Community Inclusivity Reflection

Assignment 4: Critical Reflection (15%)

Assignment 4 requires you to respond to topics and questions asked in Modules 9 – 12. This assignment provides an opportunity for you to explore and express your ideas, values, perspectives, and experiences related to new concepts or perspectives provided in the course material and readings.

Complete the critical reflection question once you have completed each module. Write your reflections with word processing software and save them as one file. Ensure that you title your response with the question number and question so the Open Learning Faculty Member can more easily assess your work.

You can view the grading rubric by clicking on the assignment link and then clicking on the View Rubric button in the Assignment Information area.

Assignment 4 is due at the end of Module 12.

Assignment 4: Critical Reflection Topics

9.1 Feminist Practice

Write between 200 and 300 words outlining your approach to Tanya’s situation (in “A Day (and Night) in the Life of a Social Worker,” see Activity 9B) comparing and contrasting the three feminist orientations. How would you use the practice principles that Heinonen and Spearman and Land identify in your work with Tanya?

10.1 Compare and Contrast Aboriginal Approach

Write between 200 and 300 words summarizing the meaning of one or two of the concepts inherent in an Aboriginal approach. Contrast the meanings with other approaches to practice. Activity 10B provides some examples of contrasting meanings.

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Activity 10B: Contrasting Principles

Read Chapter 12 of the text. Chapter 12 outlines many principles and concepts that guide an Aboriginal approach to practice. Reflect on the following:

1. Some of the concepts related to an Aboriginal approach are: wholeness, balance, history, relationships, harmony, growth, healing, sharing, respect, life cycle, consciousness and the unconscious, and helping. Read the meaning given to each of these concepts in the textbook chapter, and then summarize the meaning in your own words. Use words that you might use to describe them to someone else.
2. Contrast these meanings with those of other approaches to practice. For example, does “growth” used in the strengths perspective mean the same thing as “growth” from an Aboriginal perspective?
3. What is the difference between helping and healing?
4. Does relationship mean the same thing in the ecosystems approach?
5. How is mino-pimátisiwindifferent from the self-actualization that Maslow describes?

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11.1 Cultural Competence

Write between 200 and 300 words identifying where you are on the cultural competence continuum, and write about how you could challenge yourself to enhance your cultural competence.

Identify an historic or current social work practice that you feel depicts one stage of the cultural competence continuum. Include a rationale for why you have placed it at the point you’ve chosen on the continuum.

11.2 Inclusivity

Write between 200 and 300 words reflecting on your interview of either the elderly person or the person with a disability in Activity 11D.

If you spoke with an elderly person and/or a person with a disability, include your reflections and learning from this experience, but do not disclose personal information. Please ensure total anonymity for the person you spoke with.

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Activity 11D: Community Inclusivity Reflection – How Inclusive Are You and Your Community?

Read Fung (2013). This activity allows you to reflect on your own experience with inclusivity. It also provides an opportunity to examine the inclusivity of your community.

Note

Take notes on this learning activity. You will reflect on the interview portions in Assignment 4.

Reflect on the following:

1. What opportunities have you had in your life to become familiar with issues facing elderly people?
2. What is it like to grow older in your culture? How is it viewed?
3. How are the elderly treated in your community? Are they seen as a drain on services or as contributing members of the community?
4. If possible, try and spend some time with a senior and ask about the following:
   1. How has your life changed?
   2. Do you experience barriers and difficulties? How do you and your friends overcome those barriers?
   3. What are the dominant issues for seniors?
   4. What services would you like to see more of?

• What opportunities have you had in your life to become familiar with issues facing people who live with disabilities?
• What do you think of when you hear about the culture of disability?
• If you were in a wheelchair, how accessible would your community be on a scale of 1–10? How might you work to change that?
• What are the shared experiences that may unite people with disabilities within a framework of a culture?
• If possible, spend some time with a person with a disability and ask them about the following:
  • . Do you face barriers and difficulties?

1. How inclusive is the community for someone with the same disability?
2. What do you think are the dominant issues for people with disabilities?
3. What services would you like to see more of?

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12.1 Social Work Values and Theoretical Approaches

Write between 200 and 300 wordsanalyzing the value of self-determination and at least one of the approaches outlined in this course.