Home
Welcome & Overview
Computer Instructions
Meet the Trainers
Readings
Activities
|
Is a
Broker Just Someone Who Does Brokerage?
John and Connie Lyle
O'Brien, prolific writers and disability advocates,
discuss their impressions of what Support Brokers should endorse
in order to be part of the creative process that is Self-Determination.
There are many job titles that have been used to describe people
who work in the disability field. Across the last decade, these
titles have attempted to note the change from a medical model
of patient care to a system of support to achieve more typical
lives. In this article, the authors describe the obligations of
supported living staff.
Upon close review, it is clear that we could change that title
to Support Broker and have their statements be equally valid.
The authors emphasize the ideas of learning,
identifying, recognizing, and understanding.
These words indicate that Support Brokers play a part in a dynamic
process where knowledge and trust must be gained and that mistakes
will happen. Moreover, because Support Brokers are individuals
as well, John and Connie O'Brien encourage Brokers to realize
they will not have all the answers. Brokers must learn from
their mistakes and be open to the continual learning process.
The
Obligations of Being a Support Broker, [pdf file]
excerpted from: Assistance
with Integrity – The Search for Accountability and The Lives
of People with Developmental Disabilities – John O’Brien
& Connie Lyle O’Brien pages
22-24
In order to assist with achieving a Self-Determined future, "people
with developmental disabilities need committed, capable allies.
Becoming someone's ally doesn't necessarily mean becoming their
close friend or endorsing everything they do or want.it means
being willing to be involved in a constructive way in helping
the person discover and move toward a desirable personal future."
-John & Connie Lyle O'Brien
top
page 1
page 2 page
3 page 4 page 5 |
|
