EMPOWER YOURSELF: DON’T LEAVE IT TO THE EXPERTS
Twice in the past month hypodermic needles have been found in community. One child was punctured when they crawled onto a needle while playing in the park during a school outing. The second needle was found taped to the underside of a railing in a Parkade. As the parent of the child who was punctured in the first story, I am disturbed about what is happening in our community these days around drug use, but also about how little people actually know the risks associated with drug use. There are numerous resources out there for parents, kids, and teens, but my all-time favourite resource is Foundation For A Drug-Free World.
If you’re a parent, then you might be able to imagine what I was going through. Having been certified as a bio-recovery technician with the American Bio-Recovery Association (ABRA) and working in health care, I am all too familiar with the concerns associated with Hepatitis-B (Hep-B) and Hepatitis-C (Hep-C) infections, and the risks of contracting them—Namely, that the viruses can live outside the body from one to three weeks!
My child is up-to-date on her vaccinations, so contracting the Hep-B virus was less of a concern than Hep-C. The school had done due diligence with first aid follow-up for someone who has been pricked by a needle, by contacting the health authorities for support, and notifying the city about the incident. Still, I was concerned. The outcome from the visit to the Emergency Department may have followed protocol in assessing risk, but it was less than satisfying for me as my child was discharged with no follow-up. I had questions: What was their protocol? How do they assess for risk? How could they have ruled out Hep-C?
My thinking was that, if my child had contracted Hep-C, no one would necessarily know it because many people are asymptomatic. Thus, knowledge is power, and for my child, could mean the difference between timely treatment, or no treatment and the ongoing development of the disease. I’ve come to learn that only a small percentage of people have contracted Hep-C through a needle prick; however, being part of that percentage means something to that person. The well-being of people means something to me (and in this case, my child).
I called the Emergency Department. They couldn’t answer my questions and did not validate my concerns. It was the health authority’s Communicable Disease Program that finally helped me. They answered all my questions and worked with me to create a plan for follow-up. Thank goodness!
Since all of this happened I’ve spoken with many parents who mentioned they wouldn’t have questioned the doctors and would have simply left the Emergency Department without a second thought. They would have trusted the experts. Many of us would.
The title of this piece is about empowerment, which is about the power we give to someone to do something. My concern is that many of us are giving away our power. In doing so, we are losing our voice, living passively day to day, and left feeling unfulfilled and devalued.
So, how do you know if you’re giving away your power? According to Forbes, there are ten signs:
- You give in to guilt trips
- Your self-worth depends on other people’s opinions of you
- You have trouble setting boundaries
- You complain about all the things you have to do
- You hold grudges
- You’ve changed your goals based on other people’s opinions
- You’re hypersensitive to criticism
- Other people have the ability to bring out the worst in you
- You spend a lot of time talking about people that you don’t like
- Other people determine the kind of day you’re going to have
As a program manager for WJS, I use empowerment and self-determination in my approach to working with staff and youth-at-risk. I believe that everyone holds the key to their happiness and sense of value and purpose, both at work and at home. I’m bringing the two together because wherever you go, there you are.
The story about my child and how I advocated for her is about how I conducted myself personally. At some point, I questioned if I go the same distance for my staff and youth-in-care professionally. I believe I do, but would be naïve to think that everyone does.
I have been taught, and very much believe that we are experts in our own lives. Empowerment is the key to having such control—having that control is significant.
As children, students and employees we are impressed upon by our parents, educators, coaches, and even policies and procedures. We often don’t think about what we are learning (or not learning) as it is implicit in our understanding. We entrust ourselves to those in power, and often give away our power to those in authority, especially the ‘experts’.
My recommendation and takeaway for you all is this: Don’t give away your power. Trust yourself. Find your voice and use it, for yourself and for others, or to help someone find their voice. It could change your life, or someone else’s. For more inspiration on empowerment, I recommend that you listen to Parisa Khosravi on The Power of Finding Your Voice.
— Elaine Ho, WJS Canada Program Manager