Promoting Success in Agriculture for People with Disabilities and their Families
Effective Peer Support
Volunteer Methods
Your State AgrAbility Project Peer Support Training
Date
Learning Objectives
•
To learn ways to connect well with
people; to build rapport
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To understand and develop active
listening skills
•
To develop and practice problem solving
skills
•
To recognize warning signs
•
To learn how to manage uncomfortable
situations
An Effective Peer Supporter:
• Maintains perspective and objectivity
• Empathizes with compassion
• Helps empower person to make their
own decisions
Connecting Well and
Building Rapport
Rapport
Definition: a noun meaning:
1: relation of mutual understanding or trust and
agreement between people
2: a feeling of sympathetic understanding
Rapport refers to the feelings of interest and
understanding that develop when genuine concern is
shown.
Establishing Rapport
Exercise
Core Ingredients for Building
Rapport in a Helping Relationship
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Active listening
Eye contact
Calm presence
Respect
A nonjudgmental attitude
Active listening…
…is listening with a purpose.
A Purpose to Find Out
• What is being said……content
• What is being felt……..emotions
• What is wanted……outcome
Determine what they are
saying….Content
• Use open ended questions to clarify
content…the “how” and “what”
• Summarize what you think you are hearing
and don’t be afraid to be wrong
Pay Attention to Feelings
• Feelings are neither good nor bad, they just
are!
• Denying feelings does not make them
disappear
• What a person does with their feelings could
be harmful
Words that Suggest Feelings
• Handout
What are they saying they want
to happen…the outcome?
Listen for the meaning or
perception the person places on
their situation
positive ------------ negative
Active Listening
• People speak at 100 to 175 words per
minute, but can listen intelligently at 600 to
800 words per minute.
• This time difference allows the mind to drift to
other things
In active listening,
your focus is on
the person you are with
Focus
• Try to put yourself in the other person’s
situation
• Avoid placing focus on your feelings or
problems
• Only interrupt for clarification or summarizing
what they’ve said
Show You Are Listening
• Re-state what you understand them to be
thinking or feeling
• Convey understanding through non verbal
means…eye contact, posture, voice,
expressions, nods, smiles, etc.
• Avoid offering advice, suggestions or making
judgments
Maintain a Supportive
Demeanor
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Calm
Respectful
Hopeful
Honest and sincere
Nonjudgmental
Remember
• Their problem is not your responsibility
or problem
• You are only there to be supportive and
caring
Active Listening
Exercise
Empower the person to
make their own decisions,
to problem-solve.
10 Ways to Help with
Problem Solving
• Handout
1. Clarify Feelings
• Ask questions to sort out feelings
“Are you saying you’re worried that you
might have to quit farming if you can’t
figure out how to harvest the corn?”
2. Gather Information
• Find out as much as you can
“What do you think are barriers to
harvesting the corn?”
3. Define the Problem
• Look for what the person perceives as
their problem(s)
Example: A perceived problem is having
the strength and endurance to work
long hours in the future.
4. Identify the Desired
Outcome
• What is it that the person wants to
change so they can continue farming as
they had been?
5. Brainstorm Alternatives
• Using open-ended, feeling-level questions
explore the real problems
“How would you feel about doing things
differently?”
• List alternative solutions
6. Evaluate the Alternatives
• Prioritize solutions by importance
• Explore pros and cons of each
7. Predict Consequences
• Encourage person to discuss the
outcome for each possible decision
“What effect would hiring a person
seasonally have on you and the
operation?”
8. Clarify Values
• Will certain decisions violate a personal
value
“How will you feel if you have to rely on
hired help to get the harvest in?”
9. Make Action Plan
• Guide the person to decide what to do
first, second etc
• Identify the “who, what, when, where,
and how”
10. Follow-up
• Plan another time to talk in person or by
phone
What if you notice problems?
Signals of Distress or
Trouble
• Anger
• Elevated stress
• Depression
• Suicidal thinking
Anger is a Problem
If it is ….
• aggressive and uncontrolled or
• results in intimidating, violent or bullying
behavior,
• that persists over several visits with
farmer
Resources for Managing Anger
Elevated Stress
Farm Stress
• Stresses related to weather, machinery, farm
financial uncertainties, seasonal demands
and long work hours
• Geographic isolation
• Reduced access to services for self or family
• Impact of disability on farm
Managing Stress
• Identify source of stress
• Eliminate stress sources you can
• Break the problem down into smaller pieces
and work on one at a time
• Prioritize most immediate concern
• Develop a support system
• Use “Stress Busters”
Major Depression
• Is serious,
• Can almost always be successfully treated,
and
• Should never be considered a personal
weakness.
Prolonged stress or untreated
depression could lead to
suicidal thinking.
Suicidal Warning Signs
• Previous attempts at suicide
• Threats of suicide
• Extreme depression
• Abrupt changes in personality or behavior
• Behavior that they are preparing for death
Role of Peer Supporter
• Listen to what they are saying
• Take them seriously
• Ask appropriate questions to see what they
are thinking
• Do not argue or try to reason with them
• Talk about other options
• Tell person help is available and contact the
AgrAbility office
If Danger Appears Imminent
• Call 1-800-SUICIDE 24 x 7 for a live trained
person to talk with and to find local resources
(1-800-784-2433)
• Then contact AgrAbility staff
• Another resource: Your State Rural Family
Helpline 1-866-327-6578
Safety and Health of Farmer,
Rancher or Family
• Notify AgrAbility if you observe signs of
excessive anger, alcohol or drug abuse,
stress, depression, or suicidal tendencies.
• Avoid trying to solve family arguments or
problems.
• Notify AgrAbility if you suspect abusive
behavior of family or hired labor.
Managing Uncomfortable
Situations and People
Relationship Boundaries
• Avoid ‘getting attached’ to the person to a
point where your objectivity may be
compromised
• Avoid overly friendly overtures toward you.
Discuss your role as a peer supporter with
the person.
• Avoid allowing the person to become
dependent on your judgment. Empower them
to make their own decisions.
In Summary:
• Actively listen
• Be available
• Support them as they resolve problems
• Notify AgrAbility staff if you have
concerns about the person’s welfare
An Effective Peer Supporter
• Maintains perspective and objectivity
• Empathizes with compassion
• Helps empower person to make their own
decisions
Promoting Success in Agriculture for People with Disabilities and their Families