CAFS - Prelim Notes Resource Management PDF

Preview

Summary

CAFS - Prelim Notes Resource Management...

Description

COMMUNITY AND FAMILY STUDIES PRELIMINARY COURSE STUDY NOTES: CORE 1 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MODULE FOCUS: FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: Wellbeing ● Define wellbeing The widely recognised definition of wellbeing is the degree of satisfaction an individual or group feels when their needs are met. The opposite of this is ill-being, the state of being ill, unhealthy and/or unhappy. All people have descriptions of wellbeing, though these descriptions are varied due to the factors or characteristics that contribute to their wellbeing, being different to others. Also, through prior experiences, or resilience. For example, a person may be more social and spiritual, which will cause their definition of wellbeing to centralise more on these areas rather than the rest of the factors (stated below).

● Factors affecting wellbeing The acronym, SPEECS—Social, Physical, Emotional, Economic, Cultural and Spiritual—identifies all the factors that contribute to wellbeing. Social factors relate to the interaction and connection between an individual and others around them within their society, that then develop into relationships. A person belonging to a local football club, for example, has the opportunity to communicate, connect and interact with others, giving a feeling of acceptance and playing a role, having a positive effect on their wellbeing. Physical factors relate to the physical body, health and wellbeing. A person who takes good care of their health through exercise, nutritional eating and sleeping well, is more inclined to cope better during stressful periods, such as an during an exam. They also feel better about themselves. Emotional  factors take into account the feelings and emotions of a person. Receiving encouragement is one of the most important emotional needs, as an individual can build their courage and in turn, not be afraid to speak their thoughts. When emotional needs are met, the individual is more resilient and more likely to cope successfully under stressful situations. Economic  factors involve one’s finances. This is addressed in a few ways, including paid employment, which links to good wellbeing. When a person has a well-paying job, they are more likely to have an adequate standard of living, meet all their needs, and can also consider some of their wants.

Cultural factors focus on a person’s customs, beliefs, values and traditions. This can be achieved by, for example, being able to identify with, and belonging to a cultural group. A person who is involved within cultural activities and practices are known to have a greater sense of identity, allowing them to feel satisfied with their wellbeing. They are also belonging somewhere, which relates to emotional factors. Spiritual  factors incorporate an individual’s moral and/or religious areas, such as having a purpose in life, or identifying right from wrong. Having an adequate spiritual sense allows one to experience greater peace and emotional stability, and can be experienced through art, nature, music and more.

● Individual and group wellbeing Individual wellbeing involves considering one’s own needs first, whereas group  wellbeing considers the needs of all members of a group, as an entity. In stating this, if an individual who belongs to a certain group, has been through an experience, positive or negative, that affects their wellbeing, their group’s wellbeing will also be affected. For example, if the star player of a football team, who have reached the grand finals, is suddenly injured, this will heavily impact on the formation and wellbeing of the team. Each players roles will be affected through changes in order to accomodate for the missing player of their team. Due to their missing star player, they may feel less confident in their roles, less confident for the game, and less confident in gaining success. This all contributes to a negative wellbeing. On the other hand, this could also bring the best out of all the players who, although may feel immense pressure, will want to achieve this final stage for their team and injured player. As a result, they can be more recognised within the football community, due to their enhanced reputation, and they may also open the doors to many more opportunities within their sport community. The team is therefore, feeling great due to their recognition and success.

Needs and Wants ● Define needs and wants  eeds  are resources that are crucial for survival. They include resources that are sustaining for life, as well N as physically and mentally healthy for people, including food/water, love, safety and acceptance. Wants  are preferences, desired to increase an individual’s quality of life. They are not exactly necessary for survival or help in maintaining good health, including items such as money, a car and a television.

● Specific needs There are six specific needs that are extremely vital for individuals, families and communities to thrive and survive. The acronym, SHE SEAS—Safety and security, Health, Education, Sense of identity, Employment, Adequate, Standard of living—clearly identifies all these specific needs. Safety and security  refers to the desire to feel both safe and protected from threats, such as burglary or physical harm. Having a safe and secure living environment is essential as it affects both the physical and emotional aspects of wellbeing. Eg. Non-slip floors in a bathroom for an elderly member within their home. Health  is a holistic concept, related to the perception of wellbeing. The four dimensions of health include physical, mental (emotional), social and spiritual health. Satisfying the needs for these dimensions of health is essential as an individual and families progress through the stages of their lives. Education  refers to the action or process of learning to acquire knowledge and skills, and is received through a variety of formal pathways including schools, TAFEs, colleges, universities and more. Individuals with higher levels of education are more likely to have easier and more access to higher facilities like economic resources, for example. Education is important to understand the resources available and how

they can be accessed to satisfy more needs.  ense of identity  allows people to have an idea of who they are and can also influence their confidence S and self-esteem. This is shaped by the roles they play within their lives, such as being a parent, child, or teacher. A young person may view themselves as a good and successful student, which as a result, contributes to a positive sense of identity and self-assurance.

Employment involves devoting time and exerting energy to an activity with specific goals, offering differing forms of payment for the services. Obtaining and maintaining employment enhances wellbeing through the recognition of a person's talents and abilities, with the reward of a wage or salary. Adults require employment to meet the needs of themselves and their families, to achieve an adequate standard of living for them. They can feel a sense of recognition, belonging and significance when they are involved within tasks and shown respect within the workplace. Adequate Standard of living  refers to primary needs, including food, clothing and shelter, required by all. Although these needs are usually satisfied within family settings, individuals may require community support (Government agencies—Centrelink). Food needs to be nutritious for the optimal health of an individual, but knowledge, availability and accessibility, are issues that may affect food choices. Clothing is needed for protection against the weather. Shelter (housing) offers a place of safety and security. It can contribute to, and reflect identity by allowing individuals a place for self-expression. The lack of suitable housing is a major issue for the homeless.

● Maslow’s hierarchy The Maslow’s hierarchy proposes that if a person’s lower-order needs are not met, it is unlikely that they would be concerned about meeting higher-order needs. As a person meets the lower-order needs, they slowly progress towards meeting their higher-order needs. The lower-order ends must be met before a person can reach their higher-order needs. For example, if someone is lost in a forest, they will need to worry more about finding food, water and shelter, rather than admiring the view or writing a poem that expresses their feelings. As they find these lower-order needs, they will find the opportunity to concern themselves with the higher-order needs. The revised and expanded version of Maslow’s hierarchy includes Biological and physiological needs (basic life needs such as air, food, water, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc.), safety needs (protection, security, order, limits, law, stability, etc.), belonging and love needs (family, affection, relationships, work groups, etc.), esteem needs (achievement, status, responsibility, reputation), cognitive needs (knowledge, meaning, self-awareness), aesthetic needs (beauty, balance, form, etc.), self-actualisation (personal growth, self-fulfilment), and transcendence (helping others to self-actualisation). Physiological needs  are the first level presented within the hierarchy. When these needs, including food, water and sleep/rest, are not met, one may feel sickness, irritation, pain and discomfort. For example, a homeless person will be lacking shelter and may be lacking food, love and self-respect. This person will most likely strive to meet these needs, firstly food, then shelter, over the other needs. Safety needs  relate to physical and emotional safety, often met through either the security of a home and family environment or freedom of fear, anxiety or chaos, provide by law and order within the community. Children often rely on their parents to meet these needs. Social needs  relate to giving and receiving affection and feeling accepted by others. Once an individual feels safe, they will willingly participate in social groups, interacting with others. These social groups can include family, friendship group, sporting teams, work groups, or religious groups, all of which would help an individual meet their social needs. Esteem needs  focus on self-esteem, resulting from self-respect, confidence and achievement, as well as gaining esteem and respect from others. This may be seen in their desire for status, prestige, recognition and appreciation. The satisfaction of this need leads to self-confidence and worth, and the feeling of being

useful and belonging in the world.  elf-actualisation  the final and highest need as identified by Maslow, refers to the desire for self-fulfilment. S That is, to reach full potential, being the best as possible. This stage allows one to communicate effectively, solve problems, have self-discipline and independence, accept themselves and others, be creative and have the ability to display genuine compassion and affection. This need cannot be met before the others.

Cognitive needs  relate to the human desire to learn, increase knowledge and give meaning to the world. It involves using intelligence to explore and discover, often satisfied through schooling, education, and personal experiences and lifelong learning. Aesthetic needs  focus on the appreciation and search for beauty. A person may nurture this need through cherished experiences in nature or beautiful surroundings, once their lower-needs have been adequately seen to. Also, spending time to decorate their home to be visually pleasing, prepare and present food to look good, or enjoy shopping and wearing fashionable clothing. Transcendence needs  relate to the ability to help others in achieving self-actualisation. A parent may experience this need as they guide and feel pleasure in watching their adult offspring achieve self-actualisation. This may be especially significant as a new generation evolves within the family and they take on the role of grandparenting.

● Satisfaction of needs and wants It is extremely important for individuals to meet their basic needs, consisting of food, water and shelter, as they will not be able to survive otherwise. For a majority of Australians, these basic needs are met, though our sense of wellbeing is influenced by the degree to which the full range of needs is met. Needs are met in various ways and do not always have to be met at the same time, sleep and rest being a need that is met by one’s own self. Other needs including love, shelter and comfort, are often satisfied by family members. Needs such as friendships and sporting communities, are met through the community that one lives and interacts. Needs and wants vary in importance, depending on individual differences. For example, an athlete’s physical needs will differ to that of a truck driver. Also, lifespan stages, for instance, with an adolescent’s economic needs and wants being unlike those of a preschool child. The acronym SMART—Specific, Mesurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound—clearly identifies the smart goal-setting technique. I will [your goal] by [how you will achieve the goal]. I will know I am making progress because [how you will measure the goal] for [time frame]. Short-term goals can be achieved quite quickly, over the span of one to a few weeks, often being relatively easy to achieve. This could include finishing a particular assignment for a course at school, for example. Medium-term goals are usually achieved over a few months, being more complex than short-term goals, which may need to be achieved first. An example includes preparing for and obtaining a driver's license.  ong-term goals usually reflect those values held most important by an individual or family. They may L involve many years leading to its success and might include paying off a home. Short and medium-term goals often need to be met before long-term goals. For example, in order for one to achieve employment, health and a sense of identity, a short-term goal may be to complete a resume, which is part of a medium-term goal to obtain a part-time job, finally being involved in a long-term goal of saving to travel overseas for an extended period of time. This person has been able to find employment that has allowed them to take care of their health. They have even managed to create their own sense of identity, in which they feel content with themselves, as well as the position they are in, in their life, and can even strive towards self-actualisation, in which they desire self-fulfilment. That is, being potentially the best they can possibly be.

Resources ● Define resources Resources are things that an individual uses to achieve their goals. This includes human resources, such as knowledge, skills and sight, and non-human resources including food, clothing and money. Resources are sustainable and interchangeable according to circumstances and environment, recognising that a vast amount of individuals have limited resources. This means that there is a need to carefully manage the resources that are available to them.

● Specific resources Resources are classified into two specific resources–human and non-human, that if which is interrelated. Human resources are those talents, skills and abilities that people have that is disposed to an individual or family, and non-human resources are tangible or touchable objects. An example of its interrelation is that the human resource of knowledge is required to use the non-human resource of money. Also, the human resource of time is needed to use non-human resources including gyms or parks. Some human resources include knowledge, energy, intelligence, sight, language, skills and abilities, motivation, initiative, cooperation, creativity and passion. Some non-human resources can consist of food, clothing, money, electricity, shelter, parks, computers, cars and musical instruments.

● Interchangeability of resources Resources have many uses and an individual must decide how they want to use them best, in regards to their needs. For instance, a teacher may choose to use their potential savings to hire a cleaner for their home. This way, one person’s money purchases another's skills and time. The cleaner could then use this money to meet their basic needs or to save for a family holiday. Sometimes, skills are also exchanged, through a neighbour assisting with painting the outside of an individual’s house, who in return, may help the neighbour with gardening. This allows for the completion of both jobs at quicker rates, as well as the possible development of a relationship between the individual and neighbour. Money is therefore, more likely to be saved and the overall wellbeing of both parties is enhanced. This is also in operation when an adolescent completes at-home chores in exchange for their parents taking them to a driving lesson, for example. Another example could involve a taxi driver who uses money to pay for petrol. Once this person has a full tank, he/she can return to pick up new passengers, in turn increasing his/her income.

● Resource sustainability Individuals are resource consumers or users. Some non-human resources can be considered as non-renewable, as they can be partially or wholly consumed through use. These resources must be carefully managed to ensure they are not wasted and are used to their best potential. Effective resource management relies on both people and governments to make carefully considered decisions on how, why and at what rate resources can be used so they can be sustained for prolonged periods of time, especially non-renewable resources. This can ultimately affect resource availability and quantity for future use. Recycling paper or ink jet cartridges and sending electronic instead of printed financial statements are examples of environmentally sustainable practices.

MODULE FOCUS: INFLUENCES ON RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: Factors affecting resource management ● Personal values and past experiences A person’s values are the core drivers of their actions, as they are the qualities that an individual/family believes to be most desirable and important in life. Although they are intangible, they influence how one feels and acts in the environment. Values determine the standards by which a person judges the success of goals, influence the priority of needs and wants, influence the goals set and how they are achieved, motivate actions, and influence behaviours. Personal values are developed early in life due to interacting with parents, grandparents and other significant people and/or groups, including teachers and friends. They are often stable and may remain constant throughout life, like honesty and respect, for instance. Values can also be derived from culture, religion or the experiences of ones generation.

● Factors influencing availability of and access to resources The mnemonic GAS CD—Gender, Age, Socioeconomic status, Culture and Disability—can help with the identification of factors that influence the availability and accessibility of resources Gender may affect the knowledge and perceived suitability of resources available and accessible to males and females. Traditional values and stereotypes related to masculinity for males can limit their willingness to access resources such as menshealth services. Females are more willing to use medical and counselling services, with more women’s refuges available to support women and their children who are victims of domestic violence.  ge can determine when an individual may apply for a driver's license, enter licensed premises, when and A how long they can work, when they can enter into a contract or apply for seniors’ concessions. Wage increases with age until adulthood, while mobility can decrease with the onset of later life span stages—both also influence the availability and accessibility of resources.  ocioeconomic status  refers to the employment status, income levels and disposable income of individuals S and families. It affects the range of resources available and how easily accessible they are. If a person has a good job that enables a steady flow of income, they are able to access a range of sources. Culture  may influence the knowledge of availabl...