You Choose: A Handbook for Staff Working with People who have Learning Difficulties, to Promote Self-Esteem and Self-Advocacy Jenny Mosley

By Jenny Mosley.

LDA

£17.95

ISBN 1 85503 202 3

What I immediately liked about this book is its clearly stated
premise that we all need to become aware and empowered advocates
for our development – that is, self-advocacy is not just something
for people with learning difficulties.

‘To understand how to work effectively with others we must first
under stand ourselves,’ Mosley says.

Too often self-advocacy is done for form’s sake, is set up and
controlled by paid staff or is channelled to ensure that only
‘safe’ topics are discussed.

Jenny Mosley’s book starts by helping us examine our own
attitudes and the positive and negative cycles which can result
from attitudes to ourselves, others and the concept of
self-advocacy.

She then works through practical advice on facilitating groups,
with special attention to how intervention and non-intervention can
assist individuals and the groups to develop.

The text is extremely well presented with diagrams and examples
of practice and cartoons. This is a very helpful handbook for
anyone engaged in such work.

Peter Gilbert is operations director (adult services),
Staffordshire SSD.