Community Issues
Clients/Members
Cultural assumptions
There are also many issues that come along with an organization of such from the community in general. First of all, this center is technically labeled as a mental rehabilitation center from the outside world because many of the members here have a diagnosed mental disability. Because of this, many of these members are sterotypically labeled as crazy, violent, lazy, and that they are of little worth. To shed light on a more personal note, I said from day one of this service learning that their "disability" was going to jump out at me...when in fact, some individuals I met barely gave any leeway for me to believe they were mentally disabled. I had my own assumption due to the cultural stigma of what disabled individuals are like. I questioned what I would talk about in conversation with these individuals, what topics should I avoid (i.e family), and whether or not I should talk about my life with them. I assumed that these individuals were unable of carrying an intellectual, adult conversation, and I assumed that if I told them about my life at Dickinson, I might come off as a snub, and I certainly did not want to do that! Contrary to what I believed, these individuals proved me otherwise. Many of them were interested in my life, my college career, my family, and my physical deformity. Also, when I told them about my life, I did not feel as if I was coming off in a inferior way, but I felt as if I could relate to them in some way or another. It is very clear to see also that the media does not help to alleviate this cultural assumptions either. In a way, media picks on these individuals. Yes, every now and then we get an impacting movie such as A Beautiful Mind, and What's Eating Gilbert Grape, but for the most part the media represents the negativity surrounded by these cultural assumptions. They may not technically add to the cultural stigma but they certainly do not try to represent these individuals in an culturally accepting way.
How we can solve these problems
Overcoming prejudices and falty notions is a very difficult task in any domain, but specifically that of healthcare when most people who encounter disabilities in fact know very little about them. While the media and "norm" culture do not help dissipate these stereotypes, we as individuals can. This can be achieved in doing something as simple as correcting people when they refer to the townies who roam the square as "crazy." By encouraging awareness and sharing our positive experiences with others, we can help change the negative images associated with disabilities.
Agency
Problems the agency faces
The Stevens Center will face issues involving money. It is difficult for an agency to exist without some form of funding. They have to be able to pay for their facility and the upkeep of it. Since it would be outrageous for the center to charge their members, they have to come up with the money some other way.
Potential ways to overcome the problems
The Stevens Center could request money from the local government, because the service they provide is useful for people in the community. The Stevens Center could also have fundraisers and accept donations.
