Week 5 - Community & Spiritualty Flashcards
In terms of community first…
Indigenous peoples place emphasis on the individual?
No - Indigenous peoples place emphasis on the collective rather than the individual
Taught to conduct themselves in ways that create positive relationships with everyone in their community
In terms of community first…
Traditional worldview emphasizes a “sense of doing” over “being”?
No - Traditional worldview emphasizes a “sense of being” over “doing”
In terms of community first…
Western would say “What do you do for a living?”
What do Indigenous people say?
“Where do you come from; who’s your family?”
This is like a position statement, being responsible for what you’re saying because you’re using their name
Emphasis on collective well-being is based on indigenous which 3 values?
Sharing
Interdependence
Non-interference
Why is collective well-being necessity and logical?
because of living in harsh environmental conditions with
Extreme cold
Shortages of food
What 2 points fit with the notion that “it takes a village…”
Community members may take up role of parents
Everyone understood to have a connection to all children, can participate in raising children, and needs to be involved in decisions that affect children
T/F - Relationship is the cornerstone of community and the nature and expression of community is the foundation of identity
true
Indigenous children develop an identity that encourages them to see themselves as related to what two things?
related to everyone in the community as well as in nature
Participation in and connection with community seems to help us know in a deeper way that we are WHAT
an integral part of something
In terms of Community – building as decolonization (self governance / self determination)…
T/F - People’s healing rooted in revived sense of community and revitalization of Indigenous cultures
true
In terms of Community – building as decolonization (self governance / self determination)…
Self determination requires the building of WHAT
Building Indigenous organizations – they can’t be western institutions that are under Indigenous control i.e. the court house example
In terms of Community – building as decolonization (self governance / self determination)…
Reclaiming an Indigenous identity takes place at which levels?
an individual, community, organizational, and ultimately political level
In terms of Community – building relationships mean knowing what 4 things?
Knowing the community, the kinships, the history, and the culture
In terms of Community – building relationships …
The social worker becomes embedded in the community and eventually becomes WHAT
a natural part of the helping system
They rely more on natural systems rather than a formal SW or police
They are guarded around SW – be patient and tick it out but you may never be welcome and you have to accept that – it tales months or years to build trust
Professionals working in First Nations communities should do what 3 things?
-Connect with the people and the place
-Take time and let the community know who you are
-Know the community before providing services
*but your agency may not care about this and not give you the time to build those relationships
In terms of Community - Connect with the people and the place…
Connections may not develop quickly and professionals should be which 3 things?
-Patient
-Comfortable in silence
-Not so focused on their own goals
In terms of Community - Connect with the people and the place…
What is the first step
Wanting to know who the people are
In terms of Community - Connect with the people and the place…
T/F - Take the time to listen (take a curiosity stance) and get to know the people in the community and the community as a whole
true
In terms of Community: Take Time and Let the Community Know Who You Are…
- you should have a WHAT type of attitude
-Be present in the community beyond the job and participate in community activities, how can you give back to the community?
**give out goodies in the community – put money back into the community –
patient attitude AND **give out goodies in the community – put money back into the community
reciprocity in the community is done through WHAT
done through spending money in the community
Why is a long-term commitment to the community the best?
it supports the development of trust and understanding that is necessary to working effectively together
In terms of Community: Know the Community Before Providing Services…
T/F - Establish a relationship with a family before attempting to move forward with assessments or interventions AND Making connections with community colleagues, attending community events and just spending time around families is important to the development of a relationship of trust, confidence and understanding
true
In terms of Community: Know the Community Before Providing Services…
is it important to know who handles the assistance, police who are trusted in the community, and housing folks, school staff
yes
In terms of Community: Know the Community Before Providing Services…
Families more confident in partnering and providing real input when WHAT is developed
trust
T/F - Dual relationships are one of the most frequently recorded violations of ethical standards by social workers
true
What is thought to be circumstances in which coercion, exploitation and other misuses of power might take place
dual relationships
Dual relationships – dangers and why we should avoid them…
T/F - May be concerns about dual relationships with clients when the professional is providing mandated services such as investigating child maltreatment, determining benefits, and preparing reports for court
true
Why can duel relationships produce isolation?
To avoid dual relationships, workers may isolate SW from the rest of the community
BUT it’s hard to avoid this when you work in a small community
Rural or remote workers are likely to be professionally isolated, making it difficult to obtain supervision or consultation
Rural or remote workers have fewer opportunities for professional development, continuing education, and limited access to support services
T/F - Dual relationships reported to be the rule / inevitable in small communities
true
These situations arise in a context of very limited resources and the worker may be the only service provider in town
A worker may have little choice but either to deny service to a client or to negotiate the difficulties of a dual relationship
In light of the inevitability of dual relationships, the Indigenous preference for community-minded practice, and the dangers associated with isolation, it quickly becomes clear that the real problem is WHAT
how to address inevitable dual relationships, rather than how to avoid them
**tell the client that you can’t say hi to them (to protect their confidentiality) when you see them on the street / in the store but they can say hi to you and tell their friends whatever they want
T/F - Workers who were the most integrated into the community generally felt that when engaging in dual relationships, ‘the more ties, the more effective’
true
Often the worker with closest ties to the client chose to take on the professional role, often citing a sense of responsibility to the person, to the job, and to the community
Resolution of ethical dilemmas around dual relationships include which 4 things?
1- Consulting the ethical guidelines of your profession (from the ethics board people)
2 - *Seeking supervision or consultation with peers
3- Creating a pros and cons list to determine the possible consequences and/or alternative courses of action,
4- Or some combination thereof
**Even if it’s just a little bit of a duel relationship – tell your supervisor
What are 3 considerations when exercising professional judgment in regards to dual relationships
1 - Level of benefit or detriment to the client (what if you are the only counsellor in town and your neighbour is suicidal)
2- The context
3 - The nature of the dual relationship
**it’s not an easy decision, but keep notes, seek consultation, and use professional judgement
Effective Practice in Remote Communities requires:
Knowledge
Skills
Attitudes
how do you describe each
Knowledge - of own limitations (know what you can / can’t do – keep within your scope of practice), have Diverse knowledge base, and Knowledge of Indigenous culture
Skills - have skills in the areas of technology, self-care, Generalist-specialist skills, Ability to set boundaries, Networking, Ability to compartmentalize
Attitudes - Willing to travel, Proactive/resourceful, Flexible ( be a self-starter), Approachable, Community minded, Appreciative of rural lifestyle
In terms of Spirituality form Western Perspectives…
T/F - Social work has been reluctant to accept the spiritual aspects of a person
true
The small body of literature on spirituality in social work practice focuses on grief counseling and hospice work
In terms of Spirituality form Western Perspectives…
From a Western lens of health, what some clients see as spiritual strength is often WHAT by practitioners
pathologized
In terms of the Separation of Spirituality - what are 3 factors
1 - The historical separation of church and state in Western countries has been a powerful force given that most social workers are employed by government agencies
2 - Profession seeks legitimacy as an evidence-based scientific discipline
3 - Religious and spiritual factors have often been linked more to pathology rather than seen as strengths or resources
In terms of the Separation of Spirituality…
T/F - With its concern for issues of power and oppression, the profession is cautious about any appearance of consciously imposing a frame of reference on any group
true
***Unequal gender roles and expectations in some religious traditions present a difficulty for a profession based on values of inclusion and equality
The very scope of spiritual practice and understandings can be threatening for practitioners seeking to demonstrate WHAT
demonstrate professional competence with intervention techniques that are under their own control
**It’s hard to evaluate spiritual experiences so they focus on other interventions
In terms of Spirituality vs. Religion…
Describe Religion
religion is a structured form of spirituality that usually has a group base
In terms of Spirituality vs. Religion…
Describe Spirituality
spirituality can include individual experiences with or without a structured belief system
In terms of Spirituality vs. Religion…
spirituality embodies an interWHAT and interrelationship with all life. Everyone and everything (both “animate” and “inanimate”) is seen as being equal and interdependent, as part of the great whole, and as having a spirit
interconnectedness
In terms of Spirituality vs. Religion…
Spirituality is stagnant?
no - The ways in which we celebrate and acknowledge our existence and experiences change as we advance as a species.
In terms of Spirituality vs. Religion…
Why is humility paramount?
Because we can’t learn everything there is to know about spirituality.
What is commonly defined as “the human quest for personal meaning and mutually fulfilling relationships among people, the non-human environment, and, for some, God
Spirituality
The defining characteristic of WHAT appears to be an observable expression of a belief system through prescribed activity or ceremony
religion
spirituality is expressed in a religious form; however, spirituality may also be expressed without adherence to a religion
In terms of Spirituality in Social Work…
T/F - As social work moves toward holistic models of practice, it cannot ignore the spiritual dimensions of human life
true
In terms of Spirituality in Social Work…
T/F - Social work practice is historically-grounded in religious sponsored agencies
true
In terms of Depression as Spiritual Sickness…
T/F - According to many Aboriginal Elders and Medicine People, the roots of depression are due to an “abandonment of respect for a spiritual way of life in exchange for materialistic things which overwhelm people, preventing them from looking at themselves as they really are”
true
losing conscious contact with the Creator and the spiritual parts of all life can cause what?
depression (it’s a spiritual illness)
**We lose our sense of where we are from and the direction in which we are going
In terms of Spirituality – what are 3 things for Purification?
1 -The Sweat Lodge Ceremony serves the important function of purification and healing, not only of the body but of the mind and spirit
2 - Fasting was widespread purification rite in the many Indigenous spiritual traditions
3 - The use of sage during smudging is the cleansing or purification of negative energy and troubling feelings among Anishinaabe peoples
In terms of Spirituality and the Land
Aboriginal helping perspectives and traditional Indigenous healing begin with a spiritual sense of interconnectedness with other persons only?
NO - with the environment as well
In terms of Spirituality and the Land
Do Indigenous Peoples need buildings to conduct their ceremonies or offer prayers?
NO - Ceremonies are held on the land; all sacred objects used for prayer and ceremony come from the land; the people sit directly on the land.
In terms of Spirituality and the Land - Western Perspective
T/F - Western society can “attribute to the landscape only the aesthetic and not the sacred perspective” because Westerners relate to the physical environment through technology – they also exploit the land
True
Is it Settler Peoples OR Indigenous People who are largely removed from and unaware of the connections between themselves and the physical environment where they live
Settler Peoples
In terms of Spirituality and the Land – Identity…
T/F - Indigenous cultural identities are tied directly to the land and concepts of place
true
The land and the physical environment shape cultural knowledge that has been handed down from one generation to another
In terms of Spirituality as Resistance…
T/F -
1884: Government banned elaborate feasts of Northwest Coast Indians, known under the general label of ‘potlatch’, along with dances associated with religious, supernatural rituals
1895: Sun dances of Plains Indians banned; drove dances underground
1914: Indians forbidden to perform traditional dances in Native garb at fairs and stampedes
true
In terms of Spirituality as Resistance…
As late as the 1930s, government reports continued to blame the apparent resistance to the agricultural model for economic self-support on the continuation of traditional ceremonies
What does that mean?
They were trying to make Indigenous peoples into farmers but their spiritual practices interfered with this
In terms of Spirituality in Child Welfare with Indigenous Peoples…
Spirituality is a source of strength for only Indigenous children involved in the child welfare system?
NO - also with parents, kinship caregivers, and foster parents
Elders play an integral role in continuing spiritual practices that foster cultural continuity and shape the vision, objectives, policies and practices of Indigenous child welfare agencies
In terms of Spirituality in Child Welfare with Indigenous Peoples
Child welfare practices with Indigenous clients that incorporate spirituality should do what 3 things
Take a strengths- and resiliency-based approach to child welfare
Have Elders embedded within the agency
Understand protocols when working with Elders
T/F - No discussion of the pervasiveness of Christian-based spiritual practices in many Indigenous communities
true - this is a Criticism
T/F - Lack of standardized assessment tools that assess spiritual strengths of Indigenous children, caregivers, and communities in a meaningful way
true - this is a Criticism
