The Measurement Dilemma - How Will You Know People Are Developing Social Capital

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Any formal program or service in human services must have the wearwithal to examine and evaluate its outcome and impact on the people it serves.  Most of the time these evaluations are specific to the individuals growth or development.  That is, if you set a plan to help someone in losing weight, a simple scale of measurement at key benchmark times will help you know if your efforts are on target.

Often, measures are designed to show micro improvement.  In disability programs these measures often look at a person's enhanced capability to perform tasks independently, or to demonstrate that they have a new skill.   But if your agenda is to help people become more included, or to be more accepted in the greater community, the classic micro measures may not work. So what can you do?

To this end, you need to be aware of macro measures that look more at engagement patterns and relationships.  At the Intedependence Network, (www.buildingsocialcapital.org) we have been doing just this.  We have taken "The Social Capital Benchmarking Survey" developed by Robert Putnam at Harvard, and began to look at how connected people with disabilities served by agencies in the US, Canada, and Australia are in the typical community.  The results of this survey are on the IN website, but you probably already know the answer.   NOT VERY CONNECTED!

So as a leader, you need to find methods like the SCBS, or other types of sociogramatic tools to know if your efforts are making a difference.  This is not only essential for you to know, but to shift the paradigm from micro to macro.   

Stay tuned to this blog to find ways and means to promote and evaluate macro change. 

Financial Handcuffs

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One huge obstical to macro change is found with micro financial handcuffs.  That is, most programs for people with disabilities are paid for by individual accounts or billings.  Programs are reimbursed on an individual basis and these funds are often tied to individual skill or functionality issues.  If the consumer shows some type of gain, the organization is rewarded.  Further, many of these contracts are pedicated on a ratio or "economy of scale" framework.  The individual reimbursement is so low, that services need to be grouped in order to make staff costs balance.  This is why many programs have 2 staff scheduled to support 6 or 7 consumers.

These financial handcuffs are formidable for we leaders, but not insurmontable.  Leaders need to reframe what we measure, and continue to find ways to address the "ratio" framework and individualize services as best we can.  If we look to measure community engagement patterns and social capital connections we can begin to shift the mentality of funders, and reorient everyone to what is more important; relationships over functional skills.  As for ratios, we might look to adjust the roles that staff play having some DSP hold down the fort, while others look for places and people connections.

There are engagement measures out there and the Interdependence Network has been developing more capacity and experience with these tools.  Still, before any of this happens, leaders must admit that people they serve remain isolated, and disconnected from the greater community.  In spite (or maybe because of) our programs the community continues to believe that they need not be involved, because there are programs that know what is best for "these people." 

This is all not easy, but it is essential that we leaders begin to establish a consistent and cogent macro, community strategy.   Our agencies reflect what we emphasize. I am anxious, however, to see that leaders have more opportunity to talk about these financial handcuffs and find ways/means to address them.  Soon I will upload a "white paper" on what leaders can do, so keep an eye out on my website for more thoughts,  or better yet, share some of your own thoughts on this issue.  Know too, that the Interdependence Network, www.buildingsocialcapital.org, plans to host a symposium on this issue, specifically designed for leaders, administrators, and leaders to discuss and explore.

Keep your eye out for these things and let's plan to step up to the plate and lead fundamental change! 

Leading Macro Change

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It has been many years that we have been talking about social capital, and macro change. This is when we look to support people with disabilities in building relationships, and these connections change perspective and attitude of the new friend towards disability.

In the time we have discussed this, many leaders have asked how their agency can shift focus towards this agenda.  This is obviously very difficult, but must be addressed. 

Keep an eye out on this page as we look to dialogue about this issue. 

40 Years of Stories : On Community Perspective of Disability – Circa 1990

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In thinking about the negative perspective that community can have, I am reminded of an experience I had when my children were young.  We had stopped by a McDonalds for a quick meal one Saturday afternoon, when I had noticed the van pull into the lot.  It had some writing on the side, with a large yellow smiley face.  Then they entered.

First the lead staff, and then 4 nicely dressed, but shuffling people followed.  Finally the last staff member brought up the rear.  I immediately had the image of two shepherds and their flock.

They sat down near us and the 2 shepherds got things set up and took orders.  They went for the meals and returned to oversee the lunch.  I couldn't help notice that other people in the restaurant noticed.  I heard the hushed voices of parents telling their children not to stare; that these people were "crippled."

As I saw this unfold, I noticed that there were both good and bad aspects to this obvious group home community outing.  I am sure the staff felt this was a nice day out in the community, and certainly there are good things about getting out.

On the other hand, there were also some real negative images about this outing.  People who appear strange, clustered around shepherds hovering over them, a well marked van that announced their deviance, their apparent inability to order, even with a simple McDonald's menu, all these things, in effect have hidden negative images.

Until Next Time... 

Al

40 Years of Stories: Introduction

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In 1973, I walked through the doors of UCP of Pittsburgh, thinking that this would be a good job while I worked on my MSW at the University of Pittsburgh.  I figured that once I completed my studies I would get a real job.  It has now been 40 years and as I look over my shoulder at the experiences and opportunities that have unfolded I am dumbfounded.

What follows are a number of stories from these wonderful years.  Many of these stories have been told or chronicled in some of the books and articles I have written over the many years.  Each story is not only true, but so instructive to me in the philosophy we have developed at CLASS and the perspective that is so important in building a community where each belongs.  Each story starts with a philosophy we embrace and attempts to illustrate its implementation.  Further, each story is cast in the era of its unfolding. So, I hope that you enjoy this look back over the past 40 years of my career and the wonderful events that helped shape my view on life, community and social capital.

Until Next Time... 

Al