Safety Positive Community Guidance

PURPOSE STATEMENT:

It is the core belief of the  Safety Positive Foundation (SPF) that the application of these principles and methods within our organization will foster observable and significant improvements in the overall culture of our workforce, volunteers, and the people we serve. This improvement will be evident in enhanced recovery, wellness, safety, and morale, ultimately leading to a more stable and peaceful environment for all involved.

Our aim is to provide practical, easily implemented strategies rooted in real-world, field-tested experience. These strategies are designed to nurture pro-social behaviors within organizations and communities dedicated to serving people living with blindness.  We focus on facilitating more constructive and effective conversations around personal safety and wellness scenarios. Our support is geared towards elevating the likelihood of positive outcomes from these interactions, thereby strengthening the overall well-being and cohesion of these local communities.

Emphasizing the relational aspect of our approach, we aim not only to enhance the pro-social dynamics within the immediate organizational setting (PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE WE ENGAGE WITH),  but endeavor to extend these benefits to a broader community context. The goal is to cultivate a more integrated, authentic, and collaborative relationship among program participants, volunteers, and invested community members.

OBSERVATIONS:  STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Moving from the disease model perception is the goal: corruption, coercion, toxic behavior. The intention is to move int a “Healthy model”: secure, prosocial communication. People don’t feel safe to be able to speak up for themselves. Psychological safety is huge. DOJ – 90% of individuals w/ disabilities are victims of emotional, physical, or verbal violence. 

Safety both in their community and then broader community. Creating a safe place to practice the skills so that they can use them more frequently.

  1. That communities naturally rely on the transactional element of human behavior.  I.e. “I help you… you help me.”  This is a common language of the human condition.
  2. That all people, at some point in their lives, have a natural desire for personal safety and stability.
  3. There is a common desire for many of our community members to access greater support and resources, which can bring us together behind the common goal for personal safety of the individual and the community.

KEY CHALLENGES: (revisit language choice with blind person vs person who is blind)

The Safety Positive community faces unique challenges. The lack of awareness and education that the sighted community has about the blind community leads to people making unwanted physical contact, verbal degradation, devaluing our abilities, and increased risk of exploitation. This may include intentional misleading, assaultive behavior, financial challenges, and the use of our disability as a weapon against other blind community members. The use of instrumental aggression (a type of goal-oriented behavior where individuals harm others as a means to an end) both inwardly and outwardly has damaged our ability to come together as a healthy collective. 

No established training for the sighted community on how to interact with the blind:

Safety Positive is launching a training, but it is limited in reach at this time, other trainings have been intermittent or sporadic. There has been no intrinsic commitment to involving the blind community in a meaningful way that focuses on safety as a primary goal. 

Lack of meaningful training for blind people to advocate for themselves in a way that matters to them:

The history has been one of encouraging our community to advocate for their needs without the support necessary to effectively craft the message in a way that can both be heard by the sighted community and meets the needs of the blind community. 

There is no history of focusing on personal safety for the blind community:

Offering choices for safety and training to access resources. Advocating for policy and support from the system we exist inside of to increase emotional, physical, and financial safety has been an unrealized ambition in the community that has led to increased opportunities for both exploitation and victimization.  

Room for additional input from community

In crafting our approach to these challenges, we emphasize the importance of a community-first perspective. This outlook encourages a culture of shared responsibility, where the benefits of individual actions extend to the collective good. By leveraging the intrinsic human tendency towards transactional behavior (“I help you, you help me”), we can encourage safety focused language/training  that increases  personal autonomy, stability, and access to community resources. This may also lead to increases in effective self advocacy for the blind community. 

Our commitment is to navigate these challenges on a foundation of empathy and innovation, employing strategies that are rooted in real-world experience and tailored to the unique dynamics of the blind community. Through positive engagements and clear communication of collective standards, we aim to build a supportive environment that addresses the well-being of all community members, acknowledging the varied needs for safety amongst us. This approach is designed to increase pro-social engagement amongst participants, thereby supporting a renewed focus on personal and community wide safety improvements. 

FUNDAMENTAL APPROACH:  Cultivating a Positive, Engaged Community Environment

Our approach is to cultivate and nurture an environment where community members are offered “positive structured choices” so that members feel:

  1. ENGAGED. 
    That is, “I am connected to, enthusiastic about, and am committed to the collective well-being of my community.”
    Methodology: Implement training sessions focused on effective communication for blind and sighted communities, supplemented with access to follow-up support from trainers. This ensures ongoing engagement and reinforces the importance of each individual’s role in community improvement.

  2. CONNECTED: 
    That is, “I trust, feel close, and want to interact with my community members.”
    Methodology:
    • Facilitate follow-up conversations post-training, stating, “You had a training with Safety Positive, there is ongoing technical support included”. The intention is to remain connected to training recipients in order to ensure their ability to employ ideas and skills present in the material. 
    • Promote a shared process for setting and achieving reasonable goals that lead to measurable success across all levels of the community. This approach is supported by the community adopting agreements on how we communicate with each other.

 

  1. SUPPORTED:
    That is, “My community values my contributions and cares about my well-being.”
    Methodology:
    • Establish safe and effective channels for community members to express personal safety needs or wants (Safety Positive Guide  Platform). 
    • While outcomes may vary, this process increases means for follow-up, reducing feelings of being unheard. The emphasis is on creating a culture where concerns are addressed, ensuring everyone feels valued and supported.
  2. TRUST:
    That is, “I trust that you have my best interests at heart.”
    Methodology:
    • Acknowledge that trust evolves from consistent, shared community expectations and a culture that values adherence and follow-through on commitments. 
    • While trust cannot be instantly established, it is fostered through the application of our guidelines, leading to a more cohesive, cooperative community environment.

 

By integrating these methods, we aim to enhance the overall shared engagement within the blind community. The intention is to move towards a model where positive outcomes are actively pursued through structured, and focused engagement strategies.

ANTICIPATED BENEFITS

Implementing the approach suggested by the Safety Positive Foundation and effectively addressing the key challenges identified could lead to a range of positive outcomes such as:

Enhanced Community Cohesion:

Stronger sense of belonging and unity among engaged individuals.

  • Increased cooperation and mutual support within the community.

 

Improved Safety and Well-being:

  • Reduction in incidents of exploitation, victimization, and marginalization.
  • Enhanced overall personal safety and general wellbeing of engaged individuals.

 

Higher Levels of Engagement and Participation:

  • Greater involvement of engaged participants in community activities and decision-making processes.
  • Enhanced engagement from both leadership and engaged participants in supporting shared aspirations.

 

Increased Stability and Personal Safety Skills:

  • Higher success rates in safety journeys due to a supportive and structured environment.
  • Increased stability in both community and personal lives of the participants.

 

Positive Behavioral Changes:

  • Shift towards more prosocial behaviors within the community.
  • Reduction in the normalization of victimization and the use of instrumental aggression. 

 

Strengthened External Relationships:

  • Improved relationships with other invested communities and organizations through effective community engagement.
  • Enhanced reputation of the Safety Positive initiative, potentially leading to more support and resources.

 

Sustainable Community Resources:

  • Better access to and utilization of community resources, leading to a more resource-rich environment for all participants.
  • Development of a self-sustaining model where participants actively contribute to the availability and richness of resources.

 

Cultural Shift Towards Shared Responsibility:

  • A culture of shared responsibility where the burden of maintaining community standards is evenly distributed.
  • Individual benefits evolve into collective gains, strengthening the proactive personal safety approach.

 

Trust and Transparency:

  • Increased levels of trust among engaged participants, advocates, and the sighted, fostering a transparent and honest community atmosphere.
  • Open channels of communication where grievances can be aired and addressed constructively.

 

Empowerment:

  • Engaged participants feel more empowered and capable of making positive changes in their lives and the lives of others.
  • Opportunities for personal growth, enhancing the skills and confidence of engaged participants.

 

These anticipated benefits underscore the transformative potential of the proposed approach, aiming not only to address immediate challenges but also to foster a long-term positive impact on relationships between the sighted and blind communities. An emerging focus on shared safety values and effective advocacy highlights a pivotal moment for engaged individuals. The shift from a “disease model” to a “health and wellbeing model” signifies a profound cultural and operational transformation. 

 

The Disease Model: there are four levels to the model.

  1. Uncivil Behaviors
  2. Psychological Abuse
  3. Abusive Behaviors 
  4. Extreme Violence

 

The Health and Well-being Model: there are four levels to this as well.

  1. Unconditional Positive Regard
  2. To be Heard, Understood, and Validated
  3. Empathy and Compassion
  4. Dignity and Respect

 

There’s a palpable sense of opportunity among various individuals, as this emerging perspective promises a fundamentally more constructive and holistic approach to addressing the collaboration between the blind and sighted community. Safety Positive believes the environment is being increasingly primed for the introduction of an approach that balances restraint with guidance, fostering an atmosphere where meaningful change is not only possible but eagerly anticipated. This receptivity towards a novel, safety focused approach underscores an exciting juncture for both communities, offering fresh potential to enact lasting improvements in the lives of all individuals and the community as a whole.

Deliverable Community Building Skills/Ideas:

  • Communication Skills Around Uncomfortable Conversations
      1. Specific training for people involved
      2. The nuances of effective peer support and lived experience.  That the people involved have to have a voice in whatever happens.
        1. Enabling someone with lived experience to serve effectively and that their “lived experience” IS their credential…  Helps to break the “stigma” of their lived experience.

    2. A Guide on the Path to Personal Safety i.e.  Ensuring we’re working collaboratively on increased personal safety for every involved individual.  
      1. Wanting to create a shared aspiration of what personal safety looks like for the individual or organization.
      2. The idea that, as soon as you engage, we’re working to formulate a plan to help address the concerns you find most challenging.
      3. Considering Safety Positive as a “safety net” that provides ongoing support.
      4. The commitment is that the community works with individuals to develop the skills necessary to be more confident in focusing on their personal safety. 
        1. That it is a “transition” from a “no-hope” position to the possibility of hope and possibility.  (Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.)
      5. We need to actively resist the “institutionalization” of the belief that safety isn’t a right.

  • Self Select In/Self Select Out
    1. People elect to participate or not.
    2. They are not “voluntold”
    3. We are founded on “value” not “obligation”
      1. The skills and connections embodied by its members is what provides the “draw”
    4. How does self-selection occur?
      1. That people embody the best of what the culture enables and provides: autonomy, transparency, and empowerment (supporting emotional health/wellbeing). 
    5. This means that people are briefed/educated on what the ideals and values of the culture are… and then made aware of the things that occur in the community that uphold the culture.
      1. Commitment to partnering with community sectors
      2. A shared belief in the value of training
      3. A willingness to speak as one to support the community.
      4. Being proactive about personal safety
      5. Moving away from reactivity
    6. If you volunteer and don’t commit to the culture
      1. Excused from participation if you do not adhere to the core principles
      2. Advocating for inappropriate conduct/unnecessary violence will not be tolerated 
      3. Executive leadership team will engage with non-participatory members to establish adherence to community guidelines



  • Insert Values at the Outset

SafetyPositive holds these five core values as an organization

  1. Safety – We prioritize the protection of oneself through physical, psychological, spiritual, financial, and other means that impact personal safety. We believe in the right to protect oneself in all environments and situations, in a manner that is appropriate and effective.

 

  1. Potential – We see endless possibilities for growth and development in individuals, as well as in our aspiration statement of becoming the premier safety institute for the blind community.

 

  1. Agency – We empower individuals to take control of their own personal safety by making informed choices and decisions. While we advocate for a proactive approach towards personal safety, we respect and value the autonomy and agency of each individual to determine their own course of action. 

 

  1. Innovation – We are dedicated to pushing boundaries and creating new systems, relationships, trainings, and opportunities that enhance personal safety for the blind community. 

 

  1. Authenticity – We celebrate individuality and encourage self-expression, allowing each person to embrace their unique identity and explore all facets of themselves.

 

These values serve as a guide to support SafetyPositive as a mission driven organization and provide guiding principles for all active participants. 

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