I want to share some of the examples given in the competency assessment questionnaires by PCL support providers regarding Interpersonal Relations and Respect.  This competency is so important in our work because it is all about gaining a deeper understanding of those we support and our co – workers and their behaviour.  This competency is critical to effective relationship building and collaboration, and providing high quality service and support.

Maybe you will see your example below.

“I take an invested interest in people I support, I listen and can retain information for later””I have developed a rapport with supported persons families and they will often share about their own lives which helps me to understand better the people i support”

“I listen to others, i ask questions when needed and try to see things from their point of view and then i adjust strategies to ensure success.  This is especially important when working in a multi-cultural environment”

“I sincerely care about the people we support and always consider how they feel, i ask questions to determine where they are coming from and what they need and provide support based on the answers given”

“One client we supported had extreme behaviours and some mental health issues, I saw that she connected well with some staff and i wanted to make this connection with her as well, when i did this i had to also deal with the brunt of her behaviours.  I thought about this person,their needs, concerns, level of communication. I learned how and when to be sensitive to their needs, when they were stressed and unable to express this.  I learned what to do to, to create a balance between respect and challenging behaviours, when i started doing this i realized how many needs, wants and opinions that this person actually had and i also realized that she liked to make silly jokes with me, when she was stressed and it helped her to come back to calm.”