Resources

In Partnership

Acting in partnership with people provides an alternative to traditional service relationships. As professionals and providers, we have typically assumed responsibility for decision making and control of what happens for and to people. While this may meet our needs for service management, it does not acknowledge the person’s role in setting individual life priorities and directing the service process.

The Council’s Personal Outcome Measures have challenged many people to re-evaluate their relationships with the people whom they support. Service relationships have emerged from a model of “caretaking.” The operating assumption of the caretaker model is that when people cannot do for themselves, others are assigned to take action and responsibility. The flaw in this thinking is that all of us have strengths and weakness. It is rare that a single person is totally independent or self sufficient, and very few of us desire that state of existence.

“Partnership does not mean you always get what you want. It means you may lose your argument, but you never lose your voice.“ – Peter Block, Stewardship, 1996

Partnerships balance responsibility. In partnership with those who support them, people with disabilities share responsibility for the outcomes in their lives. Like business partnerships, each partner is considered an agent for the other and is liable for the actions and outcomes that occur as a result of the partnership.

As staff, we do not “give up” accountability for acting in ways that are supportive of people. We make room for each person to share responsibility for what happens in his or her life. Partnership creates joint interest and responsibility for what happens.

Measuring outcomes and process as separate but related variables acknowledges the balance in the relationship between the person with a disability and the people who support them. Outcome measures reflect whether the person’s current life experiences are in line with his or her expectations. Process measures focus on the responsiveness of services and supports.

Partnership requires a different way of interacting. Partners share both the risks and the benefits that flow from the partnership. There is openness to ideas, avoidance of judgement and honest expression of opinion. Partnering relationships reinforce the importance of each person in the partnership. As noted by Peter Block in Stewardship, partnership maintains contact and balances responsibility in a way that acknowledges the power and accountability of all parties.

True partnership cannot exist when there is an intent to control. Joining in partnership provides a way to work together toward common goals. We can redefine support as what we do for and with people — and clearly separate the service process from people’s lives. By acknowledging that the outcomes people experience are independent of the services provided, we demonstrate respect for the uniqueness of each person’s life. This is the essential element for beginning a partnership with the people we support.