EAD The Helping Mindset (Week 2 - lesson 2)

[Article] The practice of citizenship
Qns: What are the main points?

In the Applied Drama field, you don't go somewhere to "HELP"! You need to have this idea in your head.

(Recap last weeks lesson) -Voluntourism
Qns: Why do volunteers volunteer?

• Goodness out of my own heart - Make a difference
• Feel good about them.

Eg. Community involvement project (CIP) 

WHAT IS THE POINT?

Teenagers nowadays have priorities which are self-centred. (Eg. MY studies/ MY job/ MY enjoyment/ MY life). We are caught in our own self-absorbed world.

Cip is to help us see more than we have special needs school/ old folk homes who are less fortunate than us. 

It is not to bring out school's name!

THE PROBLEM - CIP being COMPULSORY

If it is forced down their throats, the students do see beyond themselves but they will have an unhappy experience. Ideally it should be self initiated just like volunteerism. 

Students now are currently doing CIP for the wrong reason. BUT!! How do you want to volunteer if you don't know what is around? Students are caught in their own life and their own world because they DON'T KNOW!

This is a VICIOUS CYCLE!
If you don't raise awareness then you won't get people who are aware and volunteer.

If you don't force people to see they won't volunteer next time. 

If people don't volunteer next time, the more we need people to see.

So we have to force them first.

INTENTION

1) Altruism (Pg 30, 1 para) 

Definition: Anyone ...  rescue ... intending to help. ... Motivation of altruism than the effect of recipient ... may or may not be welcome.
You can give something but it may not be what the community needs. Research helps identify what the community needs.

GIFT GIVER ANALOGY
QNS: Have you thought about the recipients?
          What if the recipients don't want our help?
- The giver feels good
- The recipients have to pretend to like it and say "Thank you".
          Is research done to support the idea?
          How sustainable is the idea?

Things that you need to think about before helping! - Plan and prepare

When there is a problem: A community in need of help
Eg. When you are ill, you trust the doctor to help you get better. The doctor would have been trained before they are permitted to help others.

Qns: Why do we not train the helpers going in to help? (No ethical training present)
        WHY SHOULD THAT BE DIFFERENT?
You will not let an untrained doctor treat you but disaster relief we allow anyone to go in. (Unethical)

2) Other ideas (Pg 28 - 29)
- People may not be as accepting.
Don't assume that you know all that answer or whatever you are going to do is going to help.
Don't go in thinking that "I'm Here to HELP YOU" or "You may not know but I KNOW".
-Altruism VS Egoism 
QNS: Why are you being altruistic?
          Are you doing it for yourself- To stock your own ego? (Feel good about yourself - Flawed thinking)
We shouldn't be thinking about ourselves because it is not about us but THEM!
You should be doing research in and about the community.

*Especially working with the marginalize community
- Be with the community
- Understand them
Eg. When someone has a cut and you put a plaster over it. On the surface it seems like there is no more bleeding but the wound is still there. It takes time for the wound to heal.
Don't assume that you can just conduct one little project and just go. Sometimes it takes years, a long time.
Even when you leave the community is still slowly rebuilding.

When a disaster hits ...
(EASILY SEEN)  physical (geographical) problems - building collapse, Land is affected
(NOT EASILY SEEN) emotional problems/issues/trauma (practitioners deal with) - takes a significant amount of time needed

3) Many times, we are seen as "OUTSIDERS" (Pg 28, para 2, middle section)
"We are regarded as CULTURAL OUTSIDERS."
"Assume that a particular society needs to be transformed."
- Don't assume that they need to be transformed.
"There is sometimes an interpretative gap between the practitioners and how initially perceive by participants which can be very troubling."
"Assumptions that Drama is good for you however disgust are likely to meet with resistance."
- Coming in here to help
- This is good for you
- You should take it
That mentality can reflected off. Your participants can feel it and you will never be one of them. (OUTSIDER)

4)  "... well (attitude) ... a remarkable document given by a young lady ... she is actually disappointed that he did not live up ... from the play" (pg 30 - 31)

What is happening here?
What is Juliet thinking?
- She has her own expectation of what this person should be.
What about Simon?
- He think she is impressed.
- He calls her naive.
- (Last line) He takes it upon himself to think about that in the near future. I need to do something about it ...
Moral: THEY ARE NOT COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER. (Miscommunication)
- Simon feel good about his teaching but Juliet (whom he thinks he is helping) doesn't understand the help.
*This can happen in relationship (Practitioner and participants).
Good intentions but it may not be the only thing that sustains everything.
How much impact can you make in that 4 sessions?
Do you think you can achieve your aim?
What do you think needs to be done after the 4 sessions? (What is going to happen after you leave?)

5) Uncertainty and Humility are important.
Uncertain- to go the community knowing that I don't know everything.

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Aid going to Nepal Article-> "Don't rush to Nepal for help, Read this first"
You want to help but they don't need unskilled workers or aid that they cannot use. Here is what you do that will not get in the way.
You go there with a good intention to help but your presence slowed down the rebuilding process because of the lack of training. Not only did your plaster not work, it made it worst.

(Points are related this this week and last week's lessons)
1) It is not about us - how guilty you feel
2) Don't donate $ but supplies
3) In a long term sustainability is important

Ethics:
- Ask yourself about the intentions
- Wonder about what is going to happen when your project ends

Link: Practitioners going in to use drama and working with the community- What do they need to think about?

(Personal Opinion) What is Ethics
- Balance of power
Find a balance Between practitioner and participants
- Morally Right?
- Respect
- Practitioner being humble
- Like a guide/ rule for yourself on how to behave.

[From Article] Key Questions that Practitioners can ask themselves.
1) Ethical responsibility of researchers? (para 2 line 8)
2) How might the drama be affected? Do the participant know that ...
3) When is ethically ...
4) How are the responses be represented ...
5) Public scrutiny ...

(Insert Video - Mums and Maids #igiveadayoff)
They ask mother and help question relating to the child. The mother will say something but the maid will get it correct. As viewers we feel sorry for the mother. The mother is up there for public scrutiny.
Unethical: If the message or the plan was not told (informed) to the mother beforehand. (Ask for consent)
Risk: Getting sued!

Guidelines (pg 121)

• Participant voluntary and inform consent ...

Consent VS Inform Consent 

When they signed the form, you are responsible. It would not be right to not tell them exactly what you are doing, information will be treated, what this programme is going to do and how this drama is suppose to help. (Relates to respect)

• Participants data is treated with confidentiality (Serious Issue)

Data, names and private information are very confidential. 

Be responsible for the data that you collect.

"Even if you have code of ethics having that doesn't guarantee that your project will be ethical"

The code of ethics is just a guideline to standardize to make sure everybody does simple things and it is a lot more than that.
- How you plan your programme

- Inform consent and sustainability issue.

What is going to happen after the project ends?

- Cultivate safe space.