I recall reading some thought-provoking words on Eberhard Wenzel's website
(Maxim 2), and imagine they could come in handy for health promoting
organizations wanting to explore to what degreee their work is guided by
their values [or how work can be more in-tune with their values] by
distinguishing between intent (what we may believe in and hope for) and
action (what we actually do). It goes something like this:
Hearing is not knowing;
Knowing is not understanding;
Understanding is not believing;
Believing is not doing.
While health promotion espouses may admirable values (social justice,
empowerment and choice, priority to the common good, democratic decision
making, etc.), there can be huge ideological differences as to what these
values look like in practise. It is also a huge challenge for ourselves and
our organizations to dig deeper than the jargon/rhetoric and to explore what
these values look like in practise and to what extent are we are truly
bringing these values to life in our work?
I propose a simple focussed conversation to examine what these values look
like in practice, to begin a dialogue on this subject. I suggest beginning
by asking what would the work of an organization's work look like if it:
a) were working to advance social justice? {or facilitating the empowerment
of a community, or working to eliminate poverty, racism, etc.}
b) weren't promoting social injustice nor was it doing anyting to advance
social justice issues?
c) were working to block advances in social justice?
In other words, what does health promotion look like in the absense of
working for social justice? working for the advancement of social justice?
or ignoring social jsutice issues? These are important but difficult
conversations for organizations to have? Let me know how it works.
Karen Serwonka
health promoter
>From: Ronald Labonte <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Health Promotion on the Internet <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Values Exercises
>Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2000 20:45:50 -0600
>
>I'm not sure how it would be organized as an exercise, but the social
>justice theorist, John Rawls, describes a "thought experiment," in which
>people "behind a veil of ignorance"--meaning without knowing into what
>class, race or gender they will be born--discuss the elements of social
>organization and state functions they think should exist.
>
>That could prove a rich potential mine for examining values.
>
>At 05:03 PM 11/8/2000 -0800, you wrote:
>>I am in the process of developing some guidelines and wonder if anyone has
>>examples of "values exercises" that could be used with expecting parents,
>>program workers and/or community members for the following:
>> * Exercises which impart new information e.g. "Here are some new
>>value systems."
>> * Exercises which cause the person/group to question their own values
>>at an unconscious or gut level, e.g. "These types of values affect the
>>born or unborn child the following ways. Which values are you using?"
>> * Exercises which cause the indiviudal/group to rethink their own
>>values and examine new options. "How would the following values affect
>>the way you treat your self and your children?"
>> * Exercise which allow the person/group to practice and integrate new
>>behaviours based on the new sets of values. "This exercise is not only
>>fun to do, but will also have the affect of ... "
>>Thanks for your help.
>
>_________________________
>
>Ronald Labonte, Director
>Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit
>Universities of Regina and Saskatchewan
>Professor, Faculty of Activity Studies, University of Regina
>Professor, Community Health and Epidemiology
>College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan
>107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5
>phone: (306) 966-2349
>fax: (306) 966-7920
>e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>__________________________
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