Activity: Understanding self

Consider the broad headings below, and complete each section at your own speed. At later stages, you may want to return to this and amend or think further about your own attitudes and behaviour and the key factors influencing the formation of them. Early influences Think about your values and attitudes. List some of the key ones for you. Then look at each one and say whether you think that these were influenced by parents, teachers or peers (both friends and enemies). My values and attitudes 1. 2. 3. 4. Influences

Schools Write down an example of an occasion during your schooling, either in lessons or socially, when you noticed a group or an individual being excluded in some way. What were the reasons for the exclusion? Write them down. Example of exclusion Reasons for exclusion

Media Do you think that the media influences your attitudes and perceptions about people from different backgrounds, gender, age or sexual orientation? Give an example of how a newspaper or TV report might influence attitudes to any particular groups. Example of a newspaper/TV report How it might influence our attitudes and perceptions towards the particular group involved

World of work and interaction Are jobs still gender-specific at work? Give one or more examples and the reasons why you think this is the case. Example of gender specific job Reasons why this exists

What practices at work were considered acceptable say 20 years or 10 years ago but are no longer? Why has this changed? Do you think harassment or discrimination take place in your organisation or amongst your clients? What form does it take?

LSIS 2009 Online toolkit for WBL providers