At C-Change, our colleagues are committed to embracing diversity, challenging conventional practices, offering choices, inspiring hope, and fostering inclusive environments. We are on a collective journey to explore the history of C-Change, adopt an allied stance, understand the principles of inclusive practice, and discuss ways to promote equality and diversity. This is not my story; it is an organisational account framed through an equality lens.
Exploring the 5 Ps: Integrating Key Principles into Organisational Life
[Description: C-Change constellation: five stars labelled People, Public, Privilege, and Political]
People make C-Change
It’s Personal: If You're Affected, You're Involved
It was a delight to begin by listening to a colleague who shared how things started for the organisation. With the closure of Lennox Hospital, several ‘patients’ with complex requirements were left in need of homes within communities. From the start, C-Change was innovative in finding ways to support the well-being of those previously locked in institutions. With the support of colleagues and the direction of families, people were not only supported better but also more cost-effectively, as intervention costs often dropped over time. I pointed out how the ‘cheaper’ aspect has become important again, sadly, under austerity. Fundamentally, at C-Change, human rights come first, not ‘care’ or ‘aid’ because it's all about prioritising well-being and rights. The conversation continued with longer-serving colleagues explaining to newer members the importance of enabling people to enjoy family homes within their localities.
I'm always struck that the roots of the organisation mirror the emergence of the Disabled People's Movement and its fight for deinstitutionalisation. I was working for a DPO at the time but was too young and inexperienced to grasp the significance of the Movement. Only later did I connect the dots, and realise the meaning, the coalescence of smaller groups of d/Disabled individuals seeking to leave hospitals so their well-being needs were addressed as well as their medical needs. Hence, the Medical Model/Social Model distinction, while criticised today, made much more sense in this historical context and the nature of the fight.
I always enjoy C-Change's culture of ‘Radical Hospitality’ because it is about empathy and interaction, not just an initial greeting. It’s about fostering a sense of belonging and anticipating changes, understanding that while needs may be universal, individual wishes and preferences matter immensely. I don't need to declare, identify or fill in a form to ask for help. Plus, because I know the answer will be ‘yes,’ I'm never afraid to ask. It’s the intentionality behind my colleagues' interactions that fosters well-being, far more than rigid lists of do’s and don’ts, which can often be limiting.
Question: Well-being?
1. What is important for me?
2. What is important to me?
Allied Position and Unearned Privilege
While many individuals will experience things differently, it is crucial for us, as colleagues, to acknowledge and address the disadvantages many face without reinforcing the common stereotypes imposed on them. C-Change has a long-standing tradition of viewing each person as unique; they are team leaders, responsible for the decisions made about their support (or helped to do so). Our colleagues amplify diverse voices, ensuring that each individual's needs, wants, dreams and unique identities are fully acknowledged and respected.
The feedback to the questions I raised, was intended to raise the matter of practice based on medical ‘musts’ rather than human needs, wants, and wishes. I shared with colleagues that I've often forgone things that may appear essential to others (e.g., parking) in favour of things that bring me huge joy (e.g. fires). Very quickly, colleagues understood how personal choice is, and that with limited time, energy, and money, the freedom to choose was important in order not to simply focus on need but the wider range of things we each require for our well-being. If we reduce access to essential needs, most will struggle or suffer. Furthermore, if we only apply well-being to health matters it's too late.
Public Matter - Professionals Natter
We then began a conversation about Personalisation, Standards, and Citizenship. I offered that during my time at C-Change, I'd observed that the organisation had a counter-narrative. One that moved in the opposite direction to many service providers within the care sector. I felt that working in different ways, with alternative wording, and an aim to uphold human rights, produced a culture that was often (positively) at odds with institutional and public assumptions.
A huge amount of great practice was shared, with colleagues keen to explore how and why things go wrong at times.
Jo’s Narrative: Not a Service User but a Person We Work For
Jo is not a client but a brother, neighbour, student, voter, train enthusiast, and teammate. The narrative of Jo’s life challenges conventional labels, highlighting his full humanity.
A Privilege: Adopting an Allied Position
Mea culpa, I did shoehorn my willingness to share ideas of critical theory behind the word ‘privilege.’ For colleagues, privilege is a delighted pride they have in their roles, a tangible feeling of honoring the lives of those they support. The energy in the room rose as everyone shared their stories. “My colleague said they got more from the person they support than the person got from them!” was shared with huge joy - I teared up. Imagine if such feelings were shared across the entire social care sector. A stark contradiction, I felt, to the daily barrage of negative press many are subjected to. The flaying by paper-cut of thoughtless comments, reiterated niceties no doubt well-intentioned, but oppressive, dehumanising, and disempowering over time. Yet you can't say, “I've lost it,” because people judge, as they can't see you've been kicked repeatedly in the same spot over years.
From a critical perspective, privilege means being able to live without the disadvantage of a specific and characteristic discrimination. For example, my privilege is living free of classism, homophobia, and racism… no one other than me knows exactly how far or narrow the extent of my overall unearned dis/advantage spreads. What I can say is that from this intersectional position, facing ableism is a disadvantage (not my lack of ability). If my advantage is not facing racism, then the privilege of many is not facing ableism. In domestic violence organisations, the political alignment is to feminism. Therefore, I’m gappy to say that reference to disability equality is instinctive C-Change because of the population within the org. My colleagues are anti-ableists almost intuitively, but I’d guess it is because there has been much work/learning in the past and along the way.
“Non-disabled privilege is unearned advantage, the absence of the prejudice, discrimination, and injustice weighing on the disabled population. A position often left unarticulated and unchallenged.”
We talked a great deal about how privilege relates to politics, policy, and practice. Many voiced their intent to learn more.
Human Rights and Panel Principles: Participation, Accountability, Non-discrimination, Empowerment, Legality.
Political: Control - Fundamental to Well-being
Choice and control are not just important; they are essential to well-being because of their profound impact on health. At C-Change, discussions about finances are clearly defined by people's ownership of their money, empowering individuals to make decisions based on personal desires rather than imposed ideas about needs. This way, C-Change can offer choice and control, not just a few options, fostering resilience. Furthermore, the ongoing relationship with people ensures that preferences are understood and expected to change. Personal networks—family, friends, and neighbours—also play a significant role in daily choices, ensuring present happiness and long-term well-being.
Principles of Inclusive Practice - Choice: Ensuring respect in service provision without imposing restrictive norms of working practice.
Positive: Cultivating Hope
I felt it was ironic that we got to the exuberant and high-energy part just as I was physically fit to drop. As I set the groups up to work, I reflected on how much easier it was to work with three impairments, not five! And that when people observe you doing a job well, they’re largely unaware of the effort required. It used to be far easier to spend most energy on the job than now having to spend it on personal movement - both physical and mental. I often watch my colleagues work effortlessly with others, taking a minute to appreciate how much intentionality goes into making this possible!
Anticipation allows us to envision a hopeful future, creating a proactive rather than reactive environment. At C-Change, discussions about the future are filled with optimism, encouraging actions that turn aspirations into reality.
Questions:
1. What are six things that I value and take for granted in my life?
2. Can the people we work for do the same?
The conversation moved into party politics, unsurprisingly given recent events in the UK.
Web of Accountabilities
Closing the gap [legitimacy] between professional accounts and the voice of the people we work for demands that we add more to strategic conversations than financial consideration. At C-Change, when teams talk about the rights, they intentionally realign the conversation to the 5 Ps. This means that well-being is considered and human rights are honoured. As the (bad) graph below shows, when more time is given to what is possible, political, and a privilege rights are denied less often - colleagues don't stop at the individual (people).
Turning to the keywords in our discussions—hospitality, citizenship, choice, control, anticipation—these elements interconnect like a web, creating a space that could help sense, if not measure, accountability. At C-Change, I plotted a culture of proximity and trust, essential for recognising and responding to others' needs and feelings. Rather than stop at people, the organisational conversations I’ve been part of extend far further to encompass their strategic objectives.
Final Thoughts
engaging with C-Change's narrative provides many insights, but certainly articulates and reinforces the transformative power of accountability in whose voice and storytelling underpin change.
Note: I have purposefully omitted the more personal stuff we shared because, while illustrative, there is a difference between sharing personal experience and organisational know-how in public.
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