What
do Consumer Expect of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs)
What expectations do people with disabilities have of the people who
directly support them? How valuable are DSPs to people receiving their
assistance? To answer these questions, SPEAK interviewed several
participants/consumers who receive services from our partnering agencies.
What qualities do you
find most important in the people who give you support?
-I like the ones who have fun and are fun to be around, the ones who like
to have a good time, you know…the ones who are friendly.
-I like it when the person cares about what he or she is doing and they treat me
with the same respect that they would want back.
-Well, they have to be nice. If they aren’t nice,
then they don’t need to work with me.
-They need to show up to work on time.
-They ought to be
responsible, reliable, and dependable. And it doesn’t hurt if they have a good
sense of humor because I like to have fun.
Have you ever been
treated poorly by one of the people supporting you?
-Yes (7)
-No (3)
-Not lately, but I have in the past. Things have gotten a lot better.
-No. I always get along with everyone.
-Yes. A long time ago, but not here.
-Yes, but thankfully that person didn’t stay around for very long.
How does it affect you
when a support person who you really like leaves?
-Sorrowful, because I get used to the same person and then I feel bad
that I don’t get to see him or her as much, or maybe ever again.
-It’s like losing a friend or a family member. I mean, I’m actually around them
more than I’m around my own family so it really hurts for one of them to leave,
but it’s just something we get used to.
-Well, you just go on. That’s just part of it. I’ve had so many leave now,
it’s nothing new. I used to get upset, but I’ve learned to just deal with it.
-It makes me sad.
-Losing staff is bad because we get so close. I’ve known a lot of good people,
and seen several come and go.
-When they don’t explain why they’re leaving and they just up and quit, it makes
me wonder if I did something wrong. I always feel bad, like I was hard to work
with, or like I was the reason they left…I don’t know, maybe I was the reason.
-I start crying. I get real attached and don’t want to let them go.
What do you think causes
so many support people to leave their work?
-I think they usually find better jobs somewhere else.
-They probably need to make more money.
-I guess they get tired of the stress, but I don’t really know.
-From what I hear from them, the pay’s not
the greatest. The state needs to upgrade the pay. If you don’t pay somebody a
good salary, how are people supposed to live?
-Probably the biggest reason people leave is to make more money, but I don’t
blame them. They have to make enough money to live.
What difference does a
good support person make in your life?
-A big difference!
-If they care about me not only as a client but as a friend, then they are
really important. I’ve had a few staff that went out of their way.
They would buy me things, and joke around with me and just have fun. I knew we
were friends and that’s important to me.
-For me, a good aide allows me to be a part of society. I depend on someone
else to help me get dressed and bathe me and get me strapped into my chair.
These everyday things are small but important. If I’ve got a shoe on the wrong
foot all day, then I’m uncomfortable all day. A good aide does the things I
need done and makes sure I’ll be comfortable and have my needs met. These
things are invaluable. I couldn’t survive without these helps.
-I don’t know where I’d be without the people who work with me.
-I love the staff here! I know they’re not getting rich, but they mean so much
to me and I wish they could get paid more.
-The workers make all the difference in the world. They are my family.
Conclusion:
As you read the answers to these questions, you will likely gain a greater
understanding of the value of your work. The time you spend, the commitments
you make, and the relationships you develop with those you serve are meaningful
and significant. As you continue working as a DSP, know that your investments
are making a real difference in the lives of those you support.
THE SCOOP ABOUT SPEAK- “Hear What Other DSPs are Saying”
SPEAK now has been offering programs for
nearly one year. To better help us understand the value of our programs and how
we are doing, we conducted informal interviews with 10 DSPs from our partnering
agencies. The following remarks give you an idea of how valuable SPEAK programs
have been to your peers.
What has SPEAK
meant to you this past year?
-It’s neat to have a group or an agency that gives
us formal recognition. We don’t get thanked enough, so to have SPEAK giving us
awards and telling other people about our work is really important to me.
-SPEAK
has become an important resource for me. If I have a training need, I know I
can talk to someone at SPEAK and someone will either get me the resources to
answer my question or provide a
whole training on the topic.
-Some
of the trainings I’ve attended informed me of topics in which I didn’t even
realize I needed to be trained. I feel confident that I am better able to
support the people who I work with after having attended several SPEAK
trainings.
-Through
attending lectures and lunches, I’ve made new friends and learned a lot by
simply listening to some of the struggles that other people face. SPEAK has
helped me meet other professionals in this field and given me a support that I
otherwise would not have available to me.
-The
incentives are nice! I like the lecture series too, but the money is really
helpful. I just received my one-year incentive and I totally wasn’t expecting
it, so to have some extra money that I wasn’t expecting is great. It makes me
feel appreciated.
-SPEAK has broadened my horizons and made me aware that I’m not alone. Through SPEAK, I’ve been introduced to other people in this field who I can bounce ideas off of and share struggles and successes. I feel like SPEAK has introduced me to my extended work family.
What is the most important support offered to you through SPEAK?
-I’d have to say the most valuable thing that SPEAK
offers me is regular opportunities to collaborate with other people in this
field. I learn through bouncing ideas off of others and listening to their
experiences.
-Mentoring. I
knew nothing about this work when I first started and having a mentor was so
good. Plus, my mentor is awesome. I’ve learned more through that relationship
than could ever be taught through training.
-The trainings are
really good. I’ve gained new perspectives through the dialogue we have during
and after trainings.
-I don’t know if
there’s a single support that is most important. To me, it’s all the supports
together. I know that I have a resource, someone to call, if I have a training
need or if I want information about anything related to this field. I also know
there is an organization that wants to appreciate me and the work I do. These
things are all very meaningful.
-The message board
is a good support. I’ve only posted a few things, but I read what other people
post and I learn by reading about their experiences.
Do
you read the newsletter?
-Yes I read it. It’s a good resource.
-I love the
newsletter. Its good to hear about other DSPs and what other agencies are
doing. It makes me feel connected.
-The newsletter is
great. I love the “DSP in the Spotlight” section. I’ve read all those stories,
and they all resonate with my own story. It’s good to remember the things that
initially attracted me to this work and to hear the values of other people.
-Honestly, I don’t
really read it, but I do look at the pictures. I usually scan to see if I am in
any of them, or if anyone I know is in them.
-Yes, I read it.
In fact, we read it to our participants here at the day program.
-Yes. This
newsletter is the main way that I stay informed about local and national news
about this field. I try to stay as informed as possible.
Have you visited the
website
www.dspspeak.org?
-Yes. I like it.
-Yes, but not very
often.
-I’ve not accessed
it myself, but I have told other people about this resource.
-No. I’m sure it
would be valuable, but I don’t know how to use a computer very well and I don’t
really have time to learn.
-I’ve looked at
it, but I’m not sure how to use the message board. I often look through all the
pictures to see what kinds of things other DSPs are doing. It’s a neat site.
Can you think of an
additional support that SPEAK doesn’t offer that you wish it did?
-I’d like to see SPEAK advocate for us to receive higher wages. I
currently work two other jobs in addition to this one, and would be better at
this work if I didn’t have to do so many other things with my time just to make
ends meet.
-No. I think the
supports offered in SPEAK are great.
-Can SPEAK offer
counseling services?
-I can’t think of
anything.
Conclusion:
The thread that links many of these responses is that DSPs have enjoyed
meeting and collaborating with DSPs from other agencies. Friendships that have
developed through collaboration at the banquet, conversational lunches, and the
lecture series have added a meaningful support that DSPs find valuable and
important. This informal support allows DSPs to bounce ideas off one another
and learn from each another. Getting together with other DSPs also provides
opportunities to talk with others about successes and struggles, so others can
rejoice and/or empathize with their experiences. If you have not attended any
of our trainings or lunch meetings, we hope that you will make these a priority
in the future and that you, too, will experience the benefits of these
supports. If you have ideas about how to improve SPEAK, we invite and encourage
you to phone and/or email Jeff King, or post a comment on the SPEAK message
board.
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2006 DSP Appreciation Banquet: Introducing Keynote
Speaker, Peter Leidy
The second annual DSP appreciation banquet will be held at the Executive
West Hotel on April 20, 2006. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. We are
fortunate to have Peter Leidy as our keynote speaker and entertainer for the
evening.
Peter Leidy has worked to support people with developmental disabilities
since 1983. He worked for Options in Community Living, a supported living agency
in Madison, Wisconsin, from 1985 – 2004. He believes community is for everyone.
At Options Peter’s roles included direct support, “case management”, staff
recruitment, and administrative responsibilities. Most recently, he was a member
of Options’ management team, focusing on improving support to direct service
staff, facilitating communication among various teams and levels of employees,
and expanding Options’ community building efforts.
Peter consults with individuals and
organizations – and does presentations – on topics such as supported living,
self-determination, building community relationships, and supporting and valuing
staff. He develops training materials and conducts trainings, spending a lot of
time working with and learning from direct support workers.
He also writes and sings humorous and thought-provoking songs about life in
the human service system, and has recorded 2 CDs of these songs. He has given
presentations (musical and otherwise) at numerous conferences in the United
States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. His songs touch on themes of
self-determination, advocacy, personal care assistance, hiring--and occasionally
firing-- employees, and the human services bureaucracy. Peter’s songs tell
stories and reflect on life from both the point of view of people receiving
support and those in service roles.
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