SENSITIVITY

BASIC SKILLS:

STEP 1: EXPRESS INTEREST AND CONCERN FOR OTHERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS.

RATIONALE:

IF YOU HELP OTHERS, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO HELP YOU.

HELPFUL HINTS:

IF YOU SEE SOMEONE IN TROUBLE, ASK IF YOU CAN HELP.

SOMETIMES, JUST SHOWING YOU CAE IS ENOUGH TO HELP A PERSON GET THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME.

STEP 2: RECOGNIZE THAT DISABLED PEOPLE DESERVE THE SAME RESPECT AS ANYONE ELSE.

RATIONALE:

A DISABILITY DOES NOT MAKE A PERSON INFERIOR. HELPING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WITHOUT RIDICULING OR PATRONIZING THEM SHOWS THAT YOU BELIEVE ALL PEOPLE ARE EQUAL, ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE NEED A LITTLE EXTRA ASSISTANCE.

HELPFUL HINTS:

BE READY TO HELP A DISABLED PERSON WHEN NEEEDED BY DOING SUCH THINGS AS HOLDING OPEN DOOR, CARRYING A PACKAGE, GIVING UP YOUR SEAT.

DON'T SATRE AT DISABLED PEOPLE OR MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS.

STEP 3: APOLOGIZE OR MAKE AMENDS FOR HURTING SOMEONE'S FEELING OR CAUSING HARM.

RATIONALE:

SAYING YOU'RE SORRY SHOWS THAT YOU CAN TAKE RESPONDSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS AND CAN ADMIT WHEN YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG.

HELPFUL HINTS:

YOU CAN HARM SOME ONE BY WHAT YOU FAIL TO DO, JUST AS EASILY AS BY WHAT YOU CAN DO. SOME EXAMPLES ARE BREAKING A PROMISE OR NOT STICKING UP FOR SOMEONE WHO IS BEING PICKED ON.

IF YOU HURT SOMEONE, APOLOGIZE IMMEDIATELY AND SINCERLY.

STEP 4: RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RACES, RELIGIONS, AND BACKGROUNDS DESERVE TO BE TREATED THAT SAME WAY AS YOU WOULD EXPECT TO BE TREATED.

RATIONALE:

TREATING OTHERS EQUALLY SHOWS THAT ALTHOUGH PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT, YOU BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULDN'T MATTER IN THE WAYS YOU TREAT THEM.

HELPFUL HINTS:

DON'T