Learning About Politics: Who Controls? Who Decides?

1. Www.did2.org

2. Who controls?, who decides? LEARNING ABOUT POLITICS

3. Last time we met, my friends and I told you about the barriers that we face in our lives, • Now we are going to find out about the people that can make changes happen.

4. Time to Do…..think back….

5. Barriers? • What were the barriers we talked about in the last module? • People not listening to us…..who, why? • Staff not knowing how to support us. • People not respecting our choices. • People not supporting us to have loving relationships.

6. Barriers….. • People not listening to us. • Staff not knowing how to support us. • People not respecting our choices. • People not supporting us to have loving relationships.

7. Barriers lead to less control • Because…. • Someone is stopping you from doing what you want. • Society is stopping you from doing what you want.

8. How can we gain more control? • We can learn about the political system and how it works in our different countries. • We can use the system to break down some of our barriers.

9. Learning about Politics • We asked Peter to explain to our Self Advocacy group about the political system.

10. What are political systems? • Different ‘rules’ for managing people. • It can happen on a; • local, • organisational, • national, • European , or • international level.

11. Scale

12. Anarchy. • No rules. • Free for all. • Chaos.

13. Dictatorship……….. • One person decides everything

14. Democracy • Ruled by the people; • One person • one vote • Lead by a majority. • Protects minority. • All EU member states have a democracy.

15. Time to Do…different systems! • Catch the sweet! • Which system was the best?

16. What do you think? • What system do you like? • What system do you live within?

17. DemocracyOne person; one vote. • To cast a vote is a right. • Can you think of any groups that had to fight for this right? • Voting is a responsibility; • If you don’t vote the society you live in can become vulnerable. • Voting is an obligation; • If you don’t vote other people make the decisions.

18. Voting…. • Voting is a structured way to asked for peoples opinion. • The nature of voting can have many different forms • Raise the hand • Put a cross on a ballot paper • Speak up saying “Aye” • In secret • In public

19. Voting…….. • Sometimes only a few people turn out to vote, like in European elections. • People don’t recognise even though it is far away, that more and more decisions are made there which affect their lives.

20. Time to Do • Where can you vote? • Where have you voted? • Is voting easy? • Is it accessible? • Is it hard to understand what the vote is about? • Can you do something about this? • Can anyone help you?

21. Voting in your country; Elections! • Official elections are: • for the local council • for the national Parliament • for the European Parliament • Other forms of elections are: • Eurovision song contest • Big-Brother • Stars in your eyes • Pop idol • Positions in the local self-advocacy group

22. Democracy - not only about voting • It is a lifestyle. • Everyone is expected to have a say/opinion. • Always tell people what you feel and how you think. • Always listen to other people’s opinions and feelings

23. Majority • This group hold the most votes. • This group decides. • The majority must listen to the minority. • You may not agree with what the majority decides.

24. Minority • Is important for democracy. • Holds the balance of power. • Must be acknowledged. • Very often feel vulnerable. • Have a responsibility to question decisions made by the majority. • Must accept decisions made by the majority.

25. Representation • People that have been voted onto committees and parliament have the power to act on your behalf. • They must listen to all views before making a decision. • You may disagree with their decision.

26. Becoming a representative • Who can stand for election? • At local level you need to have lived in the country for an agreed time. • At national level you need to be a citizen of the country. • At European level you need to be a European citizen.

27. Time to Do .. democracy • What is democracy? • Where does it exist? • Does that include you? • Who owns it? • Why do we need it?

28. Time to Do .. democracy • What skills do you need to participate in a democracy? • Where can you learn these skills? • What if there was no democracy? • What does majority mean in a democracy…. • Do minorities have rights in a democracy?

29. Does Democracy work for us? • We live in a democratic society, but we don’t feel listened to. • Do you think we are? • We don’t feel represented? • Do you think we are? • We don’t feel we have enough influence

30. Do you feel represented? Who represents you: -At European level? -At National level? -At Local level?

31. Time to Do .. Who’s your representatives? • Who represents you? • At home? • In your organisation? • In your self advocacy group? • On local community committees? • On your country? • In Europe?

32. Peter told us; • If we want our voice to be heard we need to find out who is the right person to speak to. • We need to help each other learn about who makes the decisions that effect our lives.

33. Decisions, decisions,from personal to political……. • We made a list of all of the people who make decisions that affect all of our lives. • This is what we found……..

34. People making decision in my life…. I have some control over areas in my life, but; • I found that other people also had control over areas in my life; • My parents, managers, staff, friends,…….. • Sometimes they make decisions without even talking to me.

35. The staff member, the manager, and the organisation. The staff who work in my home, the manager, the organisation. A staff member is holding me back when I want to be more independent! I don’t like being told when to go to bed, I’m 26! Decisions, decisions…. Problem Person who has control

36. Interview panel, the manager, the trustee, the local health board. I’m unhappy with the staff that other people picked to come and work in my home Decisions, decisions…. Problem Person who has control

37. Time to Do …. Control… • Do people have control of you lives? • Who are these people?, • Why do you think they have control over you? • Do you know the feeling that John has? • Have you experienced this? • Have your friends experienced this? • Do you know anyone that is in the same situation?

38. The staff member, the manager, the organisation and the local housing committee. They have fallen in love and want to live together. Susanne and Carlos looked at their problems.... Problem Person who has control

39. Her parents. Staff, Training Centre, parents and Susanne. Her parents are very protective of her. Her ability is not matching her wish for more independence. Susanne looked at her problems.... Problem Person who has control

40. Local job centre, Employment Officer, Government. Manager of Institution, Training Centre, speech therapist. He would like to have a job. He finds it hard to express himself. Carlos looked at his problems.... Problem Person who has control

41. Community, His support worker, Government and European Parliament. Staff, Manager, Organisation. He is lonely and he finds it difficult to make friends. He is not listened to. Christy looked at his problems.... Problem Person who has control

42. Staff, Public Attitude, Friends, Manager of Institution. Staff, Manager of Institution, local housing committee. They want their relationship to be taken seriously. They want to live together. Karen and Lisa looked at their problems.... Problem Person who has control

43. Why don’t you have control ? • Peter asked why don’t you influence the situations ? • Lack of knowledge • Low self esteem • Lack of support. • Is this all? • Can you think of anything else?

44. Time to Do ….what's the story! • Why do other people think they should make our decisions for us?

45. Peter told us that other people think they have a right to make decisions for us because of; Fear Stigmatisation Manipulation Over-protection Why people control our lives…

46. What??? • We asked Peter to come and explain to us what this means and to help us understand why he thinks it is like that.

47. Fear • People have always been afraid of the unknown. • People who don’t know us sometimes can be afraid of us. • People sometimes are afraid of difference. • People are afraid of us because they don’t understand our behavior or how communicate.

48. Time to do…Are you afraid? • It is easy to be afraid of something you don’t know and are not familiar with. • Who would like to; • Put their hand into this bag and guess what’s inside? • Eat something strange with a blind fold on?

49. Manipulation • When someone talks you into doing something you don’t want to do. • You don’t always realise that you are being manipulated.

50. Time to do…Can you be manipulated? • Sometimes we can be manipulated and don’t even know it! • Participate in ‘Take the cushion’ exercise.