| What makes for a good life: | What we are asking: |
|---|---|
| Belonging • Friends, acquaintances, group membership, positive relationships | How can we expand and deepen people’s relationships? |
| Choosing • Opportunities to make own choices and decisions based on wants and needs | How can we help people have control and choice in life? |
| Being Somebody • Recognition and respect as an individual | How can we assist people to develop competencies? |
| Contributing • Using strengths and interests to make a contribution and build confidence and competence | How can we enhance the reputation people have and increase the number of valued ways people can contribute in community life? |
| Sharing Ordinary Spaces • Being an active member of the community | How can we increase the presence of a person in local community life? |
| © O’Brien & O’Brien | © Beth Mount |
The concepts that make this work:
1. Person-Centered, not Systems-Centered
2. Gifts, Strengths, and Roles
- The things we both love to do and are good at define how we see ourselves and how others see us. Once we know who we are, we know where to go.
3. Circles of support map out the people in and around you. Those who look to support your goals and be involved in your life.
Each circle represents the types of relationships you have:
- Intimacy – Meaningful relationships – people who are intimately involved in your life.
- Friendship – People you think of as your friends but who are not intimately involved in your life.
- Participation – People you meet in the places you go to regularly – both formal and informal places.
- Exchange – People you pay to provide a service in your life.
I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights. ~ Archbishop Desmond Tutu
