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1、Towards Dignity and Self DeterminationOctober 1989Brian SalisburyGeorge Bernard Shaw once remarked that professions are a conspiracy against the people they purport to serve. Indeed, if developments in the disability field can be taken as an example, this view is not so cynical.More consumers than e
2、ver believe that the majority of social service professionals are overly clinical technicians who expect deference to their so called expertise. Not surprisingly, people with disabilities also see a direct relationship between a lack of professional responsiveness and accountability and the loss of
3、control over there own lives. Although, in defense of professionals who do care, factors such or training, education, social and fiscal policies and restrictive organizational mandates often reinforce ownership of the consumer in a subtle way.Change, however, is on the horizon. People with disabilit
4、ies are demanding professional involvement, which does not confuse ownership with support. An alternative approach known as service brokerage, based on the right of people with disabilities to control their own lives, is attracting widespread interest.Developed in Canada in the 1970s by parents of c
5、hildren with learning difficulties, service brokerage tackles The Systems problems, and challenges long held assumptions about the boundaries of professional practice in social services. The concept comprises two distinct yet interdependent components, which aim at restoring decision-making power to
6、 the consumer: individualized funding allocated to the person on the basis of specific needs, and service requirements, and an autonomous, community-based service brokerage agency, acting as a fixed point of response which can, at the individuals discretion, serve as a critical link between the indi
7、vidual, funding body, service system, professionals and wider community.The brokerage model also recognizes the important supports, such as friendship and advocacy, which family and friends can provide in each individuals life. Acting through its service brokers the fixed point makes professional pl
8、anning supports available to consumers who request such a service. By providing information and technical advice, the broker assists the individual to make informed decisions. Brokers empower consumers by assisting them to walk through various community service systems, and to use their funding allo
9、cation in a more capable way. Service brokerage is based on the principle that the proper role of the helping professional is that of an auxiliary. While not anti-professional, the effective broker works informally with the individual, de-emphasizing and demystifying the power of the professional.On
10、 a deeper level, the brokerage function reflects the individuals need for a technical extension in order to develop a vision of a dignified and self-determining life in the community. The knowledge and information base which brokerage represents combined with the purchasing power of individualized f
11、unding, provider the consumer with the resources necessary to achieve that vision.The broker is a skilled generalist who is able to combine well-developed personal qualities, a sound knowledge base and a variety of professional/technical skills. The brokers primary accountability is to the individua
12、l and his or her right to make all decisions. As such, the boundaries and requirements of the brokerage role differs significantly from those of traditional social service professions. It is these general requirements, along with a brief overview of training, which are the focus of this article.Pers
13、onal qualities and skills From a consumers point of view, the most important quality a broker has is a fundamental commitment to empowering people with disabilities (and their networks), while safeguarding basic human rights. The broker accepts, unequivocally, the consumers right to make decisions i
14、mpacting on his or her quality of life.The planning process is facilitated in a way that does not impose the brokers professional judgement and needs. This can sometimes be difficult for the broker who, while acting in a caring and responsible way, also respects each persons right to dignity of risk
15、.Can the brokers sense of personal commitment to the individual be developed and safeguarded? In my view, commitment is a feature of an individuals personality. It is not a function of education and training or professional regulation. The only thing likely to keep the broker on track is adherence t
16、o a human (versus professional) value system that recognizes the inherent worth and uniqueness of all individuals and their right to full integration, autonomy and self-determination. Stated simply, values are the building blocks of perceptions and attitudes, and ultimately human behavior. Values thus play a central role in determining whether behavior is ethical or competen
