Community Development (Return to Topic List)

Quixley, Suzi (1990, 1993, 1997, 1997, 1999 & 2002; Revised 2010) What are "Needs"? (6 pages).  Is there a difference between human rights, needs and wants?  How do sociological and psychological perspectives on this question differ?  Are current theories, and models of needs analysis, transferable to the 3rd and 4th Worlds?

A companion to What are Needs? ... Some More about Manfred Max-Neef's Concept of Needs (5 pages). This summary, written and compiled by Suzi Quixley, looks in more detail at one theory of human needs.  Max Neef, known as the barefoot economist, developed identified 9 basic human needs.  He argued that, in trying to meet one need, we risk undermining, or even violating, others.  Originally developed as a tool for assessing the impact of aid programs in 3rd World countries, Max-Neef's framework can be helpful when looking analysing community services interventions with individuals, families and communities.

Quixley, Suzi (1999; Revised 2010) Participatory Action Research: An Outline (16 pages).   Includes: History of Action Research, Why Participatory Action Research (PAR)?, What is PAR?, Distinguishing different types of Action Research, Role of Stakeholders, Role of Questions, Step-by-step outline of the PAR Process and Why Learn more about PAR?

Quixley, Suzi (1999, Revised 2008) Principles of Effective, Ethical Consultation (5 pages).  Compares different types of consultation (intended, or not intended, to affect outcomes), and proposes a set of Principles of Effective, Ethical Consultation.

Quixley, Suzi (1996, Revised 2008) Achieving Social Change - Strategies, Tactics and Planning (8 pages).  Lists strategies and tactics for 5 approaches - Collaboration, Campaigning, Coercion, Co-option and Covering-Up.  Proposes some basic steps for planning social action.

Quixley, Suzi (2008)  What is Evidence-Based Practice? (3 pages).  Looks at different types of evidence, evidence-based program design, evidence-based program improvement and Participatory Action Research as a useful tool for collecting evidence in community services.

Community Services Industry (Return to Topic List)

*NEW  Quixley, Suzi (2012)  The Unique Contribution of Community Organisations (8 pages).  Argues the need to distinguish different types of non-government organisations - Community Organisations (small NGO's)  and Institutional Charity Organisations (large NGO's).  Asserts that small organisations may be more efficient and effective service providers in the long term, explores the more complex competencies required to work in Community Organisations, and identifies barriers to a more responsive, creative community sector.

Quixley, Suzi (2006)  What is a Peak Body?:  Summary & Analysis of Key Documents 1995-2005 (33 pages).  During the Howard Era, peak bodies in the community services sector were under  increasing pressure to become more representative and accountable, whilst also often facing cuts in funding.  At the same time, peak bodies in other sectors (particularly the business sector) were under no such pressures!  This paper places community services peaks in a wider context and analyses their changing role, social contribution, efficiency/effectiveness and future.  A summary paper is also available.  Download from the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland site: http://www.yanq.org.au/images/stories/Documents/role_of_peaks_quixley_2006.pdf.

Conflict Processing (Return to Topic List)

Quixley, Suzi (1996, Revised 2008)  Understanding Constructive & Destructive Conflict  (5 pages).  Although still in semi-note form, this handout is fairly self-explanatory, and a useful guide to distinguishing between different types of conflict.  It looks at characteristics, behavioural indicators and possible causes of constructive and destructive conflict, and lists questions which might help a facilitator to judge the nature of a particular conflict.  There's also a list of strategies for intervening in conflict, and moving forward.

Quixley, Suzi (1999, Revised 2008)  Tackling the Myths about Consensus Decision Making (6 pages).  Analyses 6 common myths, and advocates consensus as a legitimate decision making tool, particularly for community organisations.

Quixley, Suzi (1996, Revised 2008)  Mediation: A Step-by-Step Guide (6 pages).  Detailed dot point tasks, covering 6 areas - preparing to mediate, creating a conducive mediation environment, mediator attitude, basic in situ mediation skills, advanced in situ mediation skills and mediation outcomes.

Gender (Return to Topic List)

Quixley, Suzi (1997, Revised 2008)  An Introduction to Feminist Theory (24 pages).  Although essentially 10 years old, most of this article continues to be relevant ... it just needs an update on the current wave of feminist-related thinking, and its impact on the community services industry.  The article outlines the role of women in society (particularly in relation to various social systems), and proposes that there's no such thing as feminism, only feminisms ... and details many different (sometimes opposite) bodies of thinking that have been called feminism.

Helping Skills (Return to Topic List)

*Now available as soft copy   Quixley, Suzi (1995)  Notes on a Model for a Power With Approach to Short Term Helping, Revised Edition (43 pages).  This publication was formerly only available in hardcopy.  It proposes a model for short term helping. Whilst drawing many ideas from the Person-Centred school of counselling, it differs from most in that it  provides a lateral, conceptual frame, rather than a prescribed process.   Unlike most models, this one emphasises enabling the person to take significant power both in the content and process of the helping interaction.  A new, updated, edition is on the way!!!

Quixley, Suzi (2011) Power With Helping: Providing Practical Support (10 pages).  A more detailed account of the "practical support" circle in the model (above).  Works on the assumption that effective practical support (information, referral and resource provision) are not a short cut ... that provision of quality practical support is often a more demanding, technically-skills and complex process than other helping functions.

Quixley, Suzi (1997, Revised 2006 & 2008)  Responding to Critical Incidents & Crises  (11 pages).   A very practical handout which includes: Distinguishing Crisis Situations and Urgent Situations, Whether or Not to Intervene, Responding to Distressed Clients, Responding to Threats of Harm, A 5 Step Intervention Process, Key Principles of Intervention.

Quixley, Suzi (1999, Revised 2008)  The Ethics of Helping (6 pages).  Details 7 key ethical principles (Respectful, Client-Centred, Responsive to Diversity, Partnership, Authentic, Trustworthy, Productive), and explores their application in helping situations in more detail.

Quixley, Suzi (1998, Revised 2008)  Extending Frame of Reference: A Key Tool in Enabling Growth & Change (10 pages).  Explores ways of helping people consider possibilities outside their experience, in the context of a power with approach to helping.  Looks in detail at strategies and skills for constructive, ethical challenge and confrontation, designed to achieve client-owned change.

Organisational Development (Return to Topic List)

Quixley, Suzi (1993, 1995 & 1997; Revised 2010)  Beyond Corporate Planning:  Organisational Development in Non-Government Community Services (18 pages).  This article explores the applicability of corporate/strategic planning models to non-government organisations in the community services industry.  It compares the sectors, and analyses the transferability of corporate models to non-government community services.  The article concludes that there is a need for an alternate model of organisational development.  It proposes a model which is particularly concerned with the role of values and vision in organisational development and practice.  The article also briefly examines issues of accountability in the sector.

Quixley, Suzi (2009)  Distinguishing Caring for Staff from Indulging Staff (6 pages).  All organisations should model good staff management practices, including caring for staff.  But when does caring become indulgence?  When does it function to serve the interests of the staff member over those of service users?  Explores the distinction between personal and professional support issues, identifies employer and worker responsibilities, and includes an exercise to help staff establish their personal support systems.  Recognises the particular difficulty in separating personal and professional issues in a peer-based organisation.

Quixley, Suzi (1996, Revised 2008)  Understanding External Supervision (4 page).  Overviews the range of different types of supervision required in community services positions - debriefing, line management, performance appraisal and professional development.  Proposes areas best suited to external supervision or professional support.

Quixley, Suzi (1997, Revised 2008)  Questions of Accountability in Non-Government Community Services (15 pages).  Who should organisations/workers be accountable to?  For what?  Looks at changes in accountability expectations over the past 20 years and analyses/challenges the legitimacy of some accountability demands of funding bodies.  Argues for high levels of legitimate accountability, through using 4 types of external accountability and 4 internal accountability/supervision/support mechanisms.

Quixley, Suzi (1999, Revised 2008)  Alternatives to Conventional Interviews (12 pages).  How do you judge the actual competencies of interviewees ... rather than just how good they are at performing in interviews?  This paper explores options such as group interviews, written work, sample work, client assessment and competency demonstration.  It includes detailed timetables, and proforma letters which could be used to explain the approach to prospective employees.

Quixley, Suzi (1997, Revised 2008)  Dealing with Change (8 pages).  Looks at both personal change and organisational change.  Explores the skills and strategies needed to successfully instigate organisational change, and deal with resistance to change ... based on recognition that organisations are made up of individuals!

Quixley, Suzi (1999, Revised 2008)  The Many Faces of Facilitation - Roles Human Services Workers Play (1 page).  A diagram, which can provide a useful starting point for exploring facilitator and worker roles - informer, advocate, broker, mediator, negotiator and conciliator.

Quixley, Suzi (2001, Revised 2008)  Ensuring an Effective Self-Managed Project Team (2 pages).  A simple, step-by-step process for developing a project by a leaderless team - from beginning to presentation.

Personal Development (Return to Topic List)

Quixley, Suzi (1998; Revised 2008)  Aggression, Assertion & Passivity (10 pages).  A combination of familiar, and not so familiar, ideas on the merits of assertiveness, including practical strategies and skills.  (NOTE:  This is a word file, because the pdf version took too long to download ... please prove trustworthy, and do not alter its contents!)

Self Employment (Return to Topic List)

New articles based on my previous (and re-emerging!)  life as a consultant are forthcoming ... with added learning from my mid-life crisis (living as an artist and running a shop).

Trainer Training (Return to Topic List)

Quixley, Suzi (1992 & 1995; Revised 2010)  Dot Voting: A Process Outline (3 pages).  Dot Voting can be a useful tool for identifying priorities, reaching decisions or identifying emerging priorities - in a quick, easy, equitable way.  This article mainly outlines a step-by-step process for using Dot Voting, with some analysis along the way.

Quixley, Suzi (1994; Revised 2010)  Photolanguage: A Process Outline (4 pages).  Photolanguage is a set of photos, which can be used to encourage lateral and personalised thinking in a wide range of settings (from training programs to counselling).  This article talks about how to use the method effectively (and includes purchase details).

Quixley, Suzi (1994 & 1995; Revised 2009)  Visual Planning: A Process Outline (4 pages).  Visual Planning is driven by a commitment to valuing the commitment and interests of group participants - in research, training and planning settings.  Originally a modified form of brainstorming, over time Visual Planning has developed into a sophisticated, multi-purpose group facilitation tool.   This article details the underlying principles of Visual Planning, the (detailed) steps involved in developing a Visual Plan and a number of variations on the technique.  It can even be used in report planning and counselling!

Quixley, Suzi (1990, 1993 &1995; Revised 2008)  Web Charts: A Process Outline (4 pages).  Web Charts are a lateral thinking tool which encourages people to think of the deeper causes of a situation, or long term consequences of acting on an idea.  It can be used in a variety of settings including organisational planning, training and counselling.  This article covers the steps involved in developing a Web Chart, the (detailed) instructions a trainer needs to give participants and an example Web Chart.

Quixley, Suzi (1999; Revised 2008)  Encouraging Productive Group Norms ... Without the Rules (5 pages).  This article might be useful if you've always used group norms to try to moderate participant behaviour.  Sometimes group members are unwilling to use this approach ... and anyway, norm setting does not always work!  This article offers early thinking on an alternative approach - seeking  Group Understanding, rather than group norms.   It is based on a process originally developed by Rob O'Brien and Matthias Micka, and covers the rationale, step-by-step process and examples of outcomes.

Quixley, Suzi (1995; Revised 2008)  ERAGA: One Way to Process Learning (3 pages).  A brief conceptual outline of the Experiential Learning Cycle.  (ERAGA stands for: Experience, React, Analyse, Generalise, Apply.)  The cycle is based on the fundamental tenet that we do not automatically learn by having experiences - we learn when we consciously process our experiences.

Values/Ideology/Ethics - see also Youth Work and Community Services Industry  (Return to Topic List)

Quixley, Suzi (1992 & 2008; Revised 2010)  From Mush to Ideology: A Values Development Process (4 pages).  Looks at steps that you can take - alone, or when developing group values - to become more aware of your beliefs and values.  Explores the role of ideology in helping you to identify inconsistencies between your values and beliefs.

Quixley, Suzi (1994 jointly with Liz Archer; Revised 2010)  Some Sources for Extending Your Ideological Thinking (4 pages).  It is difficult to find easy-to-read material on different values-sets (ideologies).  This handout lists accessible sources of information ... and particularly covers novels and movies that can be helpful when sorting out your values.

3 Inter-Connected Papers on Formal Ideologies - Thanks to Liz Archer for the original draft of the list of values.

Quixley, Suzi (2008)  Writing Big Documents: A Step-by-Step Guide (6 pages).  This guide looks at calculating the time involved to write a document, identifies ongoing tasks during the writing process and provides a 27 step guide which walks you through the writing process in some detail.  It also looks at how to incorporate feedback after circulating a draft.

Quixley, Suzi (2010)  Publishing in Australia - Legalities & Options (3 pages).  A basic introduction, with links to relevant information sites, of the 4 separate systems which cover different aspects of publishing - Legal Deposit (putting copies of publications in libraries), Copyright Registration (ensuring payment of use of your publications), ISBN (an international numbering system for major publications) and ISSN (an international numbering system for ongoing periodicals).  (Email Suzi for a more specific handout for Queensland).

Youth Work (Return to Topic List)

*NEW  Quixley, Suzi (2012)  The Unique Contribution of Community Organisations to the Youth Sector (8 pages).  Argues the need to distinguish different types of non-government organisations - Community Organisations (small NGO's)  and Institutional Charity Organisations (large NGO's).  Asserts that small organisations may be more efficient and effective service providers in the long term, explores the more complex competencies required to work in Community Organisations, and identifies barriers to a more responsive, creative youth sector.

Quixley, Suzi (2009) The Concept of Youth: Fact or Fiction? (20 pages).  This article questions the idea that youth or adolescence is a natural, necessary or universal stage in human development.  It proposes that these are uniquely Western concepts, and that they should be critically examined for their impact on young people in general, and young people from non-Western cultural backgrounds in particular.  The article details the gradual development of these concepts in Western societies, distinguishes puberty (a fact) from assumptions about concurrent changes in human beings and looks at a range of sociological, psychological and anthropological theories of youth and adolescence.  It challenges readers to examine their assumptions and the impact of these on their youth work practice.

Quixley, Suzi (1996 & 2006; Revised 2008)  Models of Youth Work: A Conceptual Overview (9 pages).  The models outlined in this article are equally applicable to other sectors in the community services and health industries.  The article looks at 4 main approaches (Treatment, Reform, Advocacy and Empowerment), their underlying values and implications for practice.   The article also examines the relationship between these approaches and Social Control and Social Justice, and the links them with different formal ideologies.

Quixley, Suzi & Doostkhah, Siyavash (2007) Conservatising Youth Work?:  Dangers of Adopting a Code of Ethics (43 pages).  This paper explores the role and function of codes of ethics in general,  It then critiques their usefulness to the community services, and, especially their impact on clients.  Download from the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland website:  http://www.yanq.org.au/images/stories/Documents/conservatising_youth_work.pdf.  (Email Suzi if you're looking for the 9 page clause-by-clause critique of a Code of Ethics, originally proposed by Howard Sercombe in 1997.)

Writing Skills, treatment, reform, advocacy, empowerment, social control, social justice, welfare values, community services values, Photolanguage, community services training, youth work training, group work, peaks, community services peaks, welfare peaks, code of ethics, codes of ethics, ethical codes, youth work ethics, assertiveness, assertion, team work, self-managed team, facilitation, change, organisational change, personal change, leaderless team, interviewing, alternative interviewing, accountability, welfare accountability, community services accountability, NGO accountability, counselling, helping skills, brief counselling, short term counselling, social justice counselling, frame of reference, helping ethics, counselling ethics, welfare ethics, critical incidents, crisis, crises, feminism, feminist theory, mediation, mediation processes, mediation steps, consensus, consensus decision making, social change, social action, Campaigning, consultation, consultation methods, consultation approaches, community development, conflict processing, trainer training, values, ethics, ideology, writing skills, yanq

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