A Single Lens: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Support Work with People Labelled with an Intellectual Disability.
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Date
2021
Authors
Bevan, Johnathan
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Abstract
I have been working as a professional support for people labelled with intellectual disabilities for many years. While there has been research done about support work from multiple perspectives, it is my impression that the lived experience of being a support worker for adults labelled with an intellectual disability is largely missing from the literature. Utilizing an autoethnographic methodology, I provide the perspective of a direct support professional through a disability studies lens. In this writing, I will contextualize the role of the support worker within contemporary society. This includes historical framing, policy and theory influencing the field, as well as the dilemmas inherent in supporting a marginalized population. Through engaging in a reflexive examination of my professional experience, I will provide a picture for the reader of the complexities involved in trying to enact meaningful supports for people labelled with intellectual disabilities. I identify the priorities support workers should focus on to generate best practices and examine the aspects of the work that are under their direct control. All this is done in the hope that we can create a more inclusive society for all people.
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Keywords
Intellectual Disability, Support Work, Disability Studies, Social Model of Disability, Support Worker, Support Staff, Community Living, Autoethnography, Autoethnographic