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Core 2: Groups in context

Identifying the needs of specific groups in the community

Specific needs of groups within the community

Groups within the community may have a number of needs that should be met if

individuals are to achieve wellbeing. The syllabus lists nine areas of need. These are access to services education, employment, financial support, health, housing, security and safety, self-esteem and self-identity.

Some areas of needs are of a higher concern for some groups than for others groups. It is important to be able to identify the needs that are a higher priority for each group and be able to justify why those needs are of prime importance to the group. Ideally the specific needs of groups should relate to the issues, feelings and experiences of people within the group and take into consideration the special characteristics which define it as a unique entity.

The following activity explores the priority of needs for specific groups within the community.

Student activity

Examine the following needs:

access to services
education
employment

financial support
health
housing

security and safety
self-esteem
self-identity.

Choose four classifications of needs (e.g. education, access to services, self-esteem, employment). For each need provide two to three examples of how these issues relate to the ability of the Aged and Gay and lesbian people to meet these needs. Read the example provided in the table to understand the task.

Needs	Aged	Gay and lesbian
1. Access to services	For example: The aged may be physically unable to access services because of a decline in sight or hearing. A decline in cognitive ability may impact on their ability to act to help themselves. Lack of awareness that services exist may also affect access.	For example: Specific support services have been established to ensure a secure and supportive environment. Some services are not accessible to same-sex attracted couples e.g. marriage.

Needs

Aged

Gay and lesbian

1. Access to services

For example:

The aged may be physically unable to access services because of a decline in sight or hearing.
A decline in cognitive ability may impact on their ability to act to help themselves.
Lack of awareness that services exist may also affect access.

For example:

Specific support services have been established to ensure a secure and supportive environment.
Some services are not accessible to same-sex attracted couples e.g. marriage.

To check your answers, choose the needs you selected in the activity above.

Access to services, education and employment

Financial support and health

Housing, security and safety

Self-esteem and sense of identity

Analyse the needs of the aged and gay and lesbian groups listed below:

access to services
education
employment

financial support
health
housing

security and safety
self-esteem
self-identity.

Complete the table, prioritising the needs listed above into the most important and least important for the aged, and gay and lesbian groups.

Note: These needs may not apply to all the people in the group. It is important that you do not assume all people within the group are homogeneous.

Priority of needs	Aged	Gay and lesbian
Most important
Least important

Justify the decisions you have made in Activity b. In justifying your decisions you will need to present a case to support the priority of needs you have listed for each group.

Discuss the issues related to making assumptions that people within these groups have the same priority of needs.

Check your answers.

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