1.2 Individual Values and Beliefs

Individual Values and Beliefs

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1.2 Individual Values and Beliefs Contents Preamble ............................................................................................................................. 3 1.2.1 Identifying Culture, Values and Beliefs .................................................................... 3 1.2.2 Supporting Culture, Values and Beliefs ................................................................... 4 Procedure ............................................................................................................................ 4 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 5 Culture.............................................................................................................................. 5 Diversity ........................................................................................................................... 5 Values .............................................................................................................................. 5 Beliefs .............................................................................................................................. 6 Devalued Minority Groups ................................................................................................ 6 Worker Training ................................................................................................................ 6 Supporting Documents ........................................................................................................ 7 Policies ............................................................................................................................. 7 Forms ............................................................................................................................... 7 Information Sheets ........................................................................................................... 7 NGO Training ................................................................................................................... 7 Legislation ........................................................................................................................ 7 Delegation of Authority......................................................................................................... 7 NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators ................................................................. 8 1.2 Individual Values and Beliefs ..................................................................................... 8 Human Services Quality Standards ..................................................................................... 8 3 Responding to Individual Need ..................................................................................... 8 Version Details ..................................................................................................................... 9

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Preamble BigDog Support Services Pty Ltd and Scottvale Health Club Group (BigDog) ensures that every client access supports that respect their culture, diversity, values and beliefs. Cultural values are the core principles and ideals upon which an entire community exists. This is made up of several parts: customs, values, beliefs; and culture, which is all of a group's guiding values.

BigDog ensures that each client’s culture, diversity, values and beliefs are identified and incorporated into their support plans.

1.2.1 Identifying Culture, Values and Beliefs BigDog understands the key roles that culture, diversity, values and beliefs play in clients lives and ensures that these key roles are identified and responded to in a sensitive manner.

BigDog plans service delivery that is responsive to the diversity of each client and promotes a respectful and tolerant workplace for everyone. Support workers participate in relevant training, where necessary, regarding the importance of effectively responding to the diversity of their clients.

BigDog is aware that the culture, diversity, values, and beliefs of others is especially important when considering how people respond to disability. Cultures have differing views towards disability, and it is important to gain insight into the possible impact this may have before offering information or support.

The first point of contact can either be successful or create an unnecessary barrier that may take a long time to rectify. It is imperative that personnel research the person’s cultural background and seek advice or assistance if required and demonstrate to the person/s that they are equal partners in the relationship. This may require the assistance of a professional interpreter (if the person would prefer for confidentiality reasons) or representative from the individual’s culture.

The stigma of disability within some culturally and linguistically diverse communities may also be a barrier. Some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia do not have a word for disability and the way in which Indigenous people with a disability are part of their local community may differ to that of the wider community. While this can often create more inclusive environments, it can also mean that many service providers are not aware of the ways in which people with a disability are part of their communities.

Understanding the cultural context and background of people with a disability is critical to addressing their needs and to building inclusive communities. Respect, understanding, and a flexible approach to communication can assist in overcoming many of these barriers to participation for people with a disability.

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1.2.2 Supporting Culture, Values and Beliefs BigDog supports each client’s right to practice their culture, values and beliefs while accessing supports.

BigDog educates support staff on how to use the following strategies when facing cultural/linguistic barriers: Build a trusting relationship with the client.

Effective communication is at the heart of cultural competence.

Be aware of and sensitive to your own culture and behaviour.

Do not make assumptions.

Focus on commonalities i.e. being a parent, knowledge of disability, carer experience.

As much as possible, be flexible and patient to cater for diverse needs.

Explain BigDog obligations i.e. Legal requirements, accountability to Disability Services and other things that cannot be changed.

Be aware of resources that exist in the community to support people from diverse cultures.

Be prepared to enlist help and support from others.

Understand BigDog standards, policies, and procedures.

Engage the services of a professional interpreter if and when required. If possible do not use friends or family as sometimes clear and honest communication is not always obtained when using a family member or friend.

Realise that using interpreters will take more time.

Where possible contact person/service provider to determine if or what cultural requirements are needed and try to provide the most appropriate staff member to facilitate.

BigDog workers must make every effort to support clients’ values and beliefs as well as understand the individuality and cultural needs of people from culturally diverse and linguistic backgrounds. Workers are provided with in-house and external cultural awareness training and Cultural Competence manuals are available for all personnel to access.

Procedure Directors and Management will ensure that Cultural Awareness training is made available to all workers and volunteers and that they are provided with ongoing supervision, professional development and support.

BigDog will support our client’s right to practice their culture, values and beliefs while accessing supports.

BigDog will also provide assistance to enhance a person’s ability to function in all areas of their life, closer to the level of people from valued groups by: Encouraging the performance of valued roles.

Teaching the competencies, the roles require.

Paying attention to a person’s image.

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Summary Australia is a vibrant, multicultural country. We are home to the world’s oldest continuous cultures, as well as Australians who identify with more than 270 ancestries. Since 1945, almost seven million people have migrated to Australia. This rich, cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths. It is central to our national identity.

In 1975, the Racial Discrimination Act came into force, making discrimination in different parts of public life against the law. The Act, which was Australia’s first federal antidiscrimination law, continues to send a strong message about our common commitment to racial equality and the importance of a fair go for all. In 1995, the Act was extended to make public acts of racial hatred against the law.

Despite this legal protection, too many people in Australia continue to experience prejudice and unfair treatment because of how they look or where they come from.

On the positive side the vast majority of Australians (84%) believe that multiculturalism has been good for Australia.

Culture Culture is the total way of life of groups of people. It includes everything that a group of people think, say, do and make – its systems, attitudes and feelings. Culture is learned and transmitted from generation to generation.

Diversity Diversity means understanding that everyone is unique and recognising our individual differences. These can be along. the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.

Values Values guide our behaviour. Society has some values it holds in common and rewards people who embody those values with favourable treatment. People who are different from the rest of society in some way, are often treated far less favourably, because in general, society views people who are different negatively.

The Oxford Dictionary describes value as usefulness or importance. Values are what we believe to be worthwhile and important in our lives. Our values guide our behaviour and influence our perceptions. Most of us have ingrained values shaped from as far back as our childhood by significant people in our lives, the people we admire, and our role models.

If we examine our personal values, we will see that we give some things a positive value, and others a negative one. One way to determine whether we value something is to ask ourselves if we want it for ourselves or for the people we love. On the other hand, if we don’t value something, we won’t want it near us or our loved ones.

Most roles are viewed either negatively or positively so if a role we occupy is not valued by society, it is likely to be devalued by society.

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Beliefs Beliefs are assumptions people hold as true and that are related to past learned experiences. Values can affect behaviour and character, whereas beliefs can influence one's morals and values. Values apply and are directly related to everyday life, while beliefs are often rooted in faith and religion.

Devalued Minority Groups BigDog clients belong to a devalued minority group, and that means that most of society will be unaccustomed to viewing them as valuable. Services are provided in ways that observe and promote a positive image of people with disabilities or with lived experience of mental illness, their culture, diversity, values or beliefs.

Worker Training Cultural Awareness Within this course a worker will get to know what culture is, why it is important to be culturally aware and how to become culturally aware. They will then learn what being culturally aware means in their role and how to respect people from a different culture. Lastly, they will learn why they must develop cultural awareness to be able to meet and comply with the NDIS Practice Standards requirements.

After this lesson a worker will be able to: 1. Explain what culture is and why it is important to be culturally aware.

2. Describe how we can all become culturally aware.

3. Demonstrate cultural awareness when working with clients.

4. Explain how a worker must develop cultural awareness to meet and comply with the NDIS Practice Standards Course duration: 27 minutes

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Supporting Documents Policies 1.0 Rights and Responsibilities

Forms Client Profile Kit

Information Sheets Cultural Diversity in Australia Harmony in the Workplace Human Services Quality Framework October 2021 Version 8 NDIS Practice Standards November 2021 Version 4

NGO Training Cultural Awareness Person-Centred Thinking

Legislation Child Protection Reform and other Legislation Act 2022 (QLD) Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cwth) Disability Services Act 2006 (QLD) Disability Services and Inclusion Act 2023 (Cwth) Human Rights Act 2019 (QLD) National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cwth) NDIS (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Amendment Rules 2021 Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cwth)

Delegation of Authority Name

Position

Details

Courtney Carroll

Director

Authorise review and implementation

Ann Paull

Secretary

Company Secretary

David Burrett

Operations Manager

Ensure information dissemination

Monique Paull

HR Lawyer

Ensure compliance by workers

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NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators BigDog Support Services Pty Ltd (BigDog) is a registered NDIS provider and is required to apply the scheme’s practice standard and quality indicators.

The standards have been developed to create an important benchmark to assess provider performance and ensure that high quality and safe supports and services are provided to NDIS participants.

The four core modules are: 1.0 Rights and Responsibilities; 2.0 Governance and Operational Management; 3.0 The Provision of Supports; and 4.0 The Support Provision Environment.

1.2 Individual Values and Beliefs Each participant accesses supports that respect their culture, diversity, values and beliefs.

1.2.1. At the direction of the participant, the culture, diversity, values and beliefs of that participant are identified and sensitively responded to.

1.2.2. Each participant’s right to practice their culture, values and beliefs while accessing supports is supported

Human Services Quality Standards The Human Services Quality Standards set a benchmark for the quality of service provision.

Each Standard is supported by a set of performance indicators which outline what an organisation is required to demonstrate to meet that standard.

3 Responding to Individual Need The assessed needs of the individual are being appropriately addressed and responded to within resource capacity 3.2 BigDog formulates service delivery that respects and values the individual (e.g. identity, gender, sexuality, culture, age and religious beliefs).

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Version Details This policy will be reviewed every twelve (12) months unless circumstances deem it necessary to review earlier. The review process will involve an analysis of the usefulness of the policy and to note any changes which are required to improve the policy.

If minor changes are made in wording or to clarify the intent, the version number will indicate this by adding a ‘point’ i.e. Version 1.0 indicates the original version and 1.1 with the first round of minor changes made. A significant change or intent of the policy will be indicated by a whole new number i.e. Version 2.0.

The following rules also apply in interpreting this policy: • Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

• A singular word includes the plural and vice versa.

• A word that suggests one gender includes the other genders.

Date

V

Details

July 2009

1.0 New Policy Valued Status

March 2011

1.1 Updated BDS to BigDog and Service User to BigDog

March 2012

1.2 Header includes new logo and page of pages

July 2012

1.3 Training sub-section included

October 2013

2.0 HSQF Standards replace Service Standard Indicators Word converted to Office 2013 DOCX

February 2015

2.1 Updated term ‘Client’ to NDIS term ‘Participant’ LiveBig! Program included in Training

July 2016

2.2 Changed from a policy to a procedure.

Added information on recovery framework for participants with mental illness and information on valuing participants

January 2017

2.3 Included policy statements from existing policies.

Added more information in the preamble relating to the HSQF. Changed the policies to procedures

August 2107

3.0 Created an all-inclusive HSQF Policy to address each of the service standards indicators.

Included NDIS references Returned supporting procedures to supporting policies.

Updated Responsible Officers

January 2019

4.0 Updated to new logo and style guide

January 2020

5.0 Removed HSQF Standards Indicators and Policy matched with NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators Front cover updated to Standards colour identification.

Supporting Policies updated

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Date

V

Details

January 2021

5.1 Updated Responsible Officers details Changed ‘the director’ to ‘the directors’ Introduction of BigDog Training Portal and modules

January 2022

5.2 Updated Responsible Officers details and training modules The term “Participant” is returned to “Client” to allow for policies to cover NDIS and Child Safety.

NDIS Practice Standards November 2021 Version 4

January 2023

6.0 Included Human Services Quality Standards and Child Protection Act and the term “Participant” is returned to “Client” to allow for policies to cover NDIS and Child Safety.

January 2024

6.1 Disability Services Act 1986 replaced with Disability Services and Inclusion Act 2023 and policy review process included.

June 2025

6.2 Scottvale Health Club included in policy Steven Paull has retired, responsible officers updated

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