I don't suppose there are any "not for profit" companies operating in this arena, or charities donating their 'profit' to the benefit of those students who cannot get DSAs or can't afford the dyslexia assessment or the DSAs aren't sufficient to cover all their costs???
Sent from my iPhone
On 24 Apr 2012, at 21:16, "Tim Franklin" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
Dear Penny
According to the record you direct a company that runs service from the DSA so your interest in all this is financial business. There is a clash between that and the ethics association. others do the same thing of promoting a business through a cause or club, like an industry trade group, but can the leaders of the associations take up the stance of judging while also promoting their own business? A conundrum.
Tim
________________________________
From: Penny Georgiou <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>;
To: 'Tim Franklin' <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>; <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>;
Subject: RE: Association for Ethical Practice (DSA) - Preview and Preparation
Sent: Mon, Apr 23, 2012 8:09:12 AM
Dear Tim,
I appreciate the questions that you raise, and will try to respond.
The Association will aim to engage with two key questions:
1 - What are the key obstacles to delivering the bespoke support promised by the DSA scheme?
2 – How can we best resolve these issues for all concerned, students and practitioners?
Some of the obstacles arise from the logic of sector practices. Certainly, these are the obstacles that are most amenable to our efforts, and we need to be in conversation with those affected (whether practitioners or students) in order to find the best way through for all concerned.
Aggressive business tactics are part of the problem that needs to be treated, so that the logic of DSA funded support is not repeatedly distorted in favour of particular business models. When this happens, the process of delivering support to students is stalled both for students and for those businesses. The work doesn’t run smoothly and profits do not rise significantly, if at all.
This is where the Ethical is Practical comes in. It is a response to those businesses who justify their (less than best) practices as being forced on them by the competition.
Such business models lack efficacy; they do not serve either their own or students’ best interests. Real wealth creation has to be underpinned by ethics, otherwise it is not sustainable. The Credit Default Swaps demonstrated this in extreme form, resulting in a collapse of the global banking system.
It will take time and care to establish the trust and the operational efficacy that is possible, but this is our challenge. Moving to a mindset that better serves what we want to achieve is also a perennial challenge for each of us.
Moderation – the site will be moderated. The aim is to be fair both to students and to practitioners alike, not to sacrifice one to injustice in order to save the other. At the moment, the system relies on students to make a complaint, and many do not feel able to do so. Mediation is a much better way to respond to issues rather than a complaints system, as the latter places students and practitioners into a false and unnecessary state of antagonism.
The terms of the blog will allow situations to be reported without naming the parties (best or worst). The star rating will be a cumulative scoring based on a survey across a range of factors. This part will take longer to bring about in any case, so we have time to consider further refinements that don’t compromise on the aim of bringing to light both best practice and problems in realising it. There are legal limits to assist us, and we can learn from both the best and worst of other rating systems. If we find that something is not working well ethically, we will change it.
Consequences: These follow whether we act or don’t. The current issues on the ground that the Association aims to formally acknowledge are, in part, a cumulative consequence of our inability to respond to infringements and breaches of ethics and best practice across the lifetime of DSA. This is not a criticism, just a statement of perspective. The sector is better placed to respond now than it was in the past. We have an accumulation of experience as well as a better infrastructure to us; with the resources that both a major funding body is investing in working with DSA-QAG and sector organisations. What has been missing is institutionalised acknowledgement that sector practices are a key obstacle to the efforts of the many dedicated practitioners and students out their who are trying to do their best. This effort cannot succeed without the participation of either.
If there is anything else that you would like to discuss, please do join us when the services go partially live, probably within a couple of weeks.
Kind regards,
Penny Georgiou
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Franklin
Sent: 22 April 2012 20:29
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Association for Ethical Practice (DSA) - Preview and Preparation
Dear Penny,
What does ‘ethics is practical’ mean in real terms in your opinion? This association is setting up a situation where businesses are invited to participate in aggressive marketing, or may dragged into an arena of criticism without wanting to be part of it and without even a moderator of any kind. Your manifesto says antagonism is a mind set. OK. Can it be ow is it WhyW“best practice” to be setting up a mind set scenario that facilitates hostility though?. Things played out in the ‘mind set’ of the association website could have proper and true consequences for innocent or even completely unaware people.
Tim Franklin
From: Penny Georgiou <[log in to unmask]<javascript:return>>
To: [log in to unmask]<javascript:return>
Sent: Thursday, 19 April 2012, 13:22
Subject: Association for Ethical Practice (DSA) - Preview and Preparation
Dear Colleagues,
The Association for Ethical Practice (DSA) will be formally launched in a few days' time, inviting Disability Practitioners and Students to join/participate in the constructive conversation that it aims to foster.
When the preliminary material for the website is ready, the attached document will be re-circulated formally inviting participation. The website address is: http://afep-dsa.org.uk
Many developments have led to this.
1 - List Forum: The initial idea was to create a list forum with a remit to facilitate constructive discussion of ethical issues and the move towards operational and procedural solutions for both students and practitioners. It is particularly important for students to have a place in which to actively participate in this discussion of sensitive matters.
In the event, the web designer understood the reference to forum in a more sophisticated way than was initially intended and has produced a beauty with user profiles etc. This will be called the: "Fair Point Forum".
2 - Blog: There will be a blog where students can post their comments about their individual experience directly. This is so that practice can be more directly and promptly informed about how we need to tailor services to better achieve clear pathways to effective study for Disabled Students.
3 - Star rating: As soon as logistics permit, the function of a star rating function will be added -where students can rate the service that they receive from Access Centres, Equipment Suppliers, Assistive Technology Training provision, Specialist Learning Support etc.
4 - Information for students: will be posted on the website that includes details of what students ought to be able to expect from a good quality service from
- Access Centre (including admin, follow-up)
- Needs Assessment Services
- Equipment Supplier Products and Service - I am asking Equipment Suppliers to provide their version.
- Assistive Technology Training
- Specialist Learning Support
- Notetaker support
We are working on the drafting some of the initial documents, which will develop as both practitioner and student contributions enrich the material. The crucial point is to institute a 'work-in-progress' approach to best practice.
The aim here is to raise expectations, so that they can drive best practice. SFE have been steadfast in this effort in recent years; responding to sector feedback developing the service they offer to better facilitate both increasing volumes and complexity of our processes. Over the last 15 years, I have grappled with the gaps in my practice and have seen the effects when we come to be able to actually do what we say we will do. I also now know that this can be delivered in volume, provided the will is there: “All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." Samuel Beckett (Worstward Ho, 1983)
If you have examples of best practice that you would like noted in the “What students can Expect from” section, or other contributions please contact me off list. [log in to unmask]<javascript:return>.
Kind Regards,
Penny Georgiou
For Association for Ethical Practice (DSA)
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking that created them" Albert Einstein.
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