A self reflective tool to support reflection on values and the impact they have on Community Services Workers

1. VALUES-SELF REFLECTION Kim Porter

2. WE ALL HAVE VALUES,
BELIEFS THAT IMPACT ON
OUR WORK. TODAY IT
ABOUT UNDERSTANDING
THEM AND BEING SELF-
AWARE TO SUPPORT
POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR
OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
Aim of the exercise:
The point of this exercise is to
uncover some of the values and
assumptions that you hold, and
the assumptions that you can
make about others.
As your values underpin your
interactions and decision-
making, you can see how
important it is to be aware of
them and to consider the impact
they can have on your work in
particular with young people.

3. 1.Australia should
adopt an attitude to
cannabis like that in
the Netherlands i.e.
legalised and available
in 'coffee shops'.

4. 2.People have a
fundamental responsibility
to solve their own
problems.

5. 3.Immigrants should be
encouraged to establish
their own cultural
community.

6. 4.People who have a
terminal illness should have
a right to choose whether
they live or die.

7. 5.There should be
condom vending
machines in schools.

8. 6.Female prisoners
should be allowed to keep
their newborn children
with them in prison for
the first two years of the
child's life.

9. 7.Smoking should be
banned from all public areas
including clubs, bars and
restaurants.

10. 8.School uniforms
should be optional.

11. 9.University education
should be free.

12. 10.A list of names of
known pedophiles should
be publicly available.

13. Part 2: Questions for self-reflection:
(talk to the person beside you)
How did you find this exercise?
Did it raise any contentious issues for you?
Part 3: Consider the following
questions
Question - What values can you
identify that underpin your response
to these questions?
Question - How may these values
impact on your work with young
people?
Question - How similar is your
position to that of your friends,
classmate?
Question - How might the way you
view a person affect the way you
behave towards them?
Question - To what extent did you
make assumptions? Do you do this in
real life situations?

14. Your values and attitudes are in many ways the essence of who you are and it can be
uncomfortable to be challenged about them. It can also be difficult if someone makes
assumptions about you which are not accurate.
Consider the following points:
Values
•Personal values are directly influenced by social values
•Values vary in all cultures
•Young people may have values that are not consistent with yours
•Workers should not make assumptions about a young person's values
•Cultural groups should not be stereotyped
•We need knowledge and understanding to assist young people from different cultures,
backgrounds and lifestyles.

15. Turn to the person beside you and discuss
what do you believe values affect:

16. Values affect:
•what we notice, encourage or discourage
•how we prioritise work
•what information we choose to give to young
people or the options that we provide for them
•decision making – criteria for decisions is often
valuebased
•relationships with young people
•record keeping – what we choose to write down –
or not write down.

17. Assumptions
•Making assumptions in everyday interactions is the way that we sort information about people
quickly.
•We use criteria such as age, previous experience, similar interests, language, education, etc.
•Assumptions are based on our values and these vary significantly from one person to the
next.
•We often assume if people are like us they will have similar values (The exercise will have
demonstrated that often this is not the case).
•Often judgments are attached to these assumptions/ impressions – like us: superior; not like
us: inferior.
•There is a difference between making assumptions and making hypotheses. Hypotheses are
propositions that we use as a basis for gathering further information which then supports or
disqualifies our hypotheses.
•Assumptions are often taken-for-granted 'truths'.

18. THE PROCESS OF SELF-REFLECTION SHOULD BE A
REGULAR PART OF
YOUR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE HAVE A THINK HOW YOU
WERE ABLE TO BE SELF-REFLECTIVE IN THIS TASK.
Thank you :-)