-a-vis animals and animal rights movement, being an utilitarianist, the rest of creation, not what rights animals pos- Singer does not believe in rights, neither in hu- sess. He claims that virtually all major faith tra- man nor animal rights. But he did, according to ditions promote the proper care of animals but Smith, pave the animal rights movement’s way as also assert that humans have greater worth than a successful societal movement by blurring the animals, and that the diferences between humans moral distinction between animals and humans. as a species and animals as a species can be and He and his followers also paved the way in con- have always been known by a rational examina- necting the moral value of humans to certain tion of the diferences between humans and all artifcial criteria. All of this was contrary to the other known life forms. western Judeo-Christian tradition which clearly Smith is convinced that rejecting ‘human ex- distinguishes between the moral value of humans ceptionalism’ will lead to tyranny, that knocking and animals, and believes that all humans are en- “human beings of the pedestal of moral distinc- titled to equal moral worth regardless of their in- tiveness” (p. 8) will change society completely. In dividual capacities, age, or state of health–that all the words of Mortimer J. Adler: “superior human have intrinsic human dignity. beings might be separated from inferior men by Smith criticizes the movement’s rights perspec- a wider gap than separated the latter from non- tive in arguing that ‘rights’ can only be accorded human animals. Why, then, should not groups of to humans (and not to animals) because rights superior men be able to justify their enslavement, involve freedom and knowledge, and because exploitation, or even genocide of inferior human they always come with specifc duties. Te big- groups, on factual and moral grounds akin to gest diference between humans and animals, ac- those that we now rely on to justify our treatment cording to him, is what he calls ‘moral agency,’ of the animals we harness as beasts of burden, i.e., the ability to distinguish between ‘right’ and that we butcher for food and clothing, or that we ‘wrong’ and to choose one course of action over destroy as disease-bearing pests or as dangerous another, which only humans as a species possess predators?” (pp. 242/243). but not animals. “Only humans have the capac- Much of the book describes the activists of the ity to intentionally embrace the good–or engage animal rights movement, quotes their statements 52 The SRV JOURNAL and describes their methods. Apart from the basic a constitutional right not to be kept in gestation beliefs described above, the movement is not a ho- crates. In 2005, a Brazilian court allowed a chim- mogenous block, but there are diferences of views panzee to bring a lawsuit in his own name–and and strategies. Some activists pursue legitimate awarded the animal a writ of habeas corpus against and peaceful methods (such as attitude shaping, its keeper. In 2007, the Balearic Islands of Spain education of the public, lobbying for diferent leg- issued a declaration that equated the protection of islation) while others are involved in harassment, apes with the protection of human children, and vandalism, criminal attacks, fre bombings and one year later the Spanish parliament passed a law threats of murder against people and organizations that protects apes’ ‘individual liberty’ and ‘right to accused of animal abuse, such as scientists who life,’ granting them ‘freedom from torture.’ Spain are experimenting with animals to fnd cures for also instructed its diplomats to push for similar diseases, or the food industry. Smith is convinced changes in other countries and for UN declara- that most animal rights activists and organizations tions. In Austria, animal rights activists tried to support the various (including the violent) strate- have a court grant personhood to a chimpanzee, gies ideologically and sometimes even fnancially, so that they could be made its legal guardians. even if they are not engaged in it themselves. He Te court rejected the attempt but in 2008 the shows with a multitude of examples how violence European Court of Human Rights agreed to hear gets detoxifed and how most information mate- the case and determine whether the ape should be rial issued by animal rights organizations and most considered a legal person. of their media campaigns are a mix of truthful Smith writes that there are now at least one information and well-placed lies and deception, hundred law schools that ofer animal law classes aimed at misleading the public and destroying and programs, and the names of the academics people’s reputations and livelihoods, thus advanc- and universities he mentions are quite presti- ing the organizations’ ultimate goal of banning all gious. He also mentions several US instances in animal use. which animals today are already better protected Although most ordinary people will not agree by law than certain vulnerable humans, one ex- with the movement’s radical goal of eliminating ample being medical experiments. On page 29 all human use of animals, Smith claims that many he writes: “Tis belief that profoundly cogni- have become confused about the diferences be- tively disabled or undeveloped human beings– tween animals and humans. He also says that now reduced in human status to nonperson- many animal welfare organizations which started hood in order to avoid speciesism–could ethical- out advocating for a more humane treatment ly be used along with, or in place of animals in and use of animals have been co-opted by animal medical research has been discussed respectfully rights ideology, and are not clear about their pur- at the highest levels of professional discourse, in pose and goals any more. books, journals, public media, and at symposia.” Just how successful the animal rights move- How fast such ideas and discussions turn into ment has been in recent decades is exemplifed in practice today is, I might add, exemplifed in the its worldwide legislative successes and eforts that European Union’s recently proposed rules that blur the distinction between animals and humans, restrict experiments with animals while allowing and that aim at enabling animals to bring lawsuits them with human embryos (Die Tagespost, 10 against people–which is, of course absurd, as it will June 2010). always be people who will actually be bringing the Te next step will be, Smith suggests, granting lawsuits. For instance, in 2002, an amendment to rights to plants. And here, too, there is already a Florida’s constitution was passed that granted pigs forerunner: Switzerland, which “recently under- December 2010 53 took a government-sanctioned process that could THE CITATION FOR THIS REVIEW IS be constructed as the beginning step in establish- Hartfel, S. (2010). Review of the book A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy . Te SRV Journal, 5 ing plant rights” (p. 245). by W. Smith (2), 49-53. Although Wesley Smith’s book is flled with • • • much detail and resource material and very worthwhile reading, there are also some points A RAT IS A PIG IS A DOG IS A BOY. By W. Smith. for critique. For instance, I wished it was a bit New York, NY: Encounter Books, 312 pages, more clearly organized which would have made 2010. REVIEW AVAILABLE ONLINE @ www. it easier to follow certain lines of argument. In srvip.org terms of the animal rights movement’s ideologi- cal background, it would have been interesting Reviewed by Stephen Tifany to hear more about its philosophical materialism and how this quite logically leads to a degrada- Wesley J. Smith is an American consumer advo- tion of human dignity. In regard to the ‘rights’ cate, political thinker and expert on such issues as perspective, an analysis of the Western world’s euthanasia, assisted suicide, and in-vitro fertiliza- obsession with legal rights (as opposed to tran- tion. Smith is probably best known for some of scendent ones) would have helped to put the his earlier work with renowned American politi- worldwide legal success of such an irrational so- cian and consumer rights advocate Ralph Nader. cial movement into perspective. Both aspects are In Smith’s previous book, “Culture of Death: Te touched upon in the book but not elaborated. Assault on Medical Ethics in America,” he asked Wesley Smith’s book is nevertheless very worth- people to take a second look at the pro-euthanasia while reading, especially for those who want to movement and argued for “human exceptionalism,” learn more about the wound of deathmaking of a stance similar to a sanctity of life position. Cur- societally devalued people and how deeply it is rently, Smith is a Senior Fellow in Human Rights engrained in Western societies. and Bioethics at the Discovery Institute, a political think-tank, and regularly writes about a variety of REFERENCES issues on his blog entitled ‘Secondhand Smoke.’ Bischöfe kritisieren neue Regeln zu Tierversuchen. Die Tag- Tis particular book is devoted to animal rights espost, 10 June 2010. activism. Smith’s stance is clear from the begin- ning: he is unequivocally opposed to the animal Wolfensberger, W. (1994). Let’s hang up “quality of life” as a rights movement’s exaltation of animals to equal hopeless term. In Goode, D. (Ed.), Quality of life for persons with disabilities: International perspectives and issues. Cam- status with humans. He believes this degrades the bridge, MA: Brookline Books, 285-321. value of human life with disastrous consequences for societally devalued people; more specifcally, Wolfensberger, W. (1998). A brief introduction to Social Role those with severe mental impairments, physical Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of so- impairments, the aged, the un-born and newly- cietally devalued people, and for structuring human services (3rd ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Training Institute for born, and the comatose. It is a complicated ar- Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. gument, but one that can be explained using the language of societal devaluation.

SUSANNE HARTFIEL spent time studying in the US with Dr. In the frst section of the book, Smith presents us Wolfensberger. She now lives in Bremen, Germany, working as with a rundown of the prevailing ideologies cur- a personal care assistant serving two impaired women in their rently infuencing animal rights activists, which own homes. vary widely between factions. For some it is the utilitarian theory presented by Peter Singer, and 54 The SRV JOURNAL his assertion that each living thing has an inherent Obama’s ‘regulations czar’ “who explicitly advo- value based on its capacity to reason and experi- cates that animals be granted legal standing to ence emotion. From Singer’s ethical viewpoint, sue” (Smith, 66). one could argue that an ape has more inherent Also in this section Smith illustrates how the value than a comatose human who, according to activist group PETA has seized on what Dr. W. Singer, can no longer reason or experience emo- Wolfensberger (1998) refers to within Social tion. Singer is well known for his use of the word Role Valorization (SRV) theory as “Te Dynam- ‘Speciesism,’ defned as “a prejudice or attitude of ics and Relevance of Social Imagery” (1998, bias in favor of the interests of members of one’s 104). PETA is a group that is well known for own species and against those of members of using media to successfully advertise their other species” (Singer, 1975, 6). It is with Singer’s brand and fund-raise for their cause; in short, theory that we can see the danger to devalued they know what kind of images bring sympathy people most clearly, in that ‘personhood’ is no from humans towards animals, whether they are longer simply based on being human, but rests truthful or not. Te high-consciousness of the on an arbitrary continuum of intelligence. Tis dynamics of social imagery in the business sector theory of course puts mentally impaired persons has been previously commented on by Wolfen- in the same devalued roles that they have been sberger and Tomas (1994, 36). Te skilled use placed for centuries, such as that of subhuman, of imagery by activist groups such as PETA ap- animal, vegetable or the ‘other’ (Wolfensberger, pears to be a more recent phenomenon. In one 1998, 15), and thereby opens the door to great such campaign, PETA juxtaposed images of risk of unjust, abusive and even life-threatening dead pigs with that of emaciated inmates from treatment. After all, by such dangerous logic, if a German concentration camps. Te name of this human person is not really human but more like campaign: “Holocaust on Your Plate.” In an- an animal, then we who are human beings can other incident, known as the “Te Silver Spring treat them as animals or as dumb brutes rather Monkey” case, PETA were accused of manipu- than as human persons with all the inherent dig- lating images of monkeys to make them look as nity which that implies. if they were being horribly tortured during med- For other animal rights activists, the “Rights” ical experiments. Despite the fraudulent nature ideology trumpeted by activist groups such as of the pictures, the public outcry over them was PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Ani- enough to shut down the experiments. Ironical- mals) or the ALF (Animal Liberation Front) has ly, the monkeys were involved in experiments for been more infuential. Such groups call for the a therapy called “constraint-induced movement establishment of the same equal rights for all therapy” which has since been proven to help animals as there are for humans. Tis includes stroke victims regain mobility in their limbs; in rats, mice and fsh. For such groups, being a pet SRV theory we would say that this therapy is owner is considered cruel because the pet is en- competency enhancing. slaved ‘against their will’ to serve a human need Te stark (and often false) images presented to for companionship. Many people might dismiss us by groups such as PETA provoke outrage and the views of such groups as extremist and on the sympathy for the animals pictured. Many of the fringes of the political left. Smith argues how- hardcore activists, however, hope that humans ever that we should familiarize ourselves with will do more than sympathize with animals; they such views as they are quickly becoming part of hope that we will empathize with animals, liter- the mainstream. A case in point, according to ally seeing ourselves in them. Tis concept in a Smith, is Cass Sunstein, US President Barack perverse way fts with the SRV theme of Inter- December 2010 55 personal Identifcation (Wolfensberger, 1998, rounding our treatment of animals, including 119). Trough images, vignettes and anthro- his belief in ‘human exceptionalism,’ along with pomorphizing language, animal rights activists a passionate and coherent defense of medical ex- hope that the common person will come to be- perimentation, an omnivore’s diet, and the fur lieve exactly what the title of this book states: “A and hunting industries. Rat is a Pig is a Dog is a Boy.” As proposed in Overall, I found this book to be an informative Social Role Valorization (Wolfensberger, 1998), and engaging read, one where the author pulled “Te more people identify with each other, the no punches about his stance on the issue. I’m more they are likely to want good things to hap- sure that Smith would hope that animal rights pen to each other” (p. 119). Similarly, animal activists would take his book seriously, but I’m rights activists believe that it is necessary for afraid that much of what is contained in it reads people in society to see themselves in animals as a direct attack against such activists and, in- in order for them to treat them more humanely. deed, Smith himself has already been demonized Smith believes that however well intentioned by such groups. While animal rights activists are the activists are in this regard, the tactics used just one of many groups that devalue the lives of to promote identifcation amongst humans and the impaired and the disabled, theirs is a mes- animals (such as the use of anthropomorphizing sage that is gaining traction in our culture and it language) are untruthful and for the most part may already be too late to turn the tide against scientifcally unsound. Despite what the activists them. For those of us dedicated to protecting the might say, a rat is not a pig, is not a dog, nor is lives of vulnerable people, Smith’s message is one it a boy. that we should familiarize ourselves with and take Part two of the book gives us a detailed de- very seriously. scription of the increasingly violent methods em- ployed by animal rights activists in their pursuit REFERENCES of animal/human equality. In many cases, activ- Singer, P. (1975). Animal liberation. New York: Avon Books. ists have engaged in legal protests or acts of civil disobedience in order to grab the attention of Wolfensberger, W. (1998). A brief introduction to Social Role the media, governments and society in general. Valorization: A high-order concept for addressing the plight of so- In an increasing number of instances however, cietally devalued people, and for structuring human services (3rd ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Training Institute for certain activists (especially those who align them- Human Service Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry. selves with the ALF) have been resorting to acts of violence and to what Smith refers to as terror. Wolfensberger, W. & Tomas, S. (1994). Te importance Tis includes threatening scientists’ children and of social imagery in interpreting societally devalued people planting car bombs in the vehicles of medical to the public. SRV/VRS: Te International Social Role Valori- zation Journal/La Revue Internationale de la Valorisation des researchers. Smith argues that often this intimi- Rôles Sociaux, 1(1) 35-37. dation has worked, with many scientists, profes- sors, farmers, etc., choosing diferent careers after STEPHEN TIFFANY is a student in the Disabil- enduring years of harassment and in some cases ity Studies Program at Ryerson University (Toron- life-threatening injuries. According to Smith, it is to, Ontario, CAN) & helps teach at SRV workshops. just a matter of time before the violent activities of animal rights activists result in the death of hu- THE CITATION FOR THIS REVIEW IS mans, whether it is accidental or not. Tifany, S. (2010). Review of the book A rat is a pig is a dog In the third and fnal part of the book, Smith is a boy by W. Smith. Te SRV Journal, 5(2), 53-55. explicates his own ideologies and beliefs sur- • • • 56 The SRV JOURNAL

ANTI-OPPRESSIVE PRACTICE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL across a spectrum of services. Te authors do a CARE. By V. Nzira & P. Williams. London: Sage nice job of linking personal and organizational Publications, Inc., 223 pages, 2009. REVIEW responses to oppression. Te text references SRV AVAILABLE ONLINE @ www.srvip.org and related concepts, such as ‘wounding,’ devalu- ation, social roles and integration/participation. Reviewed by Marc Tumeinski Te format of the text should be benefcial for students. Each chapter includes an opening list of At best, a review offers one perspective on a aims and a closing summary. Helpful exercises are book. No review can likely do justice to an en- ofered at key points in each chapter. A fair num- tire book, especially, as in this case, a 220-page ber of web references make it more likely that the textbook; that would require reading the entire average student will actually access these resourc- book for oneself. A review though can give a sense es, and also grounds the book in contemporary of the book, particularly what the reviewer took developments. Te layout of the book chapters away from it. My perspectives in reviewing this moves from a basic description of the problem text were threefold: I teach Social Role Valoriza- of oppression and relevant defnitions to an over- tion (SRV); I try to apply SRV, particularly in the view of 1) organizational and 2) personal adap- lives of people who are societally devalued due to tive responses to oppression, and closes with an impairment or poverty; and I teach undergradu- invitation to refect on the issues raised. Te fnal ate and graduate students at a local college. section emphasizes personal and organizational Various ‘blurbs’ on the book cover and in the evaluation. Tis structure lends itself well to re- preface mention that the book is aimed at those fective learning for university-level students. I studying oppression and trying to counter oppres- am less sure that social service practitioners would sion, particularly in health and social care, and is turn to this text as a reference, though this is one thus geared at both a college and professional au- of the stated goals of the authors. Its layout and dience. On that most immediate level, the book level of detail seem more suited to introducing is a natural for someone interested in SRV to pick people to these concepts rather than a reference up and read. One of the authors, Paul Williams, that one would turn to for specifcs. has a long connection to PASS and Normalisation After reading the book and going back to re- in the UK and to the work of Dr. Wolfensberger. read certain sections, I have a number of reactions In the broadest strokes, SRV is concerned with running through my head, mostly based in my making things better for disenfranchised indi- own SRV background. In that way, the authors viduals and groups, of lower social status, who certainly achieved their intention of encouraging are excluded from the benefts of typical society. refective learning. Keep in mind that other than SRV is an approach rooted in social theory that hearing a few references to it over the years and can be applied on the level of the individual, of reading a bit here and there, I was fairly new to primary and secondary social systems, and of the history and approach of ‘anti-oppressive’ prac- society overall. It is built on understanding the tice. My primary reactions were to the following. identity and needs of societally devalued people and groups. A pressing focus within SRV circles t
Te language and approach of ‘anti-oppres- is on educating those who ofer service about sive’ practice. Philosophically and linguistically, the problem of societal devaluation, and about a it was hard for me to wrap my head around a neg- relevant and potent response. In similarly broad ative goal (don’t do this: don’t be oppressive) as strokes, Nzira and Williams are concerned with opposed to a positive goal (do this: support valued a comparable problem and range of approaches social roles). Perhaps that is an intentional move December 2010 57 by its advocates, to underscore the harm caused than potentially increasing one’s basic knowledge by oppression. of oppressed people, was not very clear to me from Te word ‘oppression’ indicates to me a level of the text. Addressing societal devaluation is deeper consciousness which the term ‘societal devaluation’ and broader than just being knowledgeable and re- does not. Oppression seems to carry with it an un- spectful in one’s personal interactions with others. derlying tone of intentionality by the oppressor. In SRV, by comparison, we learn about the dynamics t
Primary focus on racism and prejudice of personal and systemic unconsciousness which of- against homosexuals. Te examples and practices ten surround the processes of societal devaluation. mentioned in the book were heavily geared toward Te notion of ‘anti-oppressive’ practice as de- prejudice against homosexuals and minority racial scribed also felt a bit subjective to me, as opposed groups. Tis may speak to the audience that Nzira to being rooted in a solid set of assumptions and and Williams are trying to reach. Tis emphasis principles. I would like to have read more about made it a bit more difcult for me to relate the con- this, but I was left feeling that it was up to me as tent of the book to issues of societal devaluation due the reader to work out the practical implications to impairment. Impairment was certainly touched of ‘anti-oppressive’ practice. I had the sense it was on in the book in several places but I would have more a general mindset than a concrete set of liked to have read more about how ‘anti-oppressive’ principles and action implications. Some of that practice and the WISE heuristic could be applied to subjectivity may come from the limitations of a supporting individuals and groups devalued due to university textbook for undergraduates. Part of physical and intellectual impairment. what the authors do is ofer an overview of relevant contemporary literature in the feld, which can be t Assumption concerning empowerment. quite useful for new learners, but also is inherently One clearly described assumption was that op- selective, given the limitations of text length. pressed people can pull themselves out of oppres- A major heuristic described in the textbook was sion and should be given more credit for doing so the ‘WISE’ approach, standing for Welcome, Im- (pp. 14-18), and perhaps by implication, should age, Support and Empowerment. WISE is certain- be given more opportunities to do so. I can agree ly a positive acronym from an imagery standpoint. to a certain extent and enjoyed reading the exam- Some of the four elements share common ground ples ofered in the book, many of which were new with principles and themes of SRV, ‘Image’ being to me, but overall this seems a debatable point. one clear example. However, I still do not have a Despite the citing of a few examples, I would have concrete sense of what each of these elements rep- liked more analysis and so am not convinced of resents, either on the individual or organizational this claim by the text itself. level. Welcome, for example, is described as wel- Te way I have understood it, informed by SRV coming diversity and being knowledgeable about and my own service experience, devaluation is fun- and sensitive to the identity and self-professed damentally a societal problem, and therefore any identity of people, which includes knowledge of address of the problem must fundamentally be so- history, survival, culture, language, belief systems cietal as well. It must by implication directly and and contributions (p. 117). Support is described as indirectly involve the relevant society. Te very na- giving people the help they need to function equal- ture of the processes of societal devaluation, of the ly in society (p. 128). Empowerment is focused on negative perception and subsequent negative treat- self-help and self-advocacy. Clear enough, but the ment of particular groups of people by the larger concrete implications of these four elements or society, cannot be addressed solely or even primar- how they relate to addressing oppression, other ily by those oppressed people advocating for them- 58 The SRV JOURNAL selves. Additionally, it has been my experience serv- stretch, and encourage us to look more objectively ing others that at least some devalued people will at what is going on in our own systems and environ- not be able to extricate themselves from oppres- ments. I learned by researching these references. sion, devaluation and wounding. Doing so would (b) Te book contains several references to Social require at minimum a certain level of instrumental Role Valorization (though oddly this was not capi- competency which devalued individuals/groups of- talized), to Dr. Wolfensberger and to PASSING. ten do not have, largely because of their physical, (c) Some references to SRV-related ideas were intellectual and/or functional impairments, either not included in the index, and some index refer- the cause or result of their devaluation. Others ences seemed to point to the wrong page numbers. could of course assist them and even work together with them to make a positive diference. All in all, this book gave me a ‘taste’ of ‘an- ti-oppression’ thinking, but I am left wishing I t
Identity. Te notion of identity was raised could have read more about concrete strategies in the book, e.g., how certain categories of iden- and principles to help me form a deeper under- tity can be associated with risk of oppression (p. standing of ‘anti-oppressive’ practice. Reading 115). Te emphasis seemed to be on gaining basic the book also pushed me to refect more on SRV, knowledge about oppressed people, such as their what it calls for and what it implies, in compari- nationality, history, appearance, roles, skills and son to ‘anti-oppressive’ practice. I certainly share so on. In PASSING foundation discussion terms, the stated desire of the authors to encourage and this might be thought of as asking the question invite those involved in services to stand up on ‘factually and demographically, who are the peo- behalf of societally devalued people, and to refect ple served?’ I would like to have read more about on one’s own individual as well as organization- this idea in light of what SRV teaches about the al practices in light of that goal, though we ap- importance of stepping into the shoes of societal- proach this problem and how to address it from ly devalued people, and answering the PASSING diferent perspectives. My sense is that there are foundation discussion question, ‘who existentially few people thinking clearly about and working are the people served?’ Williams has touched on hard at helping vulnerable devalued people, and this idea in some of his previous writing (2006). so, diferences aside, I am glad to read of others Te idea of deeply coming to grips with the iden- joining in that moral endeavor. tity of devalued individuals and groups comes across clearly in SRV workshop teaching on de- Editor’s Note: Paul Williams gave a presentation on valuation and resultant wounding, the theme of the topic of anti-oppressive practice & SRV at the 2003 interpersonal identifcation in the SRV mono- International SRV Conference in Calgary, CAN. graph and SRV workshops, and the ‘foundation REFERENCE discussion’ process in PASSING workshops. Williams, P. (2006). Social work with people with learning A few relatively minor considerations for readers: difculties. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. (a) Te UK context of the book will occasionally require non-UK readers to do a little background MARC TUMEINSKI is a trainer for the SRV Implementation Proj- research to understand some of what is referred to, ect in Worcester, MA (US) & editor of Te SRV Journal. e.g., New Labour, the Tird Way, the MacPherson Inquiry. Tis is not necessarily a bad thing of course. THE CITATION FOR THIS REVIEW IS An invitation to look outside of ourselves, our Tumeinski, M. (2010). Review of the book Anti-oppressive practice in health and social care by V. Nzira & P. Williams. practices and what we are used to can be a healthy Te SRV Journal, 5(2), 56-58. LIST OF ITEMS TO BE REVIEWED

In each issue of Te SRV Journal, we publish reviews of items relevant to SRV theory, training, research or implementation. Tese include reviews of books, movies, articles, etc. We encourage our readers to look for and review such items for this journal. We will be happy to send you our guidelines for writing reviews, or they are available on our website (http://www.srvip.org/journal_submissions. php). We are open to reviews of any items you think would be relevant for people interested in SRV. We also have specifc items we are seeking reviews of. (We strive to include items which might have relevance to: SRV theory, one or more SRV themes, and/or social devaluation. If, however, a reviewer fnds that a particular item is not so relevant, please let us know.) Tese items include:

Social Inclusion at Work. By Janis Chadsey. Annapolis, MD: AAIDD, 49 pages, 2008.

The 36-hour day. By Nancy Mace & Peter Rabins (Eds.). Baltimore, MD: Te Johns Hopkins Uni- versity Press, 339 pages, 1999.

Inclusive Livable Communities for People with Psychiatric Disabilities. Washington, DC: National Council on Disability, 84 pages, 2008.

Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy. By Alice Elliott (Director). 40 minutes, 2006.

Modell, S. & Cropp, D. Police officers & disability: Perceptions & attitudes. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 45(1), 60-63 (2007).

Perske, R. Coming out of the darkness: America’s criminal justice system and persons with intellectual disabilities in the 20th century. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 45(3), 216-220 (2007).

Eisenman, L. Social networks & careers of young adults with intellectual disabilities. In- tellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 45(3), 199-208 (2007).

Wolfensberger, W. How to comport ourselves in an era of shrinking resources. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 48(2), 148-162 (2010).

Jackson, J. Contemporary criticisms of role theory. Journal of Occupational Science, 5(2), 49-55 (1998).

Abernathy, T. & Taylor, S. Teacher perceptions of students’ understanding of their own disability. Teacher Education & Special Education, 32(2), 121-136 (2009).

Carroll, S., Petroff, J. & Blumberg, R. The impact of a college course where pre-service teachers and peers with intellectual disabilities study together. Teacher Education & Special Education, 32(4), 351-364 (2009). 60 The SRV JOURNAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This feature provides, for those who are interested, a way to continue learning from & engaging with a Journal article after they are done reading it. We will support such learning by publishing ques- tions based on selected articles, prompting the reader to continue considering, refecting, discussing & even writing about what they read. Such questions can be useful in deepening a reader’s level of un- derstanding of the article content & its SRV implications, whether for teaching or application, & may even lead to a shift in mind-set. We hope these questions will be used by individual readers, as well as by university/college professors in their classes, by program managers during staf meetings & so on.

WHAT DOES SRV TEACH US ABOUT HOW TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY? (PP. 17–21) ~ ARMSTRONG

1. What does the author teach us about the importance & benefts of having a positive vision on behalf of societally devalued people? How do the principles of SRV help us to craft & hold onto a positive vision for vulnerable people/groups?

2. How do the strategies of SRV (e.g., the conservatism corollary, culturally valued analogue, valued role acquisition, image & competency enhancement, etc.) help us to work toward actualizing a positive vision on behalf of a devalued person/group?

3. What can help a group of people (e.g., a family, service staf, friends & advocates) come together to develop, share & work towards a particular vision for a person/group? What (programmatic & non- programmatic barriers) can get in the way of such eforts?

4. How do positive expectations connect with & reinforce a positive vision?

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES & INSTITUTIONALIZATION IN NOVA SCOTIA (PP. 26-33) ~ BARKEN

1. In what ways did the changing structure of the economy (a) shape which social roles became valued & (b) create new valued roles? How did the vulnerable fare in the face of these new eco- nomic values, structures & imperatives, particularly in light of the reality of heightened vulner- ability? Do you see relevant changes or new patterns in today’s economic values, structures & priorities which positively or negatively afect societally devalued people/groups?

2. Based on the descriptions of the continuum of care model, identify the major underlying assump- tions of this approach. Keep in mind that assumptions can be conscious as well as unconscious.

3. Apply the SRV concept of model coherency (Wolfensberger, 1998, 116-118) to the continuum of care model. Which model elements are present & which are missing or distorted? Where do the elements ft together & where do they not ft? What likely outcomes does the lack of model coherency of the continuum of care model have on vulnerable people? December 2010 61

4. In what ways are the valued roles of roommate, neighbor, tenant & homeowner diferent from the ‘community-based institutional roles’ described in the article?

A TWO-HOUR VISIT TO A REHAB FACILITY (PP. 34-36) ~ REED & TUMEINSKI

1. In light of the SRV strategy of interpersonal identifcation (stepping into people’s shoes), how can serving large numbers of devalued service recipients in segregated & congregated contexts put up signifcant barriers to identifcation? What can a service worker in a segregated/congregated service do to minimize or compensate for such barriers?

2. How can the principles & strategies outlined in SRV teaching & in the PASSING manual help us to identify needs in order of priority for a societally devalued person/group?

3. Te author describes how the rehab facility failed to provide timely rehab services. Analyze this failure in light of the SRV concepts of model coherency, relevance & potency (Wolfensberger, 1998, 111-118)?

If you know someone who would be interested in reading Te SRV Journal, send us their name & address & we’ll mail them a complimentary issue. CALENDAR OF SRV & RELATED TRAININGS

This calendar lists upcoming SRV & PASSING workshops we are aware of, as well as a number of other workshops relevant to SRV. Each event varies in terms of length & depth of coverage of material; contact the person listed to make sure the workshop fts what you are looking for. Additional training calendars may be accessed at www.srvip.org & www.socialrolevalorization.com. To notify us of SRV, PASSING & SRV-related workshops for upcoming issues, send information to: [email protected].

Protecting the Health & Lives of Hospital Patients May 16-18, 2011 September 19, 2011 Selinsgrove, PA, US Canberra, ACT, AUS email [email protected] email Erin Geaney ~ [email protected] An Introduction to Social Role Valorization Te Liberation of Handicapped & Devalued People May 10, 17, 24 2011 September 20, 2011 Indooroopilly, Brisbane, QLD, AUS Canberra, ACT, AUS email [email protected] email Erin Geaney ~ [email protected] Practicum With SRV Using the PASSING Tool *series format* 5th International SRV Conference prerequisite: attendance at a leadership level SRV workshop September 21-23, 2011 February 16, March 21-23, April 13-15, 2011 Canberra, ACT, AUS Sandusky, OH, US email [email protected] email Joe Osburn ~ [email protected] Crafting a Coherent Moral Stance Towards a Better Life: A Two-Day Introduction to SRV on the Sanctity of All Human Life March 14-15, 2011 September 26-30, 2011 Indooroopilly, Brisbane, QLD, AUS Baulkham Hills, NSW, AUS email [email protected] email [email protected] May 19-20, 2011 An Introduction to SRV: A High-Order Schema for Canberra, ACT, AUS Addressing the Plight of Devalued People (*with an email Veronica Hadfeld ~ [email protected] emphasis on developing leaders in SRV*) March 8-11, 2011 Understanding the Societal Context: What People with St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, MB, CAN Impairments Are Up Against email Reina Soltis ~ [email protected] March 15, 2011 March 8-11, 2011 Holyoke, MA, US Harrisburg, PA, US email [email protected] email [email protected] Leadership in Service Design: Based on Model Coherency March 14-16, 2011 (3 day with 2 evening sessions) prerequisite: attendance at an SRV workshop Syracuse, NY, US July 25-26, 2011 contact Susan Tomas ~ 315.473.2978 Indooroopilly, Brisbane, QLD, AUS email [email protected] March 28-31, 2011 Summit Conference Center, Charleston, WV, US APPEAR: Improving the Personal Appearance of People email Linda Higgs ~ [email protected] with Impairments or Who Are Socially Marginal February 15, 2011 (9:30 am to 4:30 pm) April 27-29, 2011 Syracuse, NY, US Farmington, CT, US contact Susan Tomas ~ 315.473.2978 email [email protected] Column

Social Role Valorization News & Reviews

Wolf Wolfensberger

As in the earlier issues of this journal, my in- jor loss of a valued role, and the acquisition of of- tent for this column is fve-fold, at least across ten several devalued ones. Unfortunately, all this multiple journal issues if not in each one. is a boon to shrinkery, with shrink business up (a) Briefy annotate publications that have rele- 40% just in the last half of 2008 (Syracuse Post- vance to Social Role Valorization (SRV). Conceiv- Standard, 3 February 2009, p. A6). ably, some of these might be reviewed in greater However, an economic recession can actually depth in a later issue of this journal. Some of these also be image-protective of unemployed people, items may serve as pointers to research relevant to because so many valued people will also be out of SRV theory. work that the stigma of unemployment is reduced. (b) Present brief sketches of media items that Also, performing unpaid work during a recession illustrate an SRV issue. can enhance the image of an unemployed person (c) Present vignettes from public life that illus- (see also the article by Wolfensberger & Tomas trate or teach something about SRV. in the December 2009 issue of this Journal). (d) Document certain SRV-related events or publications for the historical record. *According to many authorities, profession- (e) By all the above, I hope to illustrate and teach als, organizations, etc., the percentage of people the art and craft of spotting, analyzing and inter- who have or will have mental problems serious preting phenomena that have SRV relevance. enough to “need help” is skyrocketing, especially Generally, from the roughly 30 potential top- since 1996 (e.g., Monitor on Psychology, Novem- ics for this column, I restrict the coverage in any ber 2009, 40(10), pp. 30, 40). If this were true, it particular issue to those topics on which we have would mean that ever more people will be in the the largest amount of copy on hand. socially undesirable (and hence devalued) role of Aside from being instructive to readers, persons mentally disordered person and ‘mental patient,’ who teach SRV will hopefully fnd many of the unless the social value of having mental problems items in this column useful in their teaching. and instabilities becomes culturally neutralized– or even valorized. Assuming it is not, what are the Deviancy & Deviancy-Making implications to SRV? Will society bifurcate into *We are being told that the current economic the mentally disturbed masses with each member crisis is fueling an epidemic of anxiety, depression, thereof holding at least one devalued role of ‘dis- domestic violence, suicidalness and other mental turbed person’ or ‘mental patient,’ and a small elite disorders. Unemployment especially entails a ma- of shrink types who place everyone else into these 64 The SRV JOURNAL categories, and who supposedly know what to do gitimized ways of being deviant or outright crazy. that is supposedly good for the former? (DeAnge- Here are some examples. lis, T. [2009, November]. New insights on col- In Britain, there is a long and honored tradition lege mental health. Monitor on Psychology, 40(10), of permitting people to transact their craziness by 30; & Novotney, A. [2009, November]. Yoga as a entering the role of the eccentric. practice tool. Monitor on Psychology, 40(10), 40). Prior to the 1920s, women would commonly But Bentall (2009) has addressed the question display fainting fts, and also hysterical paralysis, whether the overall impact of psychiatry on the both of which have virtually totally disappeared mental ‘health’ of the population has been posi- in contemporary Western societies. Tese have tive, and concludes that it has not been. As evi- been replaced in the US since the 1970s by an- dence, he notes that the more psychiatry a soci- orexia and bulimia, which have become virtual ety gets, the more mental problems it has. Tis templates for millions of women–mostly young- is evident by looking at secular trends in Western er ones, many of whom would have turned to societies, and by comparing outcomes between an older template of deviancy otherwise, namely societies that have more or fewer psychiatric re- conversion hysteria (Gordon, D.R. [1990]. Te sources. His conclusion: “psychiatry is not work- justice juggernaut: Fighting street crime, control- ing.” (Bentall, R. (2009). Doctoring the mind: Is ling citizens. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Uni- our current treatment of mental illness really any versity Press). good? New York: New York University Press.) *Lemert, E. (1983). Deviance. In S.H. Kadish *Tere is also a trend to rename all sorts of men- (Ed.), Encyclopedia of crime and justice (pp. 601- tal conditions as ‘brain disorders.’ Tis is being 611). New York: Macmillan & the Free Press. done with schizophrenia, depression, hyperac- Deviancy theorist Edwin Lemert crafted one of tivity, etc. Te intent is to medicalize these con- several deviancy theories. He said that “primary ditions even more, and thereby attract even yet deviance” is caused by biological, social or psy- more money to them. Tis is also being used as an chological factors. When people with this kind argument for increasing, rather than decreasing, of deviancy come to public attention, they get many types of human services, which would be a labeled either formally (via trials, imprisonment, cure worse than the disease. etc.) or informally (via ostracism, ridicule, etc.). Tis labeling process produces lower self-esteem, *According to a US government report, 75% of exclusion, self-identifcation with a dissocial class, Americans aged 17-24 are mentally, bodily, educa- etc., and this he called “secondary deviance.” tionally or socially unft to serve in the US mili- tary (Syracuse Post-Standard, 15 November 2009, p. *Avoidance of sick or abnormal conspecifcs is A10). What does this say about deviancy in the US? found not only among humans but also among Will many of these 75% be ‘diagnosed,’ become de- some animals, including chimpanzees. From pendent (maybe because of obesity and its conse- an evolutionary perspective, this makes perfect quences?), need services to function, etc.? Tis is a sense, because it has survival benefts. It is there- strong confrmation of what we have been saying fore probably hard-wired into humans, needing about the increasing decadence of the population. extraordinary types and amounts of education and mind power to overcome. According to some *Some authors (e.g., Gordon, 1990) have spo- scientists, this kind of shunning is virtually an ken of “templates of deviance,” by which they immunological response and may also explain mean certain culturally created, channeled or le- deep-seated distrust of strangers, who may also be December 2010 65 seen as immunological threats. After all, trusting be launched in the 1800s were for the “daft, deviant, strangers a little more than they should have led derelict, destitute and dirty” (Bynum, W.F., Porter, to the death by infectious disease of most North R. & Shepherd, M. [Eds.]. [1988]. Te anatomy of American Indians (Zimmer, C. [2009, March]. madness: Essays in the history of psychiatry, Vol. 3: Te When your body cannot outfght an infectious asylum and its psychiatry. London: Routledge). disease, sometimes your mind can outthink it. Discover, pp. 26-27). *Hrdlička, A. (1931). Children who run on all fours: And other animal-like behaviors in the human *One form of deviancy-making of devalued child. New York: Whittlesey House (Div. of Mc- people is to attach signs, marks and symbols to Graw-Hill Book Co.). Around 2005, and since, their bodies or clothes. One of the most persis- there was much publicity about a Turkish family tently thusly-marked people have been the Jews, of which several members walked on “all fours” and possibly already under the Romans after (in what the discoverers called an “ape gait”) and their devastation of the Holy Land. Certain is were mentally retarded. Te hype around this was that the practice was taken up later by Moham- huge, and even included claims of special genes medan countries, which is whom the Christians or chromosomes, atavism, almost a diferent spe- learned it from, as they did so many things from cies, etc. Te ‘discoverers’ of this family milked the days of the Arabian high culture. By the late the PR for all it was worth, and claimed that this Middle Ages, it became customary to require Jews discovery shed light on human evolution. Amaz- to wear a piece of yellow cloth, or a ring-shaped ingly, no one seemed to be aware that in 1931, (yellow) letter K (presumably a designation in the Aleš Hrdlička of the Smithsonian Institute had Germanic countries for Ketzer, i.e., heretic), or a written the above-named book which had been pointed hat (often yellow), sometimes with a little preceded in 1927 by a preliminary report in Sci- ball on top of the point. Tis custom persisted in ence Service, and in 1928 by a report in the Lit- various localities into the 18th century, and gave erary Digest. Te book is a collection of reports rise to the Nazi requirement that Jews wear a yel- from all over the world of children walking on “all low Star of David on their chest. fours.” Many of these vignettes are accompanied by photos. Most of the reports were in the form *Entire minority cultures can get so oppressed of letters (hundreds of them) to the author, either that they get stripped of valued roles, as was ex- by parents or professionals. plained at a session of the 2007 International By “running on all fours,” the author did not SRV conference in Ottawa. However, the Yid- mean crawling, but walking like some apes do, dish writer Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904-1991) with the body of the ground. A picture of an in- has described a Yiddish culture in Eastern Europe fant walking like that is on the cover. that, despite its own deviant status and poverty, Behaviors reported to be associated with walk- was able to sustain an amazing number of valued ing on all fours were said to be “animal-like,” such roles. Tis is brought out by several of the short as unusual tendencies to climb, holding onto stories in this book: Singer, I.B. (1957; 3rd print- mother, carrying things in the teeth, or unusual ing, April 1969). Gimpel the fool: And other stories. postures in sleeping. However, it is surprising that New York: Avon Library (Hearst Corp.). there was hardly any documentation that walking on all fours was associated with mental retarda- *Institutions for people with 5-D syndrome: tion. In fact, these children were described as gen- Some authors have said that the many diferent erally bright, sprightly and healthy. It is therefore kinds of warehouse-type institutions that began to puzzling why the author cast such a strong ani- 66 The SRV JOURNAL mal image on these children, but it probably had mates in prisons and correctional institutions are something to do with that era being the one of less intelligent than the general population, and social Darwinism. a very disproportionate number have been men- Te author ruled out–or declared as weak–a tally retarded. number of explanations, and focused mostly on heredity and “phylogenetic continuance: atavism.” *We generally speak of the wounds being in- While these behaviors were reported mostly for ficted on devalued people by those who devalue younger children, though occasionally enduring them. However, sometimes, people do things that into adulthood, there are perfectly good develop- make them devalued, and this then recruits the mental and behavioral explanations that are vastly wound of multiple jeopardy. For example, a mo- more parsimonious than atavism. torcyclist in the Syracuse, New York, area had an accident, and lost the use of his legs. He then con- *Midget wrestling–a cousin to dwarf-tossing– verted his motorcycle to a three-wheeled one that has made a comeback since its beginnings in the could accommodate his wheelchair on the back. 1950s, and people are willing to pay up to $25 Tis preserved those positive image elements that for a ringside seat. As props, the wrestlers use are associated with the role of motorcyclist; few chains, sledgehammers, bar utensils and staple bodily impaired persons are able to use, or con- guns. At these events, one can buy sweatshirts tinue to use, a motorcycle. But this 40-year old with the message, “Support Midget Violence.” At man had not learned from his accident, and one the same time, there are campaigns underfoot to night was out leading a group of three motorcy- change the term midget to dwarf, little person, cles when he tried to pass a car and clipped it. He LP, and “person of short stature” (Syracuse Post- was knocked into the opposite lane where an on- Standard, 6 May 2010, p. C2). Tis underlines a coming car hit and fipped him, this time causing point that we keep making: people are fxated on a head injury to add to the mobility injury. relatively trivial language issues while perpetrat- ing or condoning vastly more serious deviancy- *In the early 1800s, children even as young as sustaining practices. two who had misbehaved were kept in prisons (Despert, J.T. [1965]. Te emotionally disturbed *Tere is a new genre of comedy that might be child–then and now. New York: Brunner). called deviancy comedy. It is exemplifed by the one-person ‘comedy’ performance “Out All Night *Here are several historical vignettes of bad im- and Lost My Shoes” by a Terry Galloway, a lesbian age juxtapositions to prisons and prisoners (as if whose costume is often that of a man, and who is these did not have a bad image already without deaf, nearly blind and bitter about all this. further image insults) and of thereby wounding the inmates with multiple jeopardy. Most of these The Wound of Multiple Jeopardy are from Garrett & MacCormick, 1929, Hand- *Beier, D.C. (1969). Behavior disturbances in book of American prisons and reformatories. the mentally retarded. In H. Stevens & R. Heber Te Western State Penitentiary in Pittsburgh, (Eds.), Mental retardation: A review of research. Pennsylvania, was built on the site of the old Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Beier House of Refuge, probably an institution for poor found prevalence rates of between 0.5 and 55% youths (p. 848). of criminality among retarded people. While the Te Rhode Island Reformatory for Women in question of the criminality of the retarded has Howard was right next door to the State Hospital been hotly contested, one thing is certain: in- for the Insane, at least in the late 1920s (p. 874). December 2010 67

At least as late as the late 1920s, right next to dies at Starbucks …”), almost all are given some the state prison for men in Auburn, New York, role name, e.g., “beer fund” beggar, clone of Jimi there had been a state prison for women–which Hendrix, Philippe the human kiosk man, the cab- was built on the grounds of a former state institu- bie magician. And none of the role descriptions is tion for the criminally insane, used until the late positively valued; in fact, many of them are ridi- 1890s (p. 647). culing or otherwise denigrating of the person de- Milledgeville in Georgia has not only been the scribed (source item from S. Tifany). site of the state’s largest asylum (both mental and mental retardation institutions), but was also the *An early version of the televised “telethons” to site of the state prison at least until the mid-1800s raise funds for charities and human services was (p. 237). at least one 1931 flm (there were possibly others) entitled “Te Stolen Jools.” Tis approximately *Te wounds of both multiple jeopardy, and 15-minute flm was played at theaters nationwide, involuntary material poverty, are exemplifed by at no charge to the theaters, and all the proceeds the fact that for children in foster care, ‘identity that the theaters collected from showing the flm theft’ is very common because all their personal were donated to the tuberculosis sanitarium at Sa- information passes through the hands of so many ranac Lake, New York (which eventually became people and agencies. Half of the 84,000 children a large Veterans Administration hospital). Te in foster care in California have had their identi- flm included cameo appearances by about 30 of ties ‘stolen,’ and overall, one in 20 such children is the then-big names in Hollywood, all of whom the victim of identity theft. Te identity theft may worked for free, acting out a silly story about an not be found out until they ‘age out,’ by which actress’s stolen jewels. Te flm was subsidized by time their debt averages $12,000, and it costs yet Chesterfeld cigarettes, which is ironic since ciga- more money to straighten out the problem. Be- rettes eventually were responsible for lung diseases cause of their youth, inexperience and isolation, that were more devastating and took more lives such youths have an extremely hard time getting than tuberculosis. the problem fxed, and no one does it for them. Tis implies that they cannot rent apartments, *At a church-run secondhand clothing store, the put bills in their name, etc. assistants were called “Lulu girls,” and a newspa- Families (apparently often poor ones) some- per article about it showed a clearly handicapped times do this to their own children, as when they adult woman as one of the “Lulu girls.” Te store take out credit cards in their child’s name, and manager noted one expression of the object of one day the child discovers that the bills were pity and discard roles, namely that people may never paid (Newsweek, 16 February 2009, p. 11). “give us what they think poor people will wear,” but that many of these gifts are “not always wear- Stories About Devalued People able” (Syracuse Post-Standard, 24 June 2010). or Devalued Social Roles *Readers of a Montreal newspaper submitted *While an obituary does not contribute to the their nominees for “best Montreal Weirdo.” With role-valorization of the deceased–it can only re- about fve exceptions, the rest of the 120 nomi- port on the roles that the person once held–it nees were all homeless, and/or drug- or alcohol- can be either role-valorizing or role-degrading for addicted, and/or crazy people, all in very public other people of the same class as the deceased. places. And while a few people are described (e.g., For instance, one obituary showed a mentally re- “the man who carries a chihuahua to impress la- tarded woman in her graduation robe and cap, 68 The SRV JOURNAL and mentioned her three valued roles, which may in local murders and other crimes. Tis all started help readers to have more positive expectations when a New Jersey minister began giving addicts for other retarded people. But another obituary one-way bus tickets to Syracuse, thinking to get showed a 53-year old retarded man in a Santa hat, them away from the temptations of Newark’s which only reinforced the negative role expectan- streets. But neither he, nor the Salvation Army, cy of eternal child for all retarded people. ever informed Syracuse ofcials of the program or of the presence in their locale of hundreds of *Strangely enough, when the expression “an- people with criminal records and involvement in gels unaware” is used to refer to mentally retarded the sale of drugs. When all this became known, people, as in the title of the famous book by Dale the Salvation Army denied any responsibility to Evans Rogers (1953), and as it used to be in the inform city ofcials such as the police, and only name of several US service agencies for the men- reluctantly agreed to stop accepting people from tally retarded, most people were not aware that the the New Jersey agencies that are now being inves- expression comes from a Bible passage: the New tigated for the practice (Syracuse Post-Standard, 13 Testament letter to the Hebrews (13:2), which re- June, 20 June & 22 June 2010). fers to someone being hospitable to guests who In addition to all the other problematic aspects were actually angels in disguise. Tus, the passage of this practice, it involved physical discontinuity really refers to the host being unaware of the an- and ejection (via one-way bus tickets) of the ad- gelic identity of the guests. However, in the above dicts; giving them wide opportunity to continue book title, agency names and similar uses of the or even enlarge their negatively valued roles (via expression in relation to retarded people, users the drug trafcking business); and reinforcing typically project the idea that it is the retarded negative attitudes and expectations in the minds people who are unaware of their surroundings, of the police and the public. presumably because they are too retarded to have ordinary consciousness and awareness (Simon, B. *It was pointed out at a North American SRV & Weiner, H. [1966]. Models of mind and men- Development, Training & Safeguarding Coun- tal illness in ancient Greece: Te Homeric model cil meeting that the role of ‘Holocaust survivor’ of mind. Journal of the History of Behavioral Sci- (referring to survivors of the Nazis’ attempt to ences, 2, 303-314). exterminate the Jews in World War II) is a very problematic one. On the one hand, it is a role that *For at least 10 years, the Salvation Army in usually elicits respect and even reverence, but on Syracuse, New York, has been accepting (even ac- the other hand, it is not a role that people aspire tively recruiting) into its addiction rehabilitation to, except a few impostors. And it is sad if this role program alcohol and drug addicts from Newark, becomes a person’s dominant or even life-defning New Jersey, 300 miles away. As many as 80% of role. Tere are still an astonishing 220,000 such the people in the rehabilitation program drop out, survivors in Israel, unfortunately giving food to and may disappear. Reportedly, about 100 such Holocaust skeptics. addicts arrived each year, and because of the high drop-out rate, scores of them were being dumped *Cartoonists and humorists have long made onto the Syracuse city streets each year. fun of imaginary institutions, such as Home for Newark has been called the heroin capital of the Retired Nobel Prize-Winners, or the Home for US, and so the heroin business came with them Retired Circus Performers (in the Gasoline Alley to Syracuse, big-time. Tey set up big drug traf- cartoon). In 2010, we learned for the frst time fcking businesses in Syracuse, and were involved that in Israel, there have been (and still are) three December 2010 69 homes for Holocaust survivors. One of these has Image-wise, the convention of juxtaposing a 200 inmates. While all are old, they are there ‘court fool’ with one or more dogs was a two- mostly because of mental problems that they al- edged thing. On the one hand, the ‘court fools’ ready had during the war, or developed since. Te thusly portrayed almost always were sumptu- idea that survivors need their own segregated in- ously attired; on the other hand, the juxtaposi- stitutions seems bizarre, and also may be itself a tion evoked animal associations–albeit to an ani- survivor of the old institution mentality. mal very much valued in courtly and other higher circles. Also, the juxtaposition often evoked child Imagery: Images of Animality imagery, in that the ‘court fool’ was so small in *It became almost universal in European comparison to the dog(s) (Tietze-Conrat, E. courts to have so-called ‘court fools’ in the 15th (1957). Dwarfs and jesters in art (E. Osborn, century, though many of these were more like Trans.). London: Phaidon). cherished personal attendants than objects of ridicule. Tis convention continued into the *A striking example of people being strongly early 19th century! Such persons who were animal-imaged occurred in Gujrat, Pakistan, dwarves were often given the task of attend- starting when it was still part of India. At a date ing to the master’s hounds. Having very short somewhere between the mid-1600s and the 19th people attend to large dogs was apparently seen century, a religious shrine to an Islamic holy man as a curiosity. began to become a depository for microcephalic Eventually, and no later than the late 15th cen- children from all over India, who were called “rat tury, paintings of court or public scenes began to children” (chuas) because of their appearance. include the depiction of dwarves tending to one Many went begging in the neighborhood. In the or more dogs. Typically, dwarves were sumptu- late 1900s, the Pakistan government put an end ously dressed and groomed, and distinguished by to the keeping of chuas at the shrine (Miles, M. nothing other than their child-like size and their [1996]. Pakistan’s microcephalic chuas of Shah juxtaposition to one or more dogs. In fact, it is Daulah: Cursed, clamped or cherished? History of often only the juxtaposition of a person to a dog Psychiatry, 7, pp. 571-589). that reveals that the person is a dwarf, and com- municating this fact is one thing the juxtaposition *At a time when human sacrifce was still prac- was meant to accomplish. An example is the late ticed, the human victims were sometimes given 15th century painting of the “Presentation of the the names of animals so as to reduce them to non- Virgin in the Temple” by the Masters of the Bar- human status and salve the consciences of others. barini Panels. Tus, in New Guinea, victims were called pigs, According to Tietze-Conrat (1883-1958), it was and in Fiji fsh. apparently Titian (1485-1596) who produced the Another common custom in many societies was frst individual juxtaposition (as a portrait) of a to label deformed babies or one of two newborn dog with one historical ‘court fool,’ namely the twins “demon children,” as a prelude to killing or Polish dwarf Estanislao (who fourished at the sacrifcing them (deParrie, P. & Pride, M. [1988]. Spanish court between 1563-1571). Tis hypoth- Unholy sacrifces of the new age. Westchester, IL: esis is, of course, testable, and would be falsifed Crossway Books). if an earlier such portrait could be identifed. Tis was quickly followed by a similar portraiture by *For many human diseases, biomedical scien- Antonis Mor (1516-1576) of another short court tists try to fnd–or create–comparable afictions fool about 1570. in animals, so that these animals can be used for 70 The SRV JOURNAL research and the fndings then applied to the hu- to empathize with animals, because she can per- man afiction. Tis spares humans from much ceive and think as they do. She became a professor experimentation, and vastly speeds up the process of animal science, and has gone around the world of research. Also, it enables some research to be consulting on the design of animal-containing or conducted that would not be allowed to be done -processing facilities, and otherwise interpreting on humans. animal behaviors. Reportedly, she has had input An animal afiction that is the same or simi- into the design of facilities that handle half the lar to that in humans is called an “animal model” cattle in North America (Syracuse Record, 27 Oc- of it. So, for instance, there might be an animal tober 2008, pp. 6-7). Unfortunately, this rein- model of a human form of diabetes. A problem forces public stereotypes of animal associations to arises when animal models are announced for cer- mentally aficted people, and implies that autism tain devalued human conditions, such as Down’s makes one a little more animal-like so that one syndrome. Ten animal image juxtapositions arise can understand them better. It also reminds one for the people in the devalued class. of the stories of people who could ‘translate’ bird An example is the announcement in December song, donkey-braying, etc., into human language. 2007 that a “mouse model of monogenic heri- table autism” had been found in mice. Tis was *Hollingworth, H.L. (1916). Vocational psychol- the result of a mutation in the metabolism of mu- ogy: Its problems and methods. New York: D. Ap- rine, which made the afected mice unsocial and pleton (Te Conduct of Mind Series, J. Jastrow, less “communicative.” However, one must keep in Ed.). Te author said that some kinds of labor mind that “discoveries” about autism often do not “can be performed by a domesticated animal or hold up. an imbecile” (p. 208). In June 2007, it was announced that in a mouse model of so-called fragile X syndrome, which had *Doll, E.A. (1946). Te feeble-minded child. resulted in erratic and purposeless movements In L. Carmichael (Ed.), Manual of child psy- and hyperactivity in the mice, normal function- chology (pp. 845-885). New York: John Wiley ing had been restored by manipulating one of & Sons. Edgar A. Doll was a long-time leading the enzymes in the brain. Strangely enough, the psychologist in mental retardation. He clarifed researchers called this a “reversal of autism symp- the defnition of the condition with his famous toms in the lab,” and foolishly predicted that a six criteria, and in the 1930s designed the Vine- similar treatment might work on humans (source land Social Maturity Scale, successors of which material from Tomas Neuville). are still being used. In his time, people were very It often turns out that animal models are not the unconscious of imagery issues, and in this 1946 true parallels to human afictions that they are of- chapter, he referred to persons with microceph- ten thought to be, and that the animal symptoms aly as “little monkeys.” But think not too badly and human symptoms, or their treatments, are of him for this, considering his contributions, not really comparable. Communication disorders and what atrocities people in the feld today in the human species can hardly be equated with proudly commit. communication in animal species. Doing so re- veals much scientifc naiveté. *American child welfare services have been tainted by growing out of the animal (Humane *Temple Grandin is a woman who had been Society) welfare movement. As late as in the diagnosed to be autistic, and who subsequently 1940s, there was a Mohawk Hudson Humane So- claimed that her autism gives her a special ability ciety for Animals and Children in the Albany area December 2010 71 of New York State. Of course, this animal-imaged [1977]. Te diary of Virginia Woolf, Vol. 1: 1915- the homeless or rejected children. 1919. London: Hogarth, p. 13). To this day, animal shelters of the Humane So- ciety are generally better-run than child welfare *Te Smithtown/Kings Park area of Long Is- services, and the animals get placed better than land (of New York City) became one of the the children. Maybe all of this resulted from so world’s biggest congregations of services to de- many people (exemplifed by People for the Ethi- valued people, with each setting and the people cal Treatment of Animals [PETA] members) put- in it being negatively imaged by the co-location ting animals above humans. with all the others. It started in 1864 with the establishment of the St. Johnland Christian Imagery: Imaging Via Colony, which included cottages, a church, a Social Groupings & Juxtapositions foundry, a farm and also an orphanage. Ten the *A relatively late Latin proverb was noscitur a Long Island branch of the Kings County Hospi- sociis, which came to mean “A person is known tal opened in 1885; it had a mental asylum, that by the company he keeps.” Tis is a saying very in time became the Kings Park State Psychiat- relevant to several SRV assertions related to social ric Hospital, holding several thousand inmates. juxtapositions, associations and relationships, in- In 1906, the Howard Colored Orphan Asylum cluding who the servers of service recipients are. was added, with the orphans being put to work Te notion that one becomes what one is some- as cheap labor on the neighboring farms. In how associated with is deeply embedded in the hu- 1907, these were joined by the Brooklyn Home man mind. It even extended to the issue of what one for Children, an orphanage for white children would eat, because the qualities of one’s food might (Bradford & Blume. [1992]. Ota: Te pygmy in then become one’s own. For instance, some tribes the zoo, pp. 202-203, New York). would eat part of a deceased or slain strong man, in the hopes of acquiring thereby the strong man’s *A few years ago, when Germany began to be strength. American Indians reportedly would avoid saturated with foreign immigrants, and Germans eating wild turkeys because these had a reputation began to feel dispossessed, some of them began to for stupidity, and whoever ate them might also be- attack foreigners. Tis alarmed physically and men- come stupid (Backpacker, January 2009, p. 38). tally handicapped Germans who were afraid that they would be attacked next. So they held a big *One of the most striking real-life examples of rally calling for tolerance for “the handicapped and the negative impact of deviant person juxtaposi- foreigners.” Tis created a problematic image asso- tions is from the diary of Virginia Woolf, written ciation for them as “aliens” that previously may not in the eugenic era. She wrote, “While out walking have existed (New York Times, 19 January 1993). on a towpath, we met and had to pass a long line of imbeciles. Te frst was a very tall young man, *Britain announced it would ban from entry just queer enough to look at twice, but no more; into the UK Muslim extremists, neo-Nazis, animal the second shufed, and looked aside; and then rights protestors–and anti-abortion activists. A one realized that every one in that long line was bad image juxtaposition! All these are interpreted a miserable inefective shufing idiotic creature, as “encouraging or spreading extremism and ha- with no forehead, or no chin, and an imbecile tred through preaching violent messages,” which grin, or a wild suspicious stare. It was perfectly adds a multiple jeopardy to those of the above who horrible. Tey should certainly be killed” (cited in do not preach violence and hatred (AP in Syracuse McDonagh, 2008, p. 328; from Bell, A.O. [Ed.]. Herald-Journal, 29 October 2008, p. A6). 72 The SRV JOURNAL

*Tere is the bad news that there are many so- people in wheelchairs and with all sorts of other called punk rock music groups. Even worse news is afictions) and toddlers together, not only on the that such a band in Britain is called “Heavy Load,” same site but in a socially interactive fashion, get and three of its fve members are “learning dis- interpreted as being “integrative,” rather than as abled,” meaning mentally retarded. Teir aim is to being image harmful to the elderly. “take a classic song and crucify it,” which does not help (Syracuse Post-Standard, 23 June 2008, p. D5). *Berenbaum, R.L.J. & Zweibach, D.F. (1996). Young adults with Down syndrome as caregiv- *We keep running across instances where agen- ers for the elderly with dementia: An intergen- cies that serve elderly people (including elderly erational project. Journal of Gerontological Social

A NOTE ON THE WORD ‘PATRON’ The words patron, patronage and patronize carry a range of positive and negative connotations, depending on context. From the Latin pater for father, a patron supports and protects a person, cause, institution or undertaking. We might think of a patron of the arts or of a particular restaurant or shop (i.e., a ‘regular’). In this sense, a patron is a valued role. Te image of a patron might be of someone fnancially well-of (if they are a patron of a museum or a university). We might also have the image of someone faithful to a certain person or cause, someone who is competent and/or has the resources to beneft that person or cause. In Spain, the word padrone refers to a landlord of an inn; another valued role. In ancient Rome, a patron (patronus) was a protector and defender of others, such as a Roman Senator acting as a patron to a particular city or toward the poor inhabitants of Rome. It also had a legal meaning, that of an advocate, pleader or defender in the courts. Patronus could also refer to someone who manu- mitted a slave while retaining some legal rights over the new freedman. In SRV, we teach about role complementarity or paired roles, such as husband/wife or teacher/student. Te role paired with the patronus was cliens. Te cliens was the person (or city or group) defended and supported by the patronus. Tis was such a culturally normative role complementarity that eventually the patronus/ cliens relationship became hereditary: the patronus and the cliens roles were handed down father to son. A cliens might even take the family name of the patronus. Our English words client and clientele are derived from the Latin cliens (pl. clientela). Te term patronus made a bit of an odd, cultural comeback in the Harry Potter books and flms, in which a ‘patronus spell’ conjures up a magical defender. Te noun patronage refers to protection, advocacy and support. Hence, a patron would take a person, institution (e.g., museum or school) or cause under their patronage (protection). In this sense of the word, we might be reminded of what a citizen advocate does for a protege for example. Te verb patronize can mean to act as a patron or to extend patronage towards a person; as well as to support, favour, protect and encourage. From the English essayist (1672-1719) Joseph Addison: He patronizes the Orphan and Widow, assists the Friendless, and guides the Ignorant (Te Spectator, 28 August 1712, No. 469, Paragraph 2). Over time and to this day, the word patronize took on an additional meaning; namely, that of protecting and supporting but in a condescending manner, with an air of superiority. Source information from the Oxford English Dictionary. December 2010 73

Work, 26(3-4), 159-170. Who will volunteer Awareness Month. Also, March 24 is TB Day– their beloved old mother to be taken care of by mercifully only one day instead of 31. March 1-7 retarded people with Down’s syndrome? And we is National Gambling Awareness Week, which insist: they must be beloved. Tere are instances in will probably remind a lot of people to buy lot- which persons with Down’s syndrome became val- tery tickets. ued helpers in the care of other family members, but these were extra-structural arrangements, i.e., *In 2008, we were told that Walgreen Drug- not run by the organized formal service structures. stores aim to employ 25% handicapped workers. At the same time, we ran across an employer who *Camp Good Days & Special Times, Inc. was boasted of having 40% handicapped workers, founded in 1979 by a parent who had a child with who was taken aback when we told him that that a brain tumor. It has gotten a lot of support, and was too many. now has a camp near Branchport, New York, and Normalization and SRV have always been con- ofces in several locations in New York State and cerned (almost from day one in the late 1960s) in Florida. It conducts various types of camping with the optimal ratio and types of integrators to experiences for children “whose lives are touched integratees. In the PASSING evaluation instru- by cancer, sickle cell anemia, HIV, AIDS, or ho- ment, the grouping issue is addressed in seven rat- micide.” Tere may be something to be said for ings. One, R121 Service-Neighborhood Assimila- special camping arrangements for children with tion Potential, considers the size of the grouping, serious medical conditions, but throwing in ho- and the devalued identities of its members, in micide is jarring and negatively-imaging, not comparison to the surrounding neighborhood’s to mention model-incoherent. Also, the phrase capability of assimilating diference or deviance. “touched by” could mean not that the children Two look at the image that is projected by the themselves have HIV, cancer, etc., but that some- grouping itself, ignoring other factors. Tey are one in their family does. R1231 Image Projection of Intra-Service Recipi- ent Grouping–Social Value and R1232 Image Pro- *At SRV teachings, it is often pointed out how jection of Intra-Service Recipient Grouping–Age deviancy-imaging agencies such as “Drug, Men- Image. Two more ratings look at the competency tal Illness and Mental Retardation” were for their impact on group members of how the grouping clientele. However, despite decades of normaliza- is composed. Tey are R2211 Competency-Re- tion and SRV teaching, there is now an agency in lated Intra-Service Recipient Grouping–Size and Syracuse that serves people with mental disorders, R2212 Competency-Related Intra-Service Recip- drug and alcohol problems, “developmental dis- ient Grouping–Composition. abilities” (read “retarded”), AIDS, unemployment Two more ratings look at the contacts and rela- or its prospects, and “other problems” (Syracuse tionships of its recipients that a service structures or Post-Standard, 27 February 2009, p. B3). Tis mediates with other people who are not recipients poses problems of both deviancy juxtaposition or servers of that same service. Tey are R124 Im- and model coherency. age-Related Other Recipient Contacts & Personal Relationships and R222 Competency-Related Oth- *March is a month of some very distasteful er Recipient Contacts & Personal Relationships. deviancy image juxtapositions. It is Mental Re- Of all these ratings, the ones most relevant to tardation Month, Colorectal Cancer Awareness the proportion of devalued to valued people in Month, National Brain Injury Awareness Month, a grouping or juxtaposition are R121 Service- and National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Neighborhood Assimilation Potential, R1231 74 The SRV JOURNAL

Image Projection of Intra-Service Recipient the processing capacity of many observers, and Grouping–Social Value and R2212 Competency- even be stressful to parents of such children. It Related Intra-Service Recipient Grouping–Com- probably overwhelms the “assimilation potential” position. Altogether, PASSING lays out grouping of a social system. issues, and how these relate to integratability, in more detail than any other currently existing text. *Towards the end of the 3- or 4-day Introduc- Te optimal ratio of integrators to integratees tory SRV workshop, in the module on group- depends in good part on how deviant the integra- ing considerations, there is a small teaching on tees are. A ratio often mentioned as a good one for how few people in wheelchairs it can take to at least many kinds of integratees is 20% to 80%, overwhelm the assimilation potential of a small though many settings think that they are doing group or small space, but few people seem to well with a 1 to 2 ratio. However, a 1 to 2 ratio is have caught on to this, or to remind relevant really the absolute minimum even for integratees others of it; nor has there been a more exten- with few problems, because of a key integration sive analysis done of this issue. Such an analy- rule: integratees need to witness the interactions sis would take into account the space issues of integrators with each other. Below 1 to 2, inte- (both of objects such as wheelchairs and other grators interact so much with integratees that the devices, and the nature of the space surround- latter do not get to observe what ordinary interac- ing them), as well as the symbolism of people tions are among ordinary people. When the ratio in wheelchairs, and the consciousness of wheel- is 1 to 4, this is even better when the public ob- chair issues by their occupants. Apparently, serves, because then the idiosyncracies of integra- there is little or no teaching (that we are aware tees may virtually disappear to the consciousness of) to wheelchair-users on how to maneuver of observers, drowned out by the predominant so as to not unnecessarily block other people’s “culture” exhibited by the integrators, provided space, including the passage of other people that the integratees remain dispersed among in- in wheelchairs. Even relatively wide passage- tegrators, rather than congregated within them. ways can become almost completely blocked by as few as three people in wheelchairs, and yet *Smile Train is a foundation that enables poor many wheelchair-users seem to be unconscious children around the world to get operations for of making themselves unnecessary obstacles their cleft lips. Readers have probably all seen its in other people’s space. It also takes very few ads, with the before-and-after pictures that are wheelchairs to create a gridlock, and in the SRV very compelling. Tis foundation probably has workshop, we cite the example of a small group no difculty raising money because of its appeal home, all of whose residents and staf died be- assets: children, pitiful appearances and a solu- cause when a fre broke out, wheelchair gridlock tion at hand that is relatively easily obtained and ensued that trapped people. shows great results after only a short time. How- We have also been struck by the fact that as ever, we were struck by what one of its function- few as three people in wheelchairs in a group of aries said in 2008: “I have never seen as many 20 or even more people can elicit an impression kids in one location [a hospital waiting room] in observers that the whole group must be devi- who were all in need of cleft repair.” Seeing one ant, or at least that more than three of its mem- such child tends to be distressing, especially since bers are. facial disfgurements are known to have a particu- Perhaps someone would like to write a system- larly strong impact on humans; but seeing many atic analysis of this for publication, and/or some- such children together could easily overwhelm thing on wheelchair user etiquette. December 2010 75

*A most unusual residential congregation of per- it would take a lot more to actually achieve the sons of low IQ took place in the US during World roles than the relatively infrequent and brief ver- War I. Te American armed forces were the frst bal interactions that constituted the experimental to administer intelligence tests to their members treatment in the study (Schindler, V.P. [2005]. in vast numbers. One result was that an amazing- Role development: An evidence-based interven- ly large proportion were found to have low IQs, tion for individuals diagnosed with schizophre- and of these, a large proportion were discharged nia in a forensic facility. Psychiatric Rehabilitation as unft. While being processed for discharge, Journal, 28(4), pp. 391-394). (See the June 2010 these men were sent to so-called “casual camps,” issue of this journal for a lengthier review by R. where low demands were placed on them. A cap- Lemay of this publication.) tain appointed to command one such camp near Charlotte, North Carolina, complained that he *Te house organ of the American Psychologi- had come expecting to train soldiers, but instead cal Association published a report (November found himself a keeper of an imbecile asylum 2009, pp. 28-29) that referred to “social role par- (Johnson, A. (1923). Adventures in social welfare. ticipation,” which we do not recall having heard Fort Wayne, IN: Author, pp. 422-423). before. It apparently refers to holding roles, and is the opposite of role dearth that leads to role Miscellaneous Issues Related to avidity. Te article implied that the role participa- Social Role Valorization tion was a positive one, but we must keep in mind *Many people assume that there is not much that there can also be active participation in many to know about SRV, and therefore they relate to negatively valued roles. it very superfcially. But there is a body of evi- dence that suggests that mastery in any feld or *A sensational breakthrough occurred in the skill requires about 10,000 hours of practice in it, mental feld. A cover story of Newsweek (8 Febru- equivalent to 20 hours a week for 10 years. Tis ary 2010) admitted that prescription antidepres- is not news to musicians, athletes, or physicians, sant drugs work no better than placebos–in fact, but seems to be alien to the mindsets of people in they probably are even worse! Tis admission is human services other than medicine. doubly sensational considering that Newsweek had held frmly to the psychiatric (pro-drug) mainline *Via Jack Yates, it has come to our attention all these years. Te article also documented the that there has been a theory of “role develop- long-running cover-up of this fact, and the per- ment” advanced by A.C. Mosey (1986), and that secution that speakers of the truth (or producers Dr. Victoria Schindler, an occupational therapist, of valid research) had to endure from their peers. has built upon it. For instance, she has trained re- Among other things, the article said what drug habilitation workers in a psychiatric forensic ward opponents had long said, namely that there is to talk up roles, role plans and the skills needed by no credible evidence for the serotonin-defcit or schizophrenic inmates to fulfll certain roles. Tis “chemical imbalance” theories. work sounds very congruent with SRV, and seems Tis development gives pedagogical service a big improvement on the usual “activities” in regimens–such as SRV–a big boost, and is con- such settings. However, role development might gruent with the presentation given in October lack a certain amount of reality in the kind of set- 2009 in Syracuse by Raymond Lemay, to the In- ting described by Schindler. Te opportunities for ternational Center for Studies in Psychiatry and actually moving into valued roles in such settings Psychology Conference, on SRV instead of mind must be very limited, and it would also seem that drugs. It is amazing that the entire, huge and in- 76 The SRV JOURNAL comprehensibly expensive, and not very helpful, Since he has such a dog, he also has a paid “dog feld of psychiatry (e.g., see note on Bentall’s 2009 handler” who comes to school with him. Te dog book in “Deviancy” section above) is based upon cost $12,000 to train, partially paid via Medicaid. invalid assumptions and theories, and has been so A law got written that children have a right to adamantly invested in the perpetuation and en- have service dogs with them, though two of the largement of the sick patient role for people with child’s potential teachers are allergic and cannot mental problems. be in the same room with the dog (Syracuse Post- Standard, 21 February 2009, pp. A1, A4). *A useful distinction that will help resolve cer- Tere is an SRV issue here, and a non-SRV one. tain controversies is that between the applicability Te SRV issue is once again a strong animal juxta- of SRV to a certain party, and the relevance of position, in that dog and already image-vulnera- SRV to the party. To give an extreme example: one ble boy are made and interpreted as virtually sym- can apply at least some SRV strategies to people biotic. Te non-SRV issue is that this kind of ar- in prison who have committed heinous crimes, rangement is a program luxury that some day will but some people would question–or even deny– be unafordable, as it already is in many countries. the relevance of such eforts. Te question of rel- Is there really no way to wean the boy from the evance refects the “if this, then that” reasoning presence of the dog during school hours? More behind the applicability of SRV. If one does not likely is that there was no motive to do so. want a party to be role-valorized, then it makes no sense to bring to bear measures that would do *Cialdini, R.B. (1984). Infuence: How and why so–i.e., to apply SRV. In fact, some people may people agree to things. New York: Quill. Over the even want to degrade a party in the eyes of oth- years, we have been recommending a small num- ers, and use the empirical knowledge that informs ber of books on persuasion, attitude change and SRV to do that (Wolfensberger, W. [1995]. An “if how to infuence people, because of their read- this, then that” formulation of decisions related ability and coverage of their topics in ways that to Social Role Valorization as a better way of in- were practical and relevant to SRV and to attitude terpreting it to people. Mental Retardation, 33(3), change. We have not yet read this book, but it pp. 163-169). comes well-recommended. Maybe someone would produce a detailed review of it for this journal. *Dainton, C. (1961). Te story of England’s hos- pitals. Springfeld, IL: Charles C. Tomas. It has *Apparently, a private autism institution (“the been common in the history of human services for largest and most comprehensive of its kind”) is extremely bad services to think of themselves as top- being built on 15 acres in Palm Beach County, notch–even national models. Tis phenomenon re- Florida, named Center of Excellence (Parade, veals many things, including the extent of human 13 June 2010, p. 9). Its founder is the champi- unconsciousness. An example is St. Luke Hospital on golfer Ernie Els whose son “has” autism. We for the insane in London in the late 17th centu- would appreciate more information on it. • ry, said to be one of the best in all of Europe, even though the conditions in the hospital were very bad. WOLF WOLFENSBERGER, PHD, is Emeritus Professor at Syracuse University & directs the Training Institute for Human Service *In Syracuse, a so-called autistic child goes to Planning, Leadership & Change Agentry, Syracuse, NY (US). school with a so-called service dog, even though the boy is not blind, deaf or halt. Te dog sup- THE CITATION FOR THIS COLUMN IS posedly “calms” him, and helps him concentrate. Wolfensberger, W. (2010). Social Role Valorization news & reviews. Te SRV Journal, 5(2), 63–76. TISSN 1932 - 6963e SRV JOURNAL 1118-,0#*8),!

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