Of Arch Association’s four values, “People” is the one that we literally cannot work without. If we don’t have people, we don’t have anything to do. But what does that mean and how does it affect our support? Read on to find out.
What does it mean to value people?
Valuing people means treating everyone with kindness, understanding and respect no matter how different they are from yourself. It also means seeing the value in each individual, including their unique perspectives and experiences.
People are Unique
Valuing people means valuing everyone for who they truly are, rather than seeing them as statistics or predefined traits.
It can be easy to lump people into categories or put them into boxes based on our stereotyped understanding of them, but it’s important to value the things that make them unique, not make assumptions, and treat them as themselves rather than a reflection of something else.
We understand that everyone has their own experiences, preferences, capabilities and thoughts that make them entirely unique. Which is why we aim to support everybody in unique ways that are best suited to what they want and need, rather than applying to same template of support to everyone.
People deserve respect
Everybody is deserving of respect, no matter how different they are from yourself. Part of that involves seeing, acknowledging and understanding what makes them different to you as well as finding the ways you are similar.
Respect is another one of Arch Association’s core values, we believe that every person has the right to speak for themselves, rather than being spoken over.
By bringing together People and Respect, we acknowledge that nobody is the same, and everybody has the right to advocate for themselves. When somebody tells us who they are and what they want, we believe them and focus our efforts on achieving their goals without undermining their decision-making.
People and their Disabilities
There are some who use disabilities as an excuse to disregard people’s individuality, which is cruel and unfair. When we say everybody deserves kindness and understanding, we do mean everyone. People are so much more than their disabilities, and their supports should be tailored to their unique needs and wants, rather than using a catch-all approach for everybody in the same position.
Although a disability is part of a person, there is so much more to discover and understand, and it is Arch Association’s goal to connect with the deeper parts of everyone we meet so we can uncover their goals and reach their dreams.
Everybody Needs Somebody
Without people, Arch Association wouldn’t exist. We are a business made of a dozen brilliant and unique people, from our senior office staff to our support mentors, everybody brings something different to the table. The same is true for our customers, who are all filled with their own dreams we want to bring to life.
We rely on people to make our business run, just like our customers rely on us to receive the supports they deserve. We all need each other, so the best way to make it all work is by respecting and understand one another.
To learn more about Arch Association’s values, check out our About Us page.
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