^{Last Things}

Introduction

This final section is a chance to tie up lose ends. During the course we will have made a list of things that are not yet understood or need to be revisited after all the information has been discussed. This section allows time for that.

Additionally, there are several sections below covering subjects that usually come up during the course, for which I provide ready written notes.

Choice and Choice Perversion

· What does it mean to say someone has made a choice. One definition is as follows:

· The person must fulfil the following criteria:

1/ They must have the mental ability and competence to make a choice

2/ They must know there are alternatives to their current position

3/ They must know that they are able to make a choice

4/ They must have an appropriate knowledge of the positive and negative results of making a choice

If any of the above is missing and someone says that a choice has been made, then that is in fact a choice perversion.

Overcoming Resistance

“If This, Then That Formulation”

This formulation concentrates on Antecedents (A) and Consequences (C).

It has four parts.

1/ If A continues, then C will happen

If people continue to be treated in negative ways then they will have more wounds and are likely to have wasted lives.

2/ If C has occurred, then A is likely to have preceded it

For instance, if people are congregated, segregated and avoided, then it is likely that they have been cast into a socially negative role for this to have happened.

3/ If one desires C, then one will probably have to do A. Conversely if one wants to avoid C, then A will probably have to be done.

If you wish to gain valued social roles for people, then people must be offered valued services. Conversely, if you want to avoid wasted lives, you must offer a variety of valued services.

4/ If one wishes to do A to cause C, but one concludes that it is too costly to oneself or the person-at-risk, then one may have to modify, or even sacrifice the goal C.

If you believe that individual housing is necessary for people to have valued lives, but this is too expensive, then it may be necessary to stop saying that your goal is to provide valued housing for people.

· The examples above have broad goals, but the formulation applies to every level of intervention.

· By reporting in this manner, it is made clear that it is not current service provision alone that is being criticised, but the outcome for people-at-risk that is being made clear.

· The formulation is very useful when talking to people who defend services as “the best that can be given”, but fail to see the damage that may result if the service remains the same.

· Link these items to your own work/practice/life

· Decide if there are changes that you would like to make to your work/practice/life because of this.

· Set goals for acting on this:

o In a month

o In 3 months

o In 6 months

o In a year’s time

o At any other time.

· Write this up as an action plan and review at regular intervals.

Other Headings Added During the Course

List:

^Appendix

An Exercise In Advertising

Previous Results

Youthful Aged

Beautiful Deformed

Healthy Sick

Confident Insecure, Shy

Rich Poor

Well Dressed Scruffy, Drab, Out-of-Fashion

Independent Dependant

Popular Ignored

Successful Failure

Valued Despised

Competent Unable, Incapable, Inept

Sexually Attractive Asexual/ Sexual Threat/Repulsive

Active Passive

Educated Thick

White Black

Middle-class Underclass

Employed Workless

In relationships Alone

Free Restricted

New Old/Used

Natural Un-natural

Fun Boring

Gender Appropriate Sexually Deviant

Mobile Limited

Graceful Awkward

^{Last Things}

Introduction

Choice and Choice Perversion

Overcoming Resistance

“If This, Then That Formulation”

SRV against the World

So You Want to Change the World?

Personal Agenda

Other Headings Added During the Course