Feeling like you belong there

Communicating and Connecting

• Acknowledge different world views, religions, abilities and ways of living. We are all different but yet have so much in common. Be interested in other people’s stories.

• Remember that we are all people… people first. Ensure you use positive language. E.g. person with a disability not “cripple”. Ensure that all your staff are comfortable about the language people prefer the community to use.

• Make eye contact and speak directly to the person, not through their companion. Listen to what people say. Allow time for people to express themselves.

• It’s okay to use words like “see”, “hear”, “walk” and “run” when you’re talking with people who have disabilities.

• Be aware of elements in your environment that could affect communication with the person (noise, lighting, background music etc.).

• Ensure courtesies and patience extends to phone
calls as well.

• Ask people what more you can do.

 

CommunicationMavis Lambert

What I find in business today, it is all about the money and the staff is not educated in service. Not only is it business houses, but also public services. If I went into a shop, and the entrance was welcoming and the staff spoke to me nicely, I would go back to that shop because I felt comfortable. I feel comfortable in a few shops, but in a lot of other shops I find it hard because of lack of communication from the staff.

 If you are not happy with one shop, you go to another. They lose the opportunity of the money because of the way they serve their customers. I feel at home when I walk in to a business where the staff is friendly and smiling and it makes me feel comfortable there.