ATTITUDE CHANGES

Comparison of Professional 'others' versus Caregivers

4.5 ATTITUDE CHANGES

A positive finding from the research was that there were various participants who reported how the programme had personally affected them in terms of their own awareness and understanding of disability. A trainee said:

It has changed me because I was from

a

school who didn't do much with disability. I nowtry to accept people who have disabilities and understand themashuman beings. I couldn't just eat in frontof a disabled child becauseofthe food coming outofthe mouth, but now I can tolerate that.

I sit and eat and feed them.

Although this may be a small change in tolerance, it contributes to the bigger realm of acceptance. The following quote, although extensive, shows an important shift in one of the educare worker's attitudes. It also demonstrates how effective a 'mix' of participants can be in certain situations.

Myattitude towards disabled children didn't change much, but it did towards disabled childrens' parents. Because I was with mothers and discussing it with mothers and then I realised that they want help and then wecan help. I realised how little they know about their own disabled children, sometimes they don't know what is wrong with their child - he's just not normal, but he walks normal - and its amasing because the

closest person doesn't know what to do with their child, soshe comes to you and asks for help - soyou must know, you must get

a

lotof

knowledge,

a

lotofpractice to help the mothers.

It would seem from comments such as these that the programme sensitised a number of the participants to the mothers' needs, as well as led to a greater tolerance of the disabled.

4.6 GENERAL RECOMMENDAliONS ABOUT THE RUNNING OF THE COURSE

The following section explores the evaluative comments provided by a variety of participants in terms of the overall running of the course. These comments were made with hindsight and there are comments on the outcome of the course.

These thus form the summative evaluation of the training course.

4.6.1 The appropriateness of the modules covered

It is important to consider the appropriateness of the material presented to the participants. A trainer commented on the overall programme:

... .butas apilot - it was very positive andanice selection of modules.

It would appear that the material covered in some of the modules was innovative and helpful.

When asked about her impressions of the overall programme, the director felt concerned that it was too information intensive and theoretical. She felt that the issue of awareness and identification of disability was of crucial importance for the caregivers. She said:

there was too much information, content, although it was handled with sensitivity and fun. There should have been more focus on awareness of disability, identifying the disability, the possible causes and possible

prevention through hygiene, diet. There needed to be awareness at all levels of the community

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The director was therefore aware of the difficulty related to designing programme content to meet the needs of the participants and to develop awareness.

4.6.2. The manner of training

It was originally envisaged that the manner of training would be participatory and non-judgmental. Trainers were to work in pairs with a translator to translate their presentation into Zulu. The participants would be broken into smaller groups for their discussions. Trainers would circulate during these discussions to ensure they were being adequately facilitated. A trainer enjoyed the use of smaller groups. She commented:

Ienjoyed the grouping in all the modules, the smaller groups. It gave the opportunity to really discuss and getalotofinformation from the

participants, rather than the presenters giving all the information. Also the lovely response from the mothers - you could justseethey hadanew idea, something new to try with their kids.

Trainers in the course realised that the large number of professionals and the strong theoretical element restricted the caregivers from participating as fully as the trainers would have liked. The director made the following comment:

I think it needs to be more experiential the next time round - I think I assumed wrongly that people did know more about specific disabilities, and I'm not just talking about people who haven't had any training, but even the people who have had training.

A trainer noted:

I was thinking if you had shorter theory and more communication in the smaller groups because the parents can actually come up with some quite good ideas, and it'salearning curve for them aswell, not justatop-down thing. SoI would like to have more discussion, more things coming from the parents.

Only two of the trainers were able to communicate in Zulu. A translator was used in all of the sessions. This could be disruptive to the flow of training. As a trainer commented:

In my case, I was limited because I can't speak Zulu andif we had been ableto do everything in Zulu, it would have flowed easier. You tend to think and start talking and then you have to stop, and hang onto your thought while it's being translated, so you lose the message and the enthusiasm.

There is evidence that some caregivers were having emotional difficulties that content in the course catalysed, but no service or facility was offered in the running of the course. A caregiver reported that

a

mother said that they need counseling because some of them are having difficulties

to

accept and want

to

leave the situation of their kids.

This is an important caution to note when programme content might evoke emotional responses.

4.6.3. Outcome of the programme

Of the original fourteen participants who enrolled in the course, eight completed at least seven of the nine modules. A graduation ceremony was conducted where the graduates each received a certificate and a name badge indicating they had completed the programme. One caregiver became a voluntary helper who to date still attends the CDRC on a daily basis to assist with the children.

Her own child has since been placed at a suitable educational facility. The other caregivers attend regularly with their children. They requested that another module was done on dental care and positioning and handling. The dental care element has subsequently been· covered.

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Another positive outcome from the course was the realisation and request from most of the caregivers to be able to share this opportunity of attending the

course, with other people. The strong community spirit recognised in the African culture compared to the Western more individualistic attitude, was particularly evident in the following comments.

• I thinkwe must go out there and show other mothers its very easy to make your own toys at home and show them that you can savealotof money.

• It can be

a

good idea to reach out to the community and teach parents without knowledge about ways ofhelping their children with disabilities.

• Let those who have knowledge reach out and help others who haven't got.

• I would be happyif this can be passed to others.

In terms of the continuation of the course, numerous participants requested that the course continue the next year, that it be extended to others, and that those who did not attend seven modules be allowed to do 'make up 'sessions. This seems to highlight the genuine interest, enthusiasm and support for the programme. Unfortunately this does not necessarily mean the course will be sustainable, since the requests were that the course was repeated by the trainers, rather than the trainees suggesting that they carry the programme forward themselves.

A comment made by the director sums up the participants' feelings about the course being continued. She said:

I saw just last week the graduation partywehad. I saw people had grown enormously. Also the friendships that have developed through the course and the reassurance to the trainees that it would go on, was incredibly well received. The applause and the cheer when wesaid it's not going to

stop. And those who don't have

a

certificate, can come and catch up and that has given me enormous confidence that we can go on with

a

group of dedicated trainees, friends, CDRC helpers to take the CDRC message further.

The director clearly felt encouraged by the relationships developed and the participants' enthusiasm for the work of the CORC.