When the humanity of people with disabilities is not seen as equivalent of that of others,

it commonly means that people will be treated ‘less well’.

Person Centered Approach
It is a tragedy, that people who have a disability are not seen as being fully human and those with who are disadvantaged / with problems are ostracized from society. When the humanity of people is not seen as equivalent to that of others, it commonly means that the person will be treated “less well”.

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The Dignity of Human Will and Freedom
Persons-in-care are often deprived of the opportunity to express their will, freedom and Independence. Even when such expressions are comparatively modest in comparison with what most people accept. It is not merely a matter of whether a person gets to make a choice “here or there” at the desire of their “keepers”; but rather a more fundamental question of whether 'the human capacity and desire to author their own existence is honored to the fullest degree'.

If there is to be a “life-giving” choice to be made that will enable people to find some measure of who they were born to be, it must begin with the proactive belief that the “will and decision” and quality of life is just as important to Persons-in-Care as it is anyone else.

Too often, this is withheld from Persons-in-Care on the presumption that the person cannot manage such an aspect of life because of their impairments, or it is presumed that the person, by right of their disabling factor, lacks some basic understanding that their “controllers” and “keepers” have more abundantly.

Walking "alongside" or “with” each Person is a promising beginning to sharing power and authority. This is the begining of Jesse's Voice work.

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Growth Is Possible and Brings Greater Life
No one really knows what any person is truly capable of. Albert Einstein was quoted as saying that we only use 10% of our brain capacity. Growth is not inhibited by an individual having a disability, as their roots are in the fullness of their humanity. Jesse's Voice honours this “life-giving” principle. We are vigilant for the growth potential in each individual, and the things that can be done to facilitate its expression.

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Personhood: The “Inner” Life of People Matters
What is going on in people’s hearts and spiritual life is not some ornament at the perimeter of who people are. It is their “core”. It involves seeing people struggle with their values, their choices and priorities, their faith or lack of it and the ultimate meaning of their lives and events. This is no less true simply because a person does not have words for these things or seem not to be interested or lack intellect.

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The Gift of Love and the Good It Can Do
A kind word or a key insight when it is needed can make all the difference. Such gifts may save lives, mend hearts, give hope, avoid tragedy, build self-esteem and enlighten.

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Staff Members Nurturing the Good in People
It is incorrect to assume that anybody can fruitfully take on any role in human service simply because they are trained or authorized to do it. It is clear that people attempting to serve others in ways that are not consistent with their gifts and “calling” can not only lead to an inadequate service as it will also be destructive to both the person attempting to serve and those served.

Equally, there is a kind of naturalness, beauty and harmony that is present when one sees people who are doing what they were born to do. They make many things look so much easier than they might be for others because it is genuinely who they are at the deepest levels. Finding, nurturing and applying this capacity in staff members is at the heart of good service for Jesse's Voice.

Equally, if staff members are not willing to recognize a Person’s-in-Care potential to be of service to others it could well be that what is possible will remain hidden and undeveloped. The desire to serve often arises not from what it is the person would like to do; as it comes from the recognition that what they have to offer may be needed and welcomed. The good that any of us can do is not always straight forward it takes staff members awareness and vigilance as well as a readiness to first understand then be understood.

We can use our influence, however modest it may be, for constructive ends. It forces us to reflect on the good qualities we possess when it comes to influencing others. These could be as diverse as humor, kindness, intelligence, compassion, attentiveness to others, purity of intent and motivation, appreciation of others etc. The commitment to use whatever gifts one has to nurture the contribution of others is fundamental; if only the beginning.

Talents and abilities do not exist in a vacuum. They usually need a context in order to come into play. Without there being a situation where talents can be used for good then there often is no reason for these to be expressed. It is helpful to consider whether the Person-in-care has ever been asked to contribute. Having one’s abilities noticed and valued can be a motivating influence. Talents often first appear as “gems in the rough” and it takes patience to await their eventual “polished” form as this talent matures.

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