Activity One
Tell us the story of how your own values and attitudes towards people with a disability have been shaped throughout your life.
You can present this story in any way that works for you: korero, written story, poster, video….the choice is yours!
To complete this activity successfully make sure you include: * Examples of how your values and attitudes have been influenced by at least three of the following:

Ethnicity Culture Employment Status
Religion Age Political Perspective
Sexual Orientation Gender Family/Whanau
Education

* At least three life experiences that caused you to think differently about or become more aware of your own values and attitudes towards people with disability
Activity Two
Tell us about how your personal values and attitudes impact the working relationship you have with two different people with a disability that you support.
You can present this story in any way that works for you: korero, written story, poster, video… the choice is yours!!! It may be different from other activities or pulled together into one overall story.
To complete this activity successfully make sure that you include * At least one example of how you manage a relationship with a person you support whose values differ from your own
(You can join the story together with Activity One)

All throughout my life I believe and practice to treat all people of whatever race, age, gender, religious belief, political affiliation, cultural background, education, rich or poor and employment status as equals. And actually in our own country we give extra respect and allowance to people with disabilities, old aged and the young as part of our education and culture. However when I arrived in New Zealand the treatment of people with disabilities goes an extra mile as their rights are guaranteed by law and they receive so much financial and medical benefits from the government. And when I started working in the disability industry/sector as a Community Support Worker I did not realize the severity of conflict that it would pose on my beliefs and practices that I have grown up for majority part of my life up to now. These are some of the challenging experiences that I have encountered in my present place of work:

1. EXPERIENCE NO. 1 – SEXUALITY, CULTURE, RELIGION AND EDUCATION

Client 1
A Male Client, 19 years old but with an intelligence of 6 years old, always have “rubbing time” where he would request staff to lock him inside his room. The rubbing time is actually masturbation however he does not totally know the whole concept as he would just rub his penis and balls in the floor or in his bed instead of using his hands. Well coming to think about it this is just a normal thing about youth growing up however what upset me initially is that he his “sexual arousal at young boys aged from 5 to 10 especially with their mouths open wide”. My religion, culture, sexual orientation and education are all against this action of my client. Although we are different in our viewpoint of sexual orientation I don’t impose what I personally believe in him. I just allow him to do whatever he wants as it’s his rights under the Consumer Act and as long as it will not violate the laws and/or the rules and regulations of the company.
Client 2
A Male Client, 15 years old but with an intelligence of 6 years old, always likes to cuddle or embrace and when in that position he will try to take advantage of you by touching your nipples or any part of your sexual organ. And then he will have a “hard on” and go to his room presumably to masturbate. He will attempt to do this every time he will have the opportunity to do so.
When I arrived in New Zealand I noticed that people are naturally and kind and loving. It is but natural for people who are acquainted or friends or relatives whenever or wherever they meet that they give a hug or buzz in the cheek and when they say goodbyes the same ritual is done all over again. In our country we are a little bit sensitive to showing or sharing of personal affection to one another in public. And usually this is but limited to your own family members up to the second degree. However since am in New Zealand already as the saying goes “do as what the Romans do when you’re in Rome” but with limitations.
With Client 2 he is constantly reminded of observing the personal space of every person. We as employees taking care of them have rights too like them and when our personal boundaries are violated we also have the right to let the clients stop and desist from violating them. 2. EXPERIENCE NO. 2 - RELIGION
Client 1
All the Clients in the house do not practice any form of religion. And this can be traced from their Intellectual Disability and not giving importance to anything else other than their immediate physical needs. As part of the Rules of the House supposedly during meal times everybody would eat in the dining table and say the grace before the meal. There was one time when I started to say the grace before the meal and then everybody else howled in protest except of course with my co-staff who admonished the clients to respect the practice of my religious belief. With this incident I realized now the truthfulness of the fact that 60 percent of the people in New Zealand are atheist or does not practice any form of religion.
This is contrary to the country I came from where 95 percent of the population are Catholics and the other 5 percent practicing their own kind of religion. It would be a heresy if you will not respect and honor the religious practice of other people whether it be your own religion or not. Although I have become more tolerant now of the fact that majority of the people here in New Zealand don’t even practice any religion I still practice and defend my own religion with zealousness, and actually strengthened my faith a thousand folds.
Although I am a devout catholic I don’t impose my religion on my Clients. And so after that first incident I did not repeat the same again on the dining table and just say my grace silently and including them all in my prayers that they be given grace as well.
Client 2
One Male Maori Client in the house just like the others don’t practice any religion however he likes very much “Mother Nature”. As part of his weekly plans he would like to go to the park run and lie down in the grass; look at the trees, picking up fallen leaves and fruits; see the river, feel the flowing water, wading on the river, looking for fish and feeding the ducks or other birds or animals in the river. Although this is not religious practice per se but in Maori culture respecting, appreciating and loving “Mother Nature” is a form of religion. This is a respect to the power and spirit of the nature and environment. At the same time to him it is sensory in nature as well as the whole exercise or activity makes him happy or stimulates him in whatever manner.
In our own country respecting nature and the environment is also part of the culture however not part of the religion as it connotes paganism. The native people where practicing paganism before the Spaniards came in the 1500’s to colonize our country and introducing Christianity. Thus from then on respecting Mother Nature is just part of the culture and practices but not as a religion anymore.
Even with his intellectual disability my client practices his religion knowingly or unknowingly and I respect him for that. Visiting “Mother Nature” is always part of his weekly plan and whenever am on shift I see to it that this is followed and I myself would be the one to go with him.
EXPERIENCE NO. 3 - FAMILY RELATIONS
Client No. 1
This Male Client has no family relations to call as when he was just 6 years old when he was removed from the care of his biological mother by the Ministry of Health thru the CYF. He was transferred from one foster parents to another 50 times and never stayed longer and grow up in one family unit at all. Thus he does not even know the concept of what family consist of. But he dreams that someday he wants to have a kid of his own but does not know how to make that happen. He does not also know what will be his relationship with a kid whether part of his sexual fantasy or a younger brother or a family member. But what he usually does is that he kisses the picture of a kid with an open mouth and rubs himself in the process during his private time in his room. Then after his rubbing time he would start talking about holding the neck of the kid (a boy child) and strangling him. While talking about this his face will redden up and he will clap his hands with trembling motion showing full of excitement. The thought of doing this makes him very happy and stimulated for a moment then afterwards he will say that he hates the kid and would start pulling hairs of staff/co-client, poke the eye of staff/co-client, spit at anyone, make a lot of loud noise and kicking the walls and ripping off anything.

In our country the family is the basic unit in the society. And it is full of love and respect from the day it is created with the courtship of two single individuals ending up in a marriage and then the children completing the family as one. Throughout the whole process of growing up in a family the concept of religion, culture, beliefs, education etc. is given priority in order to prepare the children to be a normal and productive members of the society at large and then someday will be involved in the process of forming their own family.
Although my Client has no concept of a family and my dislike of his muddled concept of having one, but still the respect he shows to his flat mates (which can be considered as his siblings) and the Support Workers (which can be considered as parents or elders) at times that he is normal is like playing along his role within a family unit.

Client No. 2
This 15 year old Male Client knows who the members of his family are but he does not know the real concept of a family. He was also a subject of being transferred from one “home” to another since he was 6 years old after he was removed from his family by the Ministry of Health thru the CYF. He knows the identity of his biological parents who visits him on a weekly basis in the house at present. Also his grandmothers from both sides of his family visits him regularly. However his relationship with them is just based on what they could buy for him. He rarely would show any love or affection with them and sometimes would even decline seeing them or even if they are in the house visiting him he would still lock himself inside his bedroom. And what’s worse is that he would even sometimes sexually molest and assault his grandmothers. However if the family member will be bringing in goodies, fizzy drinks or toys for him he will be attending to them.
Respect for the elders especially with the members of your family is very important in our country as part of our religion, culture and education. People who do not practice for their elders and family members are stood down and ostracized by the family or the society at large. Family members and the elders are given the due respect that they are entitled to.
Although Client 2 has intellectual disability still it’s not an excuse for him to show disrespect to his family members and his elders. He is constantly being reminded and educated by staff how to deal properly with his parents and family. His continuing education at Hillmorton High School could help in improving his attitude towards his family. There will always be room for improvement for him as his intellectual disability is as not severe compared to others in a similar situation.

Activity Three
Create a comparison of the values and attitudes towards people with a disability in your community historically and now.
HISTORY NOW
50 Years ago Statement about what society says medically compared to before and now
Activity Four
What impact does the values and attitudes of your community have on the life of a person you support?
(Think about a person how you support them in a week/day in their life or examples that are positively or negatively impacted by the people that they come across the community)
(Link with activity 3)

Prior to 1992 people with Intellectual Disability came within the scope of the Mental Health Act of 1969 and could be subject to orders under that Act. The 1969 Act was then linked to the Criminal Justice Act of 1985. This Act allowed the courts to make orders placing individuals under the 1969 Act as an alternative to placing the individuals in jail or releasing them back to the community. In 1992 the Mental Health Compulsory Assessment and Treatment Act of 1992 replaced the 1969 Act. One of the biggest aspects of the 1992 Act was the introduction of a new definition of the term mental disorder. This definition excluded from the metal health legislation those individuals who have an intellectual disability unless they also have a mental illness. This legislation led to the creation of the IDCCR Act of 2003.
Reason for Legislation:
Because a small amount of people presents a serious risk to the community due to the offending, but prison is not the appropriate environment for them due to their Intellectual Disability (in short ID). So the Courts had a legal basis or tool to use when placing those people with ID into compulsory care due to offending.
Purpose for Legislation:
So the courts could place an individual under the compulsory order if the individual has been convicted of an imprisonable offense. This means that the individual has to go into a support service and cannot choose not to. This is also to recognize and safeguard the special rights of the individual placed under the act. Moreover this is also to safeguard the appropriate use of different levels of care for individuals. And finally to provide the courts with legal grounds to issue orders for the compulsory care and rehabilitation order for people with ID.
Reason for Legal:
To keep the people with ID out of the jail, where they can easily be targeted. And to have a system which could put specific limits to individuals.
Reason for Rehabilitation or habilitation:
To make sure people under the Act must have their care and rehabilitation needs to be assessed.
Purpose for Rehabilitation or habilitation:
To get a needs assessment done. To make a rehabilitation plan that will hopefully help the people with ID become a regular member of the society after their orders have expired.

When I was employed with my present employer the Client I support was under the Court Order and basically he should always be accompanied by at least two (2) staff whenever he is in the community at large. This is because his behavior can suddenly change from being normal to assaultive behavior. Thus his safety as well the safety of the people surrounding him will always be at risks at all times. And before an outside activity is done in the community with him the “community risk assessment” is read for him to understand what he is doing and what is expected of him. And if he says that he understands it and “feels safe” in going out then the activity pushes thru.
The reading of the “community risk assessment” is not a 100% foolproof that my Client will not “act up” in the community as there were several occasions in the past that he still assaulted staff or members of the community for no apparent reasons at all. Thus his assimilation and exposure in the community should be guardedly implemented for his safety and the community at large. Moreover his Care Plant, Rehabilitation Plan, Crisis Plan and Risks Management Plan should always be strictly implemented and followed.
But since then he has improved a lot. There are times now that whenever he wants to have a walk to the train tracks or railway crossing I can accompany him all alone without the need for support by another staff. However I always stay side by side with him so as to prevent him from assaulting anybody at the wink of an eye. During walking he would greet people that we meet with a simple “hello” and tell them that he is going to the train tracks today. He would wave at people all around us and wave at vehicles passing by especially the freight trucks to pull their horns. In the rail tracks he will walk beside the rails and not on the rail for his safety. And whenever a train passes by I would have to hold on his jacket to make him feel safe and to prevent him from jumping on to the tracks. He would also signal the train pilot to pull his horn which they usually happily oblige to.
As part of his immersion to the community he also likes now to drink café in a coffee shop with people around and this is a part now of his weekly activity plan. He likes the environment where people are having a good time and him having a good time as well. He always looks forward to this activity every Wednesday.
Two weeks ago we were informed that the Court Order of my Client has already expired and that he had become a Civil Client. As a Civil Client he can do now whatever he wants to do without any restrictions or rules. Initially he welcomed this news with glee and happiness. However we have noticed days after the news that he really does not comprehend the impact of him being a Civil Client and the new rules that covered him now. He became more anxious with the situation and his assaultive behavior had increased until it ended up with staff calling the police to apprehend him because he assaulted staff and damaged property. He was brought to the PES and then to PSAID and then to AT &R. Temporarily he was re-classified again as under the Mental Health Act and the people involved in this process will be meeting up today to decide on what to do with him.
The question now is that did the Court Order really had rehabilitated my Client or not? My answer to that question is both yes and no. In some ways it had improved him however because of his Intellectual Disability which is hard to psychologically analyze and assess whether it still can be cured or rehabilitated or not will remain as a question.