Ark Housing

Evaluating Case Studies Angela Swann

ARK HOUSING

Ark Housing Background

The project was established over 5 years ago and is one of a number set up by Ark Housing, a volunteer organization. The organization itself has been existence for over 7 years concentrating its efforts in the east of Scotland.

Organisations Initiatives

The local community showed evidence that a new project should be established. Two people and some local residents put a plan in implementation and with fund-raising they ‘build up’ Marshtown. Once the project was up ten people were living in it.

Ark Housing Aim

(Ark Housing)It is an organization which aims to provide housing for adults with learning difficulties and make people as independent as possible, realizing their potential. It is not intending to teach people skills, either living or socially skills, occurring the residents leaving. Ark’s philosophy is ‘a community home for life for each resident, or until that resident says that they want to leave. Ark Housing continues to be successful by the fact that the number of adults is continually increasing.

Project Management of Marshtown

Although things are running smoothly in Marshtown there are some issues which must be taken into consideration for our benefit. There is a head office which is divided in a personnel officer, director, administrative staff and a residential services department who oversee the whole situation. There have been consultations that it may be a line manager which will go to Ark rather than to the Local Committee. It will be useful to have a line manager to inform Ark Management Director when they have to deal with an issue because they will be more organized as a whole and the Ark Director won’t have to inform two separate sides, saving a lot of vital time.

Inter – relationships in Marshtown

Relationships with the local authority are very good and we are both trying to provide as good service as possible to the residents. Our common aim is to offer our help and support for the benefit of our residents. Despite the fact that social workers take a back seat when residents come in, they are willing to send someone to help us if we simply asked. We work closely with doctors and that’s with individuals, and our relationship is powerful because many people know us and will give us advice and that is very supportive and helpful. Relationships with the community education service seem to be particularly strong although not all residents go to adult training classes.

1.6 Ark Housing facing difficulties

Ark Housing faces several problems which must be taken in to consideration for the benefit of the organization/staff but also for the residents comfort. These problems are:

There is lack of staff and volunteers. Staff is not trained for this purpose and volunteers are unqualified and unreliable.

There is no one line-manager in order to inform the Ark Management Director. Thus, when issues arise in Marshtown they must inform two separate sides and that provokes double work.

Each staff worker doesn’t have specific responsibilities and as a result they do whatever comes in their way. They don’t have specific roles and there is no order in jobs.

Ark Housing needs more money to cover the expenses that come across such as the construction of Satellite Houses. If the Satellite Houses get approved in the future either more staff or volunteers will be needed to visit the residents.

The money that the residents receive from DSS might stop going to them and might be paid in bulk to Ark House.

It is difficult to convince the Local community to accept the Satellite Houses.

The residents don’t have a lot of options regarding employment. If they get a job they might lose their place because they wouldn’t be able to earn enough money right away to pay for their residence. The choice of work is unbalanced.

Social Services take a back seat when people come in.

Not all the residents go to adult training centres

Suggestions for Potential Solutions

Caring for a resident with a learning disability is a lifelong commitment, which continues even when the person is living away from the family home. As carers we make a vital contribution to the lives of people with learning disabilities, often providing most of the support they need. As the Marshtown Staff worker representative I am responsible for the adults’ supervision and assistant. I am aware of the problems that Marshtown faces and I want to make suggestions and possible solutions for these matters. I came up with some ways of attractive staff and volunteers in Marshtown, and the most important how to work with these adults with learning difficulties.

1.7.1 Targeting Volunteers

Even though Ark House is a voluntary organisation there are not enough volunteers to carry out the work needed, to fulfill the residents’ expectations. I would like to highlight that the people we see everyday are all potential volunteers and we fail to see them as such. In recruiting volunteers we are not only looking for people with specific skills and experience, but also for those with the potential to carry out the work with support and training.

The message needs to be spread to a broad audience and is good to start looking in the local community first because local people will have a stake in what happens in their area. It will also be easier for them to get to us, keeping down the travel expenses. A variety of methods can be used for the broadest scope such as: word of mouth, through existing staff, leaflet distribution, poster, colleges. ()

1.7.2 Recruiting Staff

There are only four full time assistants and only one part time who are not enough for the number of ...

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1.7.2 Recruiting Staff

There are only four full time assistants and only one part time who are not enough for the number of residents. The staff involved in projects have varied backgrounds and come from different professions. (For example the project co-ordinator was a teacher and wasn’t trained for this job) Successful staff recruitment depends on knowing the sort of people most likely to be qualified in this kind of work. The work involves specific skills and experience so it will be best recruitment to be targeted at places where we will find people with the necessary skills and experience. (Michael Armstrong, 1998) Widespread and general appeals may raise a lot of interest but will be less efficient than direct targeting. One way to identify where to find staff is by establishing whether there is a common factor in their backgrounds – employment, education. ()

1.7.2.1 Training existing staff

The existing staff in Marshtown should be trained. If staff is to perform different functions than hitherto with a fundamental re-orientation in their attitudes towards an individual approach to meeting residents’ needs, they will require the training necessary to allow them to perform these functions well and to help alleviate their anxieties and uncertainties. There will be a need for staff to extend and develop their existing skills and some may move in the direction of becoming ‘specialists’ in particular areas. (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2003. Microsoft Corporation.)

1.7.3 Funding of Residents

The money is paid by DSS to the resident who in turn pays it to Ark for their accommodation might be stopped going to residents and might be paid in bulk to Ark House. This is an ethical problem because when the residents pay Ark House, they feel they can operate money (feel important) I strongly disagree with this matter because for as long as I am working with the residents I have seen that this action (paying the Ark house on their own) makes them feel special and capable of completing a transaction.

It is my responsibility to make them believe that they are just like the rest of us and can act as sufficient. Taking away this doing will make them feel literally disempowered as individuals, leaving them passive and reluctant in making choices.

1.7.4 New Activities

Activities that most people take for granted - meeting people, catching a bus, having a girlfriend or boyfriend and going to the cinema - can be hard for someone who has a learning disability. Often this is quite simply because of the way society is organised. There are various projects, including befriending schemes, clubs, adult education classes, job training and specialist holidays, that can help adults with learning difficulties to lead more fulfilling lives. () I suggest that Marshtown should run adult training centres or social education centres, which aim to offer continuing education or work training, as well as providing a focal point for people with learning disabilities to meet friends.

I would like to emphasis on enabling people to take part in their communities in ways that would be valued by their non-learning-disabled peers. Such activities might include going swimming, having a paper round and going to the pub or other local amenities. We could assist residents with shopping, personal activities and general home-life. We can also give them support by making the evening meal or their breakfast and accompany the residents on social outings, cinema, theatre and pub.

Visiting this webpage I realized that involvement in sports and leisure activities can meet more specific purposes such as community integration, educational experience and social development and should be considered as part of the residents’ activities. Recreational activities such as music, art, dance and drama can also be part of a therapeutic programme. Such programmes aim to use the recreational activity to overcome communication difficulties by enabling a person to find expression through an artistic medium. ()

Marshtown staff will need to consider, particularly in relation to more physically demanding sport or recreation, the question of risk and will need to be aware of any circumstance that prevents people from engaging in these.( For example, those with Down’s Syndrome who contribution from all its citizens)

1.7.5 Residents in the Employment Field

The residents’ employability is limited. Few of the residents have identified the fact that they would like to work full or part time for payment. The fear that any form of work may threaten their benefit status acts as a deterrent to finding a job that could potentially lose their ‘Housing Benefit’ because they wouldn’t be able to earn enough money right away to pay for their residence.

Most people with learning disabilities do not find work and so must live on the support provided by DSS. This is a big issue for our residents and particular for people with learning disabilities because, even if they have a job, these tend to be low-paid. The reasons for this exclusion from the labour market are complex, but they include:

Low expectations on the part of many agencies and professionals of what people with learning disabilities can achieve
The interaction between social security benefit rules and employment can result in disincentives to work for some learning disabled people. ()

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) originated in the United States in the 1960’s (See Appendix 1) with the aim of ending the discrimination that many disabled people face. It protects disabled people in education as well as other sectors. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, (See Appendix 2) many legal rights and obligations affecting disabled people's access to services and employment are already in force. Others became law in 2005. (See Appendix 3) Many people are still not aware that they have many new rights. And employers and service providers are often unsure how to implement "best practice" to make it easier for disabled people to use their services or gain employment. ()

The legislation does not aim to lower academic standards. Instead, it aims to ensure that disabled people have equal opportunity to benefit from, and contribute to the learning available in employment and higher education institution. Institutions already have responsibilities towards members of staff and members of the public under the Act.

People with learning disabilities are increasingly working in open employment, in sheltered workshops, special vocational college courses, recreational and occupational projects and in a range of special supported employment schemes. Opportunities now cover many jobs and industries. Providers and purchasers of day services have an important role to play in employment, by equipping them with both general and social skills.

The individual programme plan should be used in relation to work activities which should be clearly related to the assessment of individual needs and potential for further development. In this way someone who might potentially be a candidate for open or sheltered employment could receive training in such areas such interpersonal skills, development of co-operation with fellow workers, assumption of responsibility and ability to follow through tasks and adapt to difficult situations, all of which will enable a job, once found, to be satisfactorily maintained. ()

1.8 Community Education Service

Relationships with the community education service in Marshtown seem to be particularly strong, reflecting the background in community education work. As it was pointed out not all the residents go to adult training centres. This can be viewed as an ethical issue because adults with learning difficulties don’t have the ability to request this kind of services.

Social education will need to be concerned with social and personal relationships. People with learning disabilities have the same range of emotional, friendship and companionship needs as other people, but may need help and support in making relationships with other people with learning disabilities, and with their non-handicapped peers. This solution I believe will be very fruitful because the education service would help in establishing schemes to encourage the residents with learning disabilities to develop their network of friendship.

The sexuality of people with learning disabilities is an issue which needs to be openly addressed by users, carers and staff, clear guidelines should be prepared and appropriate

education provided. The aim should be to enable people with learning disabilities to understand and come to terms with their sexuality and be helped to express their needs and feelings in ways which are acceptable to themselves as well as society. To enable them to do this will require guidance, education and sensitive support. This knowledge will help in development towards maturity and assist possibly vulnerable individuals to protect themselves against the risk of exploitation and the threat of problems such as sexual abuse, unplanned pregnancy or exposure to Aids. (Aktar Bano et al, 1993)

1.9 Social Services

Social Workers take a back seat when people come in. Although we can get all the help we need it is better for the residents to have a better relationship with them. Sometimes it can be difficult for the residents to get all the support they feel they need. This mostly depends on what level of disability they have. Social workers can help them explore what help they are entitled to as they can not argue for their study. If the residents feel they ‘are not being heard’, we can help them get a social worker to assist them.

At the heart of Advocacy is a respect for the dignity of a person and a belief that voicing their respect can have a transforming effect. Advocacy is based on the belief that we are all citizens with the same rights, responsibilities and potential for growth. (David Fruin, 1998) Advocates believe there is a need to challenge the exclusion and discrimination that can be experienced by people with a learning disability by enabling them to access their human and legal rights. ()

Resident’s quality of life can be greatly increased by some input and advice from professionals with expertise in a specific area. Social Workers can offer speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, counselling and access to psychological and psychiatric services, in addition to the practical and financial help that social workers can provide. I am suggesting this method because I was influenced by Bob Gates and I believe it will be successful (1997)

Emotional and behavioural difficulties are common in individuals who have a learning disability, for a variety of biological, psychological and social reasons. Assessment and management (See Appendix 4) of such difficulties can be problematic so I will require a specialist multi-disciplinary team involving professionals from health, education and social services as well as the private and voluntary sector. ()This is an action I will put in process and it is an issue of power.

2.1 Power and Ethics:

A multitude of issues in the care of people with learning disabilities have strong ethical implications. Many of these are underpinned by many issues such as concepts of personhood, autonomy versus paternalism and competence. (Personhood is what is meant by ‘a person’ and what criteria we use to define ‘a person’.) (Eamon Shanley et al, 1993) Philosophies of care tend to be introduced in statements expounding that people with learning disabilities have the same right and obligations as any other person within their society and these people are still human beings.

Autonomy versus paternalism is meant the right or state of self-government and the freedom (and ability) of the individual to determine his/her actions and behaviours. The principles of normalization emphasize the importance of individuals being able to exercise informed choice and being empowered to make decisions about their own lives. The concept of risk-taking has to be considered in this context. (Eamon Shanley et al, 1993)

Signifying the above recommendations, I have considered ethics within the solutions that will be undertaken in Marshtown. These ethics emphasizes good outcomes and is concerned with social result and are of great importance as it will enable residents to feel indiscriminate, capable and overestimated.

As a Marshtown staff worker representative I reflect the ‘normative power’ which is based on a system of shared goals. The staff and everyone who is involved in Marshtown share the same value of work and the time spent (in Marshtown) should therefore be varied and rewarding, provide stimulus and challenge, and aim at helping the residents to develop his/her maximum potential and independence.

I can’t resolve any matters on my own and make changes in Marshtown. Even though we are a successful volunteer organisation and offer the best part of ourselves we must continue the good work and as a result we will overcome any issues raised. Every one of us has to make an effort to accomplish our goals for the improvement of our residents’ advantage.

2.2 Personal Philosophy

I am required to indicate that in expressing my opinion and suggestions to the rest of the committee, I was having in mind the eco-centric philosophy. I support the eco-centric beliefs, which requires the involvement of all individuals in discovering “what is” as a means of addressing what should be. In the case of Ark housing, improvements can be achieved by contribution of all the people.

Through eco-centric philosophy, people see better the whole of what was, is, and should be related to beliefs, knowledge and action. They begin to see what is better of achieving a better future. They are co operating with each other people are united and act for the benefit of all, and not for an individualistic benefit. There are opinions and contribution for achieving improvement, become means of generating hope for an effective improvement. (Vaines E., 1990)

Ark house is a voluntary organisation that offers support to people with learning difficulties. We must have in mind that voluntary organisations are very useful in a social welfare and can offer personal services to individuals directly. The Barclay Report (1982) recognized that the ‘bulk of social care is carried out not by statutory or voluntary agencies but by ordinary people’. Care in the community in Ark Housing has been defined as meaning of giving support and relief to the residents coping with the stress of caring for the adults with learning difficulties, provide the most effective services to meet the needs of those being helped and make residents as independent as possible within this setting. Thus, I strongly recommend we should set up a great effort to have satellites houses and not this suggestion to remain a simple possibility.

WORDS: 2978 (Excluding references in the text)

REFERENCES

Armstrong M., (1998), Managing People in the Industrial Society, Kogan page

Bano A., Crosskill D., Patel R., Rashman L., Shah R., (1993) Improving Practice with People with Learning Difficulties: A Training Manual, Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work: London

Etzioni A., (1964), Modern Organizations, Free Press

Fruin D., (1998) Moving into the Mainstream: The Report of a National Inspection of Services for Adults with Learning Disabilities, Department of Health: London

Gates B., (1997), Learning Disabilities, Pearson Professional Limited, USA, Third Edition

Gerber, P. J., and Reiff, H., (1994) Learning Disabilities in Adulthood: Persisting Problems and Evolving Issues. Stoneham, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann

Heginbotham C., (1990), Return to Community - The voluntary Ethic and Community Care, London, Bedford Square Press.

Lecture Notes (14/11/2005)

McGee J., (1992), Gentle Teaching: Assumptions and Paradigm. Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis 25:869-872

Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2003, (1993-2002) Microsoft Corporation

Shanley E., Starrs A. T., (1993) Learning Disabilities: A Handbook of Care, Churchill Livingstone, Medical Division of Longman Group Limited, Second Edition

Vein E., (1990) Canadian Home Economics Journal 40(1) p.9

INTERET SOURCES:

Christine Beasley, Thursday 8 December 2005, The Department of Health, Sited in:

HMSO (Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament) Prepared 19 August 1997, The Disability Discrimination Act, Sited in:

Rachel Savage, Last updated 31.05.2005, Adults with learning difficulties, (activities) Sited in:

The Institute of Mental Health Act Practitioners (IMHAP) Working with Adults with learning difficulties, Sited in:

Advocacy Literature

Adults with learning difficulties (emotions)

Employment of adults with learning difficulties

Finding volunteers

The role of voluntary organizations

Recruiting Staff

Voluntary organizations are organizations which are mainly run by , or which rely on volunteers in order to carry out significant portions of their work. Often voluntary organizations are also . ()

Also called learning disabilities

The Local Committee will still have an overview of the house

People with learning disabilities should, of course, be allowed to take reasonable risks in their recreational and sporting activities. Some strenuous forms of sporting activity will not, however be suitable for people who have certain physical disabilities or where specific medical conditions (Epilepsy)

Personhood is most familiar within the context of the debate about the ethical aspects of abortion, but it has an equal relevance in relation to the care of people with an intellectual disability.

Autonomy Versus of Paternalism is the tendency or system in which provident fostering of care is apt to pass into (unwelcome) interference or where the freedom of the individual is subject to (well-meant) regulations.

Normative power is the power which rests on the beliefs of the members that the organization has a right to govern their behaviour. (Etzioni A., 1964)

Eco-centric philosophy searches for language, institutions and politics which are consistent with moral ends.

This in reality, means women at home becoming responsible for caring without pay, training or support

Care in the community may be in hostels, group homes, or institutions such as hospitals