Building_Relationships

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR CLIENTELE Homework Sheet 1 1. Explain how best a support worker can develop a relationship with their client. A support worker can effectively develop a healthy working relationship with their client by initially laying down ground rules and boundaries, whilst maintaining these boundaries throughout. From my experience, if you approach your client with a non-judgemental attitude, are honest, committed and display resilience, reliability and mutual respect, a trusting stable working relationship will soon develop. 2. What is your understanding of ‘empathy’' I believe that empathy is understanding/being aware of other people’s feelings by putting yourself in their place. I also believe that if you are more ‘in touch’ with your own feelings and emotions you are more likely to empathise with others or show compassion. Empathy can be shown verbally or physically, i.e. a hug. Empathy is not only shown in a negative/sympathetic form but also positive, for example, feelings of success, accomplishment, achievement or pride. 3. What are the ‘objective goals’ that a support worker uses to guide their residents – and the process you would use' My understanding of an ‘objective goal’ is a proposed or anticipated plan to achieve within a proposed time span. I believe that an objective goal within our work setting must be realistic, tangible and accomplishable. The process that I would use to achieve any goal with my clients would be a Personal Development Plan, this would enable me to monitor the developments in obtaining the goal, evaluating how the goal was met and a conclusion on the task and if needed a re-evaluation of the plan. 4. Define your belief to healthy resident relationship and support worker' A relationship of any kind is a long-term association or connection between two or more people. It is important that keyworker and client form a close, healthy working relationship to enable the client to easily approach, trust, respect and disclose information to keyworker. Boundaries must be applied at the beginning of any working relationship to ensure that the physical and emotional proximity boundary isn’t crossed. 5. List the stages of ‘general approach’. My perception of ‘general approach’ is how I, as a support worker, would make contact with someone and how I in return would be perceived. The stages would include, to converse in a professional manner, correct non-verbal communication i.e. a confident posture, ensure eye contact is made. I would also have to possess the skill to listen, observe, question and analyze accurately. These stages of ‘general approach’ must be used when making contact with residents, other professionals, the emergency services, people from any ‘walks of life’, to ensure I am being perceived in a professional, approachable manner. 6. Write three statements that you feel would qualify as self motivating. Self motivation is the ability to motivate yourself, to find a reason and strength to do something, without the need of being influenced by any other person. My understanding of a self motivating statement from a resident would be he or she too announce the prospect of something positive and of a constructive nature or outlook. • “I’ve booked an appointment with Connexions as I want to enrol in an educational course”. • “I want to and will give up smoking!” • “I’ve applied for a job and have an interview booked for next week!” 7. State the necessary skills you require a support worker should possess in the development of your resident/client. The skills I feel I need to possess within my role as a support worker to enable my client to develop are: • Tact, patience and empathy • To pursue and encourage the clients progression • To gently and positively influence others • A non-judgemental attitude • A practical and flexible approach • The ability to react quickly to new and challenging environments. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills • To have the ability to assess situations within a plan and take appropriate action if this plan fails. 8. Explain how you would elicit a self motivating statement from your resident. I would elicit a self motivating statement from my client by asking a positive, leading question. For example, asking them to put into words what they might say or how they might feel if someone doubted them or asking what they may say to themselves enabling them to become motivated by giving specific examples related to their interests. 9. In order to assess an outcome, whom else should the support worker include in a resident’s PDP (Personal Development Plan)' Other individuals/agencies a support worker should include within a PDP to assess an outcome would be: • The support worker themselves should predominantly be included within a PDP to oversee, aid, guide and advise the client. • Connexions team – for all educational/training advice. Appointments should be promoted and recorded. • Youth Offending and Probation officers – crime rehabilitation programmes. • Plan B - for drug and alcohol issues • CAMH – therapy sessions • GP or Nurse – health or sexual health issues and advice • Collage tutors/ Princes Trust staff – communication to ensure attendance and appropriate behaviour also feedback on skills acquired whist on the course. 10. Define mutual respect (the how’s/why’s) of your residents. Respect is something that is earned. I believe that at times our residents show some confusion between fear and respect. Respect cannot be demanded or forced from neither resident nor staff member. From my understanding, mutual respect is taking someone's feelings, needs, thoughts, ideas, wishes and preferences into consideration and receiving these things in return. I believe that a certain level of mutual respect is needed within a healthy keyworker/resident working relationship as well as a resident/resident relationship. With this in place, either party would not have to use as much energy and/or resources trying to get their needs met, also when people respect one another there are fewer conflicts. Without respect an individual feels worthless, of no importance or value, if any of my clients where to illustrate these emotions I would have to seriously reconsider my job role.