Client Rights and Advocacy 4

Self-Advocacy, Rights & Responsibilities

Show & Share - standing up for friends

Have you ever heard people saying unpleasant things about someone who wasn't there to hear them? It's extra-mean gossip and even though we have all been guilty of it sometimes, we really shouldn't do it. 

One way we can discourage it is by standing up for our friends when we hear this kind of stuff. Share  what you might say or do to let gossips know you are not OK with that. 


Now that we've heard some ideas, discuss one or more of following points about hearing gossip.

  • We can tell people we don't like something without being mean about it.
  • We don't always have to use words. Sometimes action is enough.
  • Some gossip is just words that can be ignored.
  • Some gossip is a threat or plan to hurt or bully someone and needs to be reported to an authority
  • Sometimes we need to tell our friend, like if they are trusting someone they really shouldn't.
  • Other times, telling them will only hurt their feelings. Like if someone didn't like their haircut or clothes.
  • Would you want to know if people were gossiping about you?

<body break> 


*Life Skills Story 

Story Quiz (answers at the bottom of the page)

PRESENTERS: Read the questions out and see if people remember the story particulars. Support recall by helping everyone VISUALIZE things in the story.Responsibilities at home 


<body break> 


Making Housework FUN

The ranger in Yogi's park got the bears to pick up trash by making it a song and dance. 

The trash dance. 

Take a look at this procedure card for dumping out the trash cans and pick a good song for doing trash duty at your house. Anyone wanna show us YOUR trash dance? Staff included... (wink)

 

Responsibilities for OUR Health as a Community 

Remember the health goals we talked about yesterday? Well health is both an individual RIGHT and GROUP responsibility. We have a right to things that support our INDIVIDUAL health and we have a responsibility to help each other stay healthy. Which of these is your individual right and which is a responsibility you have to your community?

  1. Access to a doctor and medicine
  2. Avoiding creating excess noise for long periods in your neighborhood
  3. Using less harmful garden supplies so animals and bees don't die 
  4. Having adequate food to stay nourished
  5. Clean, drinkable water.
  6. Behaving peacefully and appropriately in public places 
  7. Freedom from violence or abuse
  8. Keeping our pets healthy and well behaved

Dealing with Criticism from a Friend

In the Life Skills Story Mitch teased Todd about his hobby at first. Then Todd taught Mitch more about it and helped changed his attitude. 

In strong friendships we have enough confidence to keep cool when someone offers feedback we may not want to hear. Do you agree with these tips? Why or why not?

  • We know our friends love us, so if they are offering feedback, it may be important
  • Is our friend trying to help? Sometimes advice or suggestions feel like criticism when the person didn't mean it that way.
  • Is our friend teasing us, like Mitch was teasing Todd in the story? If so, can we laugh it off? Or do we need to tell our friend they are hurting our feelings?
  • Does a friend criticise and only ever criticize? We might need to tell our friend that they are becoming more negative than we are used to them being. 
  • Should we try to teach our friend more about the thing they are bring critical of? That's what Todd did in the story. 

What Did We Learn Today?

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