Proposing a Solution to a Problem - Essay Example

Proposing a Solution to a Problem Introduction My mother’s friend Jessa, a 59 year-old woman,lives most of her childhood and adolescence life in a children’s home and a long-stay hospital. Since the institution takes in as much as 75 patients in each ward, the nurses have been too busy to teach them how to read and write. The only learning they get from the institution is the basic skills on weaving baskets, cooking, doing the laundry, and other workshops. In order to keep a tight monitoring over the huge population at the hospital, no patient was allowed to leave the vicinity without permission.

Just like a prisoner, Jessa had to comply with the schedule provided. Everything within the institution follows a daily routine. As a residence of the Hospital, she lives most of her life following the house rules. Problem Statement At age 31, Jessa decided that she had to leave the hospital so she could learn to deal with life outside a confined area. Since she doesn’t know how to read and write and was enclosed in the institution for a very long time, she encountered a lot of difficulties coping with the life situation in the community.

Her long stay at the institution contributed most to her lack of self-confidence and fear of trying something new. She also had a problem dealing with other people. She never appreciates social interactions and gatherings.Solution to the Problem Jessa told us that many years ago she was invited to join People First, a social institution that provides support for people with learning disabilities. At first she was reluctant to accept the invitation. It was the third invitation she received when she finally agreed to participate in the group discussion.

The mission of People First is to inspire all adults with learning difficulties throughout different state to become a confident self-advocate(s) through proper teaching and guidance of the volunteers. (PAMONA, 2004) This group helped Jessa restore her self-confidence by simply attending the trainings that were provided to them. They were taught how to think positively and be confident about themselves. The self-advocacy skills were necessary to empower and encourage her not to give up on learning.

They also provide her personal self-advice when necessary. The trusted people behind the People First were the main source of inspiration for Jessa in taking the necessary steps such as making her own decisions in order for her to gain control over her own life. Self-Advocacy is very important in the life of Jessa because it made her realize that as a human being, we all have the right to be treated equally with respect and dignity. (People First of Norfolk, 2007) In line with establishing her self-confidence, she was able to appreciate the beauty of being in a social group and/or gathering.

Eventually, she was able to learn to adapt gradually with the life in the community. Conclusion In the case of Jessa, her decision to participate in social groups such as People First was the best and most effective solution to her problem. Joining the group did not only enable her to adapt with the community life, it even made her a better person in the end.*** End ***References:1 PAMONA (2004) ‘Annex VIII: The United Kingdom’Retrieved: June 8, 2007 < http://ec.europa.eu/ > 2 People First of Norfolk (2007) ‘Why is Self-Advocacy Important?

’ Retrieved: June 8, 2007 < http://www.peoplefirstofnorfolk.org/ >