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C H A P T E R
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B A S I C C ONC E P T S OF R E S O U R C E M A N A GE M E N T
The effective management of resources is extremely important for individuals, groups and communities.
If resources are managed appropriately and effectively then people are better able to function in life,
they can cope better with the demands of their lifestyle, they feel more in control of their lives and they
are better able to handle stressful situations. Many people develop strategies so that they can select and
use resources in the best and most efficient way. Effective management of resources ultimately assists
individuals, groups and communities to achieve their goals, to satisfy their needs and wants and to
attain optimal wellbeing.
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As you work your way through this textbook, it is important that you understand the relationship
between the core subjects in CAFS and the wellbeing of individuals and groups. Having a deep
understanding of the term wellbeing will assist you in the HSC course.
If you search the internet for the definition of a word, you will find many meanings. In some cases it
is easier to develop our own definition of a word using the knowledge we already have. When we create
our own meaning for a word, based on what we already know, we begin to understand it better.
Now think about the term wellbeing. It can be broken down into two words: well and being. What
do you think they mean? When we use the word well, we are usually describing the condition or state
of something. For example, ‘Jane is feeling very well’, ‘You look well today’, ‘That plant doesn’t look
very well’. When we use the word being, we are usually talking about a living thing, such as a human
being, animal or plant. If we put these two meanings together, we can create a meaning for wellbeing:
the level of condition or state of a human being, animal or plant.
Another way of gaining a deeper understanding of words and their meanings is to look at the words
that have the opposite meaning. What do you think the opposite of wellbeing might be? How would
you define the term ill-being?
People often use slang words. For example, people sometimes use words like awesome, sick, OK,
crap or awful to describe their own or others’ wellbeing or ill-being. When you look at the different
words that can be used to describe wellbeing and ill-being, you will notice that not all of them mean
exactly the same thing. This is because wellbeing and ill-being are two ends of a continuum.
If you were asked to place a cross on the continuum to show where your state of wellbeing is
right now, it might be very different from where you would place the cross tomorrow, next week
or a year from now. This is because wellbeing is influenced by many factors and can fluctuate at
any time.
F IGU R E 1.1
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The wellbeing
continuum
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A person’s level of wellbeing can also be very different from that of the people around them. If you
and a friend both mark a cross on the same continuum, you might find that they placed their cross
in a different spot from yours. Why do you think this might be? The reason is that wellbeing is made
up of more than one component, and these components can be affected by different factors as the
person encounters new experiences and progresses through different stages of their life. We can start to
understand and determine a person’s level of wellbeing by looking at the components of wellbeing and
the factors that affect them.
Components of wellbeing
COMPONENTS OF WELLBEING
Imagine a flower with six petals. If the flower loses a
petal, you could say that it wasn’t in the best state.
Similarly, if parts of a petal are affected, then you
could say that the flower doesn’t look or feel as well as
it should. The more petals that are affected, the more
‘ill’ the flower will become or, in other words, the closer
the flower will get to ill-being.
The flower can still survive even if one or two petals
are affected, but it will not be in the best condition
unless all the petals are looked after.
FIGURE 1.2
The flower
metaphor
Spiritual
Social
Political
Wellbeing
Physical
Emotional
Economic
It’s the same when we look at the wellbeing of people,
but instead of talking about petals we talk about
the six components of wellbeing: social, physical,
emotional, economic, political and spiritual, or ‘SPEEPS’
for short.
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social
Social wellbeing involves a person’s relationships with others, and how that person communicates,
interacts and socialises with other people. It can also relate to how people make friends and whether
they feel a sense of belonging.
Belonging to a group can make an individual feel liked, loved, cared for, wanted or needed in some
way. When people feel that they belong to a group and have lots of friends, they are more likely to
develop positive relationships with others and be able to communicate, interact and socialise with other
people easily. Therefore, their social wellbeing is high.
On the other hand, when people lose touch with a friend or social group, they can experience
feelings of loss, grief, alienation or isolation. Being isolated or rejected from a group, or losing someone
close to you, can leave you feeling like a damaged petal on the flower. When people’s social wellbeing is
affected, it affects their overall level of wellbeing.
Our circumstances and experiences can significantly affect our social wellbeing. For example, we
might have a great relationship with a friend, a teacher or a parent, but the relationship can be affected
by a conflict, such as having an argument or getting into trouble.
In order to maintain social wellbeing, a person needs to be able to interact and socialise with
other people in positive ways, which include being able to resolve conflicts, appreciate differences
and treat others with respect. Developing our communication skills, having opportunities to interact
with others and learning ways to express our emotions can help to achieve and maintain our social
wellbeing.
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physical
Physical wellbeing relates to a person’s physical condition. Many things contribute to people’s physical
condition, including the type and amount of food they eat, the level of exercise they do, whether they
have an illness, injury or disability, and whether they are experiencing any major stress or trauma.
Physical wellbeing relates not only to physical appearance but also to internal physical health.
Health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes have a direct impact on a person’s
physical wellbeing. Other things such as bruises, chickenpox and broken bones also affect physical
wellbeing.
Many things can affect physical wellbeing. The effects can be positive or negative, and can be caused
by people themselves, by other people around them or by the environment they live in. The effect on
the person’s physical wellbeing can be temporary (for example, a bruise or a broken bone) or permanent
(for example, paralysis or arthritis).
emotional
Emotional wellbeing relates to a person’s state of mind, emotions or mental health. If you look at the
three faces below, you could probably describe the emotions of each person.
The tricky thing is that sometimes people can hide their emotions, so you can’t always see the effect
something has on their emotional wellbeing. This means that you might never realise the effect that
your actions have on the emotional wellbeing of others. When was the last time you said something
nice to someone else? When we do nice things for others, it makes us happy too, and it has a positive
effect on our own emotional wellbeing.
There are so many factors that can affect a person’s emotional wellbeing. It is important that we
understand the types of things that can affect us, so that we can support ourselves and others in positive
ways. In order to determine the factors that might have an effect on a person’s wellbeing, consider this:
anything that makes us or someone else feel awesome will have a positive effect on emotional wellbeing,
and anything that makes us or someone else feel awful will have the opposite effect.
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States of
emotional
wellbeing
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FIGURE 1.3
economic
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The economic component of people’s wellbeing relates to the financial situation they are in. They might
have a job that they get an income from, they might be receiving payments from the government, such
as a pension or youth allowance, they might be receiving money from their family, for example pocket
money, or they might have no income at all, for example if they are unemployed.
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SOCIOEMOTIONAL WELLBEING
In your syllabus you may have seen the term socioemotional wellbeing. Socioemotional wellbeing
simply refers to the interrelationship between social wellbeing and emotional wellbeing, in other
words, our relationships with others and our emotions. Our emotions can significantly affect how
we feel about ourselves and how we interact with other people. Consider the following scenarios.
• Have you ever felt sad because you lost someone you loved?
• Have you ever felt too angry to talk to someone?
• Have you ever felt excited about going out with friends?
• Have you ever felt lonely because you had no close friends?
All of the above examples connect how we feel (emotional wellbeing) to our relationships with
others (social wellbeing).
•
•
•
•
Consider how the following circumstances might affect a person’s financial situation:
• being on a pension
losing their job
• receiving rent assistance
winning the lottery
• having their house burn down.
retiring
getting an apprenticeship
F E A T U R E A R T I C L E
happened. It was totally a nightmare’,
says Post.
A former girlfriend successfully sued
him for a share of his winnings. It wasn’t
his only lawsuit. A brother was arrested
for hiring a hit man to kill him, hoping
to inherit a share of the winnings. Other
siblings pestered him until he agreed to
invest in a car business and a restaurant
in Sarasota, Fla.—two ventures that
and foolish, trying to please his family. He
eventually declared bankruptcy.
Now he lives quietly on US$450 a
month and food vouchers.
‘I’m tired, I’m over 65 years old, and
I just had a serious operation for a heart
aneurysm. Lotteries don’t mean (anything)
to me’, says Post.
SOURCE: ELLEN GOODSTEIN, BANKRATE.COM, CITED ON MSN MONEY,
‘8 LOTTERY WINNERS WHO LOST THEIR MILLIONS’, http://articles.
moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/8lotteryWinners
WhoLostTheirMillions.aspx
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brought no money back and further
Post admitted he was both careless
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lives on his Social Security. ‘I wish it never
a year, he was US$1 million in debt.
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the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988 but now
Post even spent time in jail for firing a
gun over the head of a bill collector. Within
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William ‘Bud’ Post won US$16.2 million in
strained his relationship with his siblings.
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Living on food stamps
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A person’s level of economic wellbeing can have a significant impact on their physical, social and
emotional wellbeing. Think about the seven scenarios just listed, and consider how they might make
someone feel emotionally, how they might affect social relationships, and the impact they might
have on physical wellbeing. For example, when a young person gets an apprenticeship, the economic
result of this would be that they start earning money, which might allow them to afford to go out and
socialise with friends (social wellbeing), or they might spend their money on going to the gym to work
out (physical wellbeing), or they might move out of home, which might make them feel independent
(emotional wellbeing). There are a number of things that people might spend their money on, so an
improvement in their financial situation can have a positive effect on their overall wellbeing. However,
an improvement in someone’s financial situation or economic wellbeing does not always lead to a
positive effect on overall wellbeing (see ‘Living on food stamps’, p. 5).
The other aspect of economic wellbeing is that it can relate to a community—some communities
have a lot of money while others have a much smaller amount, and this can have a significant impact
on the economic wellbeing of the individuals within those communities. Usually the economic
wellbeing of a community has a domino effect, and passes down to the individuals and families within
those communities.
The impact of
a community’s
economic
wellbeing on
individuals
A good economy allows the
government to spend money
on infrastructure
The government decides
to build a new school
Teachers and office staff are
employed to run the school
Young people in the
community get an education
so they can get jobs
Tradespeople are employed
to construct the school
Employment of tradespeople,
teachers and young people
provides income and leads to
an increase in the economic
wellbeing of those individuals
and their families
political
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The political component of a person’s wellbeing can be confusing. The easiest way to look at it is that
if a government or community organisation makes a political decision, such as introducing a new law,
this may have an effect on the overall wellbeing of an individual. Some examples of laws, regulations
and policies that have been introduced by government or community organisations and that have
affected the wellbeing of individuals include:
• compulsory fences around swimming
• smoking being banned in restaurants and pubs
pools
• the introduction of benefit payments for single parents
• GST
• water restrictions
• immigration laws
• speed limits
• laws banning same-sex marriage
• laws against drug trafficking
• the ‘baby bonus’
• P-plate restrictions
• anti-discrimination laws.
• maternity leave entitlements
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FIGURE 1.4
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FIGURE 1.5
Attending a
political rally
can have both
positive and
negative effects
on wellbeing
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Sometimes a political decision can cause conflict in the community, because it might have a positive
effect on one group of people while having a negative effect on another group. A good example of this
is the law banning smoking in restaurants and pubs.
Voting is one way in which individuals achieve political wellbeing. In Australia, people over the
age of 18 have the right to vote for the political party which they believe will make decisions that will
have a positive impact on their wellbeing and on that of the community. Rallying and protesting are
another way that individuals and groups within the community can show their support for or objection
to a political decision, or stand up for what they believe in. When people have an understanding of
how a particular political decision is going to affect their own wellbeing, and can have a say in the final
decision being made, this can have a positive effect on their political wellbeing.
Various community organisations, such as the United Nations, the Human Rights and Equal
Opportunity Commission, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the AIDS Council of NSW,
exist to support and fight for the rights of individuals and groups. These groups negotiate and rally
against government organisations and political parties to support the needs and wellbeing of individuals
who are disadvantaged in some way. Organisations that provide this support to the community also
aim to improve the political wellbeing of individuals by informing them about political decisions that
are going to affect their overall wellbeing.
Political wellbeing will be high if a person:
• is aware of political decisions that might affect their wellbeing
• understands or has knowledge of government legislation
• is able to fight for their rights and what they believe in
• is able to vote.
Political wellbeing may be low if a person:
• is unaware of political decisions that might affect wellbeing
• has limited understanding or knowledge of government legislation
• is not able to fight for their rights or for what they feel strongly about
• is not able to vote.
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spiritual
Spiritual wellbeing
Spiritual wellbeing relates to an individual’s sense of morals, values and beliefs. It can also be related to
an individual’s conscience and knowledge of what is right and wrong.
The media, our family, our peers and our life experiences all shape our spiritual wellbeing. What
we learn from our surroundings influences our values, beliefs and thoughts. A person with a high level
of spiritual wellbeing is able to develop their own sense of the world, and has the confidence to decide
what they believe is right and wrong rather than being influenced by society.
When people are confident in standing up for what they believe in, this can have a positive effect
on their spiritual wellbeing. In contrast, when someone does something that they feel guilty about,
or makes a decision that goes against what they believe in, this can have a negative impact on their
spiritual wellbeing.
A person’s spiritual wellbeing can also be affected by their religious beliefs. Consider, for example, a
woman who is a devout Christian and who is not married, who becomes pregnant. This situation could
negatively affect this woman’s spiritual wellbeing, because she has strong religious beliefs about sex
before marriage being wrong, and as a result she might experience feelings of guilt and shame because
she has broken her promise to God.
Your spiritual wellbeing is closely interrelated with your emotional wellbeing. For example, have
you ever felt strongly about something and been confident enough to express your opinion to others?
How did this make you feel? Usually when someone stands up for what they believe in it makes them
feel proud and good about themself. The opposite is also true—have you ever done something that
you regretted doing because you knew it was wrong? How did this make you feel? Usually when we
do something wrong or make a decision that goes against our morals or beliefs, it makes us feel upset,
embarrassed or guilty.
Activities
2.
Draw a continuum and place the word wellbeing at one end and ill-being at the other. Place
the words that you brainstormed in Activity 1 along the continuum where you think they fit
best. Discuss your continuum with a friend.
3.
Read the story ‘My life’s roller coaster’ on the accompanying eText and draw a line graph that
shows the emotions of the person in the story over their lifetime. Make the y axis (vertical
line) ‘emotions’ and the x axis (horizontal line) ‘years of life’. Account for the line that you
create on the graph.
4.
Select three political decisions, laws, regulations or policies that have been introduced by
the national government, and explain how they have affected the wellbeing of individuals or
groups in the community.
5.
Using a social networking website such as Facebook, MySpace or Bebo, look up three profiles
and determine the three people’s levels of wellbeing. Justify your answers.
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Brainstorm as many words as you can think of that could describe a person’s wellbeing or
ill-being.
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MY LIFE’S
ROLLER
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examine the range of factors that can impact on wellbeing in order to
develop a holistic definition of the term
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Evidence of learning
You will know you are on the right track if you can:
•
define wellbeing and ill-being
•
identify and define the six components of wellbeing
•
show how emotional wellbeing relates to the other components of wellbeing
•
use examples to describe the range of factors that can affect wellbeing.
N E E D S A N D WA N T S
difference between needs and wants
NEEDS
Needs can be defined as the things we require in order to feel a part of society and achieve optimal
wellbeing.
Examples of needs include the following.
• Safety and security
• Health
• Education
• Housing
• Access to services
• Self-esteem
• Sense of identity
• Employment
• Financial support
(You can remember them by remembering the initials ‘SHE HAS SEF’.)
Wants can be defined as those things we would like to have or do and that we believe will help us
to maintain optimal wellbeing. In other words, wants are those things that we desire. Examples of
wants include the following.
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• Owning our own car or house
• Being in a long-term relationship • Getting a high-paying job
• Having private health insurance • Making new friends
• Travelling overseas
• Going to university or TAFE
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satisfying needs and wants
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Satisfying needs relates to what a person does to meet their needs or the needs of other people. For
example, parents will breastfeed or bottle-feed their newborn baby to ensure that the baby receives the
nutrients it needs to grow and develop into a healthy child. Parents will cook their own food, exercise
regularly and seek medical advice in order to meet their own health needs.
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NEEDS AND WANTS EXAMPLES
When our needs are satisfied, we are more
likely to be able to access the things we
want. Here are some examples.
• When a person has employment (a need),
they are more likely to be able to afford
things such as their own car, their own
house or an overseas holiday (wants).
• When an individual has an education
(a need), they have a greater chance of
getting into university or TAFE or getting
a high-paying job (wants).
• When a person has high self-esteem (a
need), they are more likely to have the
confidence to develop new friendships or
sustain a long-term relationship (wants).
FIGURE 1.6
Holidays help maintain the
feeling of wellbeing
The ways in which a person’s needs and wants are satisfied will be determined by the decisions they
make and the actions and behaviours they adopt. Factors that can affect an individual’s decisions,
actions and behaviours include family, friends, media, personal values and beliefs, cultural background,
socioeconomic status, geographical location, education, ability/disability, age and gender.
–
The significance of gender on satisfying needs and wants
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The term gender does not simply mean what sex an individual is—that is, whether they are male or female.
It relates more specifically to what society sees as male traits and female traits. In other words, gender refers
to masculinity and femininity. Society influences our perceptions of what it means to be male or female and
what we see as the characteristics of masculinity and femininity. Perceptions such as that males are strong and
powerful and that females are affectionate and caring are stereotypes created by society.
If you placed the terms masculinity and femininity at either end of a continuum, you would
discover that all people are different and that just because they are male or female they do not
automatically fit at one end of the continuum or the other. Many females display so-called ‘masculine’
characteristics such as strength and confidence—for example, Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Serena
Williams and Layne Beachley. It is important that we do not label people because of their masculinity
or femininity, because this does not define who they are as individuals. However, where you place
yourself on the continuum will influence how you go about satisfying your needs and wants.
For example, a male who places himself at the far ‘masculinity’ end of the continuum would feel
that it is important to be perceived by society as being strong and tough, and in order to satisfy his
need for safety and security he might protect himself by building up his muscles, carrying a weapon
for protection or becoming aggressive and physically violent in a conflict situation. Another male
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who places himself at a different point on the continuum might prefer to satisfy his need for safety
and security by learning self-defence, installing alarms in his home, calling the police in times of
danger, or discussing and resolving conflict verbally.
Gender is not easy to understand, because it can be influenced by many factors in a person’s life.
In today’s society it is difficult to assess the significance that gender has on the satisfaction of needs
and wants, because differences in gender are becoming more respected and therefore individuals feel
less pressured to prove their masculinity or femininity to society.
It is important to recognise that gender is just one aspect that can contribute to the
ways in which people satisfy their needs and wants.
Activities
examine the significance of gender on satisfying needs and wants
Recognise the difference between needs and wants.
2.
Create a continuum with ‘very masculine’ at one end and ‘very feminine’ at the other end,
and place a cross on the line where you feel you fit. Invite five other people to mark where
they feel they fit, and discuss the differences.
3.
Brainstorm how you think gender influences the decisions you make and the ways in which
you act and behave when satisfying your needs and wants. Use this information to assess
the significance that gender has on how you satisfy your needs and wants.
4.
Debate the following statement with a group of friends: ‘A man will satisfy his need for
affection very differently from a woman.’ Record the statements made by different people in
your group during the debate that illustrate the significance of masculinity and femininity on
how people satisfy their need for affection.
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Evidence of learning
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You will know you are on the right track if you can:
distinguish between needs and wants
•
define the term gender
•
comment on the significance of gender on the ways in which different people satisfy their
needs and wants.
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classifications of needs
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There are many ways in which needs can be classified. Each of the classifications outlined below
demonstrates how needs relate to achieving optimal wellbeing.
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–
primary, secondary
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY NEEDS
F IGU R E 1.7
The flower
metaphor
Spiritual
Social
Political
Wellbeing
Physical
Emotional
Economic
For a plant to grow and survive, its primary needs are air, water,
food/soil and shelter. In order for the plant to blossom and be
as beautiful as it could be, or to achieve optimal wellbeing, it
would require not only these primary needs to be met, but also
some secondary needs, such as nurturing, someone to care for
it, money for fertiliser and so on.
Secondary needs are the things we require to be met for
optimal wellbeing (blossoming), but not necessarily for
survival.
• Primary needs can be defined as those needs that are essential for survival. You could say that they
are necessities. For example, our primary needs include air for oxygen, water for hydration and food
for nutrients. We need all these things in order to maintain a basic level of physical wellbeing.
• Secondary needs can be defined as the needs we require in order to achieve optimal wellbeing, but
which we don’t need in order to survive. For example, our secondary needs include love and support
from friends and family, education for knowledge, housing to feel protected, safety and security to
avoid harm and money to buy the things we want.
For a person to achieve optimal wellbeing, they might need things such as love, support, money,
safety and security, family and friends, a sense of belonging, self-esteem and self-confidence. These
are all secondary needs, which may not be necessary for survival but which play an important role in
achieving optimal wellbeing.
physical, social, emotional, cultural, spiritual
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–
When we relate our primary and secondary needs to the components of wellbeing, we can classify these
needs into more specific areas: social, physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual, or ‘SPECS’ for short.
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Social needs
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These relate to our need to have relationships with other people. To obtain optimal wellbeing, a
person must have their social needs satisfied, such as by having a sense of belonging, love and support,
connections with family and friends, and opportunities for intimacy. When our social needs of
belonging, love, support and connections with friends and family are met, we are more likely to achieve
social wellbeing.
Along with needing a sense of belonging and of connection to others, we also need time for privacy,
personal reflection, relaxation and alone time. Too much socialising and not enough relaxation or
privacy can have a negative effect on our wellbeing. A negative effect can also result from having too
much alone time or feeling isolated from other people. For example, always being alone can make a
person feel alienated, lonely or worthless. This can then affect their self-esteem and they might start to
avoid social situations as a result.
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Physical needs
These relate to our need for survival and health. In order to have good levels of physical wellbeing,
people need adequate rest, vitamins and minerals for growth and development, clean air to breathe,
water for hydration, protection from extreme weather, clean surroundings, housing in which to shelter
from danger, space to feel comfortable and free, exercise for a healthy heart and lungs and medication
to treat illnesses.
As people develop over the stages of their lifespan, or as their circumstances change, they will have
more specific physical needs. For example, every person requires food to survive; however, specific
nutritional needs might differ, depending on age. A newborn baby needs milk for nourishment and to
build a healthy immune system, but as the baby gets older the need for milk is replaced with the need
for solid foods.
Similarly, people who have a chronic illness or a disability might have specific physical needs
related to their circumstances. For example, a person affected by multiple sclerosis might need specific
medications, specialist health care, someone to help with daily tasks or a wheelchair for mobility.
Emotional needs
These relate to our need to maintain a positive state of mind and feel a sense of purpose within the
community. When people feel good about themselves and about what they can contribute to society,
their emotional wellbeing will be high. Emotional needs include encouragement, love, support, selfesteem, independence, safety and security, and a sense of identity and self-worth.
Emotional needs also relate to people’s level of autonomy. This means how well they can take care of
themselves and make their own choices. In order to obtain autonomy, we need to feel safe and secure in
our environment and have opportunities for independence, self-expression and creativity. We also need
education in order to learn how to make decisions, how to cope with stress, loss and grief, and how to
deal positively with our emotions.
When people’s emotional needs are not met, their mental health may be affected. For example, a
person who has low self-esteem, is not provided with encouragement, love and support from others and
is not given opportunities to make his or her own decisions, may experience negative emotions such as
loneliness, sadness or depression.
It is important to remember that emotional needs can change on a day-to-day basis and that a
person’s age and personal circumstances have a major influence on these needs. For example, a person
who has just experienced the loss of a loved one, separation, divorce or homelessness, will have different
emotional needs from someone who is going for a job interview, starting at a new school, learning to
drive or getting married.
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A person’s cultural needs are difficult to define; they are not simply related to a person’s background or
ethnicity. Cultural needs relate to those things that we require in order to feel a part of and connected
to the culture of the society and community in which we live or to which we belong. Cultural needs
are linked to a sense of identity, to how people live, to the families and communities they connect with,
their language, their customs, their traditions, their rituals, the clothing they wear, the food they eat,
the events they celebrate, the religion they follow and the beliefs and values they have.
Cultural needs can include:
• being free to practise customs and traditions related to our ethnic background or religion
• knowing our ancestry and heritage
• feeling a part of groups and communities who have similar values and beliefs.
Our previous experiences, our upbringing and our family connections will all influence our cultural
needs in some way. Different people satisfy their cultural needs in various ways, such as by:
• celebrating events like birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Chinese New Year
• observing Lent or going to church every Sunday
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Cultural needs
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reconnecting with ancestors or tracing a family tree
mourning the loss of a loved one by having a funeral
speaking different languages
participating in the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
wearing traditional clothing and ornaments, such as a hijab or turban or crucifix.
Satisfying their cultural needs allows people
to develop a sense of identity and to feel that
they are a part of the groups or communities
to which they belong.
Discrimination can affect the satisfaction
of cultural needs. In a multicultural society,
the cultural needs of individuals will vary
and will be satisfied in different ways. This
can cause conflict when a group does not
understand the cultural needs of others
and believes that everyone should adopt
the dominant culture. As a result, those
who do not follow the dominant culture’s
norms might be treated differently or shown
disrespect. It is important that all people’s
cultural needs are respected so that everyone
is able to develop a sense of identity. For
example, the cultural needs of a Muslim
woman might include being able to wear a
hijab, being able to observe religious festivals
such as Ramadan and having time to pray
during the day. If these needs are met, the
woman’s cultural wellbeing will be high, as
FIGURE 1.8
she
will
feel
a
sense
of
connection
to
her
religious
beliefs
and
to her cultural customs and traditions. If
Hanukkah is
she moves to another country and feels pressured to adopt the cultural customs and traditions of the
a traditional
dominant culture, she might feel a loss of freedom or identity. Conflict might also arise, because those
Jewish
celebration, also who do not understand her cultural needs might treat her differently or show disrespect towards her
known as the
cultural traditions.
Festival of Lights
Spiritual needs
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Have you ever asked yourself, ‘Why have I been put on this earth?’ Spiritual needs are those things
that allow a person to feel that they can contribute positively to society and that they have a sense of
purpose or meaning to those around them. Spiritual needs also relate to having a choice in who you
want to be and to feeling proud about who you are and what you believe in.
Spiritual needs include:
• opportunities to develop personal values and beliefs
• confidence to express opinions and ideas
• strength to resist, challenge or not conform to outside influences
• discipline, to develop a sense of right and wrong
• education and independence, to develop an awareness of life
• consequences, to understand the impact of actions
• positive role models to aspire to and to learn appropriate behaviours from
• empathy and consideration, to understand differences in others
• religious support, to determine faith.
ES
•
•
•
•
•
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RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 1
These needs are very important for the satisfaction of a person’s spiritual wellbeing. For example,
without opportunities to develop personal values and beliefs, a person cannot determine what is
important to them in life. People whose spiritual needs are satisfied will feel confident to express their
values and beliefs without fear of being ridiculed or judged. They will also be able to celebrate the
unique qualities of all people and behave in a way that shows respect and understanding of society and
diversity.
–
Maslow’s hierarchy
In 1943, a psychologist called Abraham Maslow developed a theory on how to classify needs, or to
explain what he believed was the process of achieving optimal wellbeing. He called the idea of optimal
wellbeing self-actualisation, and he believed that for a person to achieve self-actualisation they would
need to satisfy various needs in a particular order. He presented his theory as a series of steps, or layers
in a pyramid. He ranked the needs in order of importance, and he believed that certain needs had to be
satisfied before a person could begin to feel a need for the next level.
FIGURE 1.9
Maslow’s hierarchy
of needs
morality,
creativity,
spontaneity,
problem solving,
lack of prejudice,
acceptance of facts
Self-actualisation
self-esteem,
confidence, achievement,
respect of others, respect by others
Esteem
friendship, family, sexual intimacy
Love/Belonging
Safety
security of body, of employment, of resources,
of morality, of the family, of health, of property
Physiological
breathing, food, water, sleep
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SOURCE: ADAPTED FROM WIKIPEDIA, ‘MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS’, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow’s_hierarchy_of_needs.
LEVELS OF HIERARCHY
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Physiological (first level of hierarchy)
Physiological needs are the basic necessities for survival. If these needs are not met, the human
body simply cannot continue to function. In today’s society, clothing and shelter would appear
to be physiological needs, because most people would think that they could not survive without
these two things. However, clothing and shelter are not necessary for survival, and therefore
would fall under the second level of the hierarchy, relating to security of the body and health.
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Safety (second level of hierarchy)
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Only once a person has had their physiological needs satisfied will they feel a need for safety.
Safety needs relate to a person feeling that they are free from harm and danger, as well as feeling
that they are secure in their day-to-day life. For example, if a person has a job, a house to live in
and people around them that they can trust, then they will feel a sense of safety and security.
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Continued
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Continued
Safety and security needs can include housing, health, financial security and protection from
accidents and injury.
Love and belonging (third level of hierarchy)
Love and belonging needs are met through relationships with family, friends and/or significant
others. All people need to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance, and they need to love and be
loved by others. When these needs are not met, a person may feel lonely, shy or anxious in social
situations. A prolonged inability to satisfy this need may lead to feelings of depression.
Esteem (fourth level of hierarchy)
All people have a need to be respected, to have self-esteem, to have self-respect and to show
respect for others. People need to engage in activities in order to gain recognition and feel a
sense of contribution to society. When these needs are satisfied, the person develops selfconfidence and a sense of respect for themself. A person who is at this level of the hierarchy
will be able to speak positively about their strengths and abilities (self-esteem) as well as
happily receive compliments and praise from others (esteem). If a person does not feel valued
by society, this can lead to low self-esteem and a greater need for respect and acceptance by
others. When esteem needs are not met, a person can feel frustrated, inferior, weak, helpless or
worthless to society.
Self-actualisation (top level of hierarchy)
Maslow describes self-actualisation as an individual’s need to do what they were ‘born to do’.
This relates to a sense of purpose in life, a feeling of satisfaction and contribution to society and
of being able to make a difference to something or someone. Maslow believed that the only reason
people might find it difficult to achieve optimal wellbeing would be due to limitations or barriers
placed in their way by society.
SOURCE: ADAPTED FROM JANET A. SIMONS, DONALD B. IRWIN AND BEVERLY A. DRINNIEN (1987), PSYCHOLOGY: THE SEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING, WEST
PUBLISHING COMPANY, NEW YORK; WIKIPEDIA, ‘MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS’, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow’s_hierarchy_of_needs; and Honolulu
compare the effectiveness of Maslow’s hierarchy with other
classifications listed
CAFS Module 1 new.indd 16
In today’s society, some people might argue that we need money to survive and that
therefore it is a primary need. Most people could survive without money, but money does
play an important role in achieving optimal wellbeing. Debate with a friend or family member
whether money is a primary or a secondary need.
2.
Explain why love and support are classified as secondary needs.
3.
Describe how satisfying social needs can affect social and emotional wellbeing.
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Activities
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Community College, ‘Maslow’s hierarchy of needs’, http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/maslow.htm.
16/9/09 10:00:04 AM
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 1
Activities continued
4.
Identify the needs that you believe would be important to the following individuals, and
justify your answers:
•
a 38-year-old man who is unemployed
•
a 70-year-old couple who have lost their house and all of their possessions in a
bushfire
•
a teenager living on a farm in an isolated rural community.
5.
Create a Venn diagram or table to show the similarities and differences between Maslow’s
hierarchy and the other two classifications of needs mentioned above.
6.
Discuss the following statement, providing examples to support your answer: ‘The need for
belonging can sometimes override physiological and security needs.’
7.
Determine how effective Maslow’s hierarchy is in classifying needs.
8.
Comment on how accurate you think Maslow’s hierarchy is in relation to achieving optimal
wellbeing.
9.
Think about the community structures, organisations and services that help people to
satisfy their needs and wants. List all the structures, organisations or services in your local
community that help people to satisfy needs such as housing, health, financial support,
employment, education and a sense of belonging.
Evidence of learning
You will know you are on the right track if you can:
name the three different classifications of needs
•
define primary and secondary needs
•
provide examples of social, physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual needs
•
relate Maslow’s hierarchy to the other needs classifications
•
explain how needs contribute to achieving wellbeing
•
identify community structures, organisations and services that help in meeting people’s needs.
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•
RESOUR CES
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nature of resources
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The nature of a resource relates to the essential qualities or characteristics of that resource. Resources
can be defined as anything an individual, group or community can use to survive, accomplish a task,
satisfy a need or a want, or achieve a goal. In other words, a resource is anything that will help a person
to live their life. Resources can come in many forms: if you can think it, feel it, see it, touch it, hear it
or use it, then it is probably a resource.
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Something is a resource if:
• it is an object
• it contains information
• it is a skill
• it is an ability
• it contains nourishment
• it is useful in daily life.
A person’s values and beliefs play a vital role in how they select and
use resources. For example, someone who values the environment
might restrict their water use, re-use scrap paper, grow their own
vegetables or use solar energy instead of coal-powered electricity.
– finite and infinite
F I G U R E 1 . 10
Finite resources are those resources that are limited and will no
longer exist once they have been used. They can usually be used
only once. For example, correction fluid is a finite resource: once
you have used it to cover a mistake, you cannot re-use that same
fluid again. Another example of a finite resource is petrol: when
people put petrol into their car and drive it, the fuel gets used up
and cannot be used again. There might be more petrol at the petrol
station, but eventually these petrol supplies will run out and will
need to be replenished.
Infinite resources are those resources that are available forever.
For example, time is an infinite resource: it doesn’t matter how
much time a person uses, they will still have more available to
them. No matter how long a person lives, time will still exist.
Other examples of infinite resources are air, food and water.
Human beings will always be surrounded by air to breathe, food to eat and water to drink, for the
simple reason that the earth replenishes itself.
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restored, replenished or re-used. For example, time is a non-renewable resource: once you have used
time you cannot renew it and use it again. Even though you may have more time to use (infinite) you
cannot renew it (non-renewable).
Renewable resources are those resources that can be renewed, replenished, re-grown, remade or
re-used. In other words, they are resources that may be used over and over again. For example, trees
are a renewable resource: they can be burnt in a bushfire but will still renew themselves. Renewable
resources are not always infinite resources, as most people would assume. Consider a book: once you
have read a book, you can read it again and again or even lend it to someone else to read (renewable).
However, although it can be renewed, it may not last forever (infinite). The book will one day be
too old and tattered to be used as a resource, and will need to be thrown away. Energy in the body
is another renewable resource, because our body can replenish our energy stores, but it is also finite,
because once we have used the energy, it no longer exists.
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Growing your
own herbs is an
easy way to save – renewable and non-renewable
resources
Non-renewable resources are resources that cannot be renewed or made new again; they cannot be
PL
classification of resources
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The way in which an individual, group or community uses a resource can determine how
it is classified.
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RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 1
–
human and non-human
Human resources refer to those resources that human beings possess within them. Examples include
knowledge, intelligence, creativity, motivation, energy, confidence, sight, hearing, taste, smell, initiative,
awareness, enthusiasm, speech, empathy, language, consideration, communication skills and physical
abilities. Consider a charity organisation that wants to raise one million dollars for a cause. What
human resources would they need to achieve this goal?
Non-human resources refer to those resources that are outside human beings. Examples include
cars, hospitals, banks, libraries, parks, petrol, computers, books, clocks, plants and money.
–
economic and non-economic
These classifications refer to the financial qualities of a resource. The way in which a resource is used
will also affect whether it is classified as an economic or a non-economic resource.
An economic resource is something that provides a source of money. Direct sources of money
include income/salary, credit, savings, pensions and loans from banks. Indirect sources of money can
also be classified as economic resources, such as educational qualifications, trading agreements between
countries, and personal assets. Personal assets can be seen as economic resources because they can be
traded, rented or hired in exchange for money such as a house, a car or furniture.
A non-economic resource is a resource that does not provide a source of money when used for its
specific purpose by an individual, group or community. Resources that are non-economic include air,
water, food, petrol, books, communication, physical skills, language, cars, public transport, schools,
hospitals and childcare centres.
It is important to remember that classifying a resource depends partly on how that resource is used.
For example, if a person owns a car and they use it simply to drive themself to work every day, then
that car would be classified as a non-economic resource. However, if a person is a taxi driver and uses
their car to earn an income, then that car would be classified as an economic resource.
–
formal and informal
Formal resources are those resources that are structured and developed specifically to assist individuals,
groups or communities. Usually formal resources are controlled by society’s needs and wants; in other
words, they are usually supplied on demand. These resources are most often used for the same purpose
by individuals, groups or communities. For example, if a couple have children and they both want or
need to work full time, then they could use a formal resource such as a childcare centre or a nanny to
care for their children while they work.
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F I G U R E 1 . 11
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Childcare centres
are an example of
a formal resource
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Informal resources are those resources that are not consciously organised or developed directly to
cater for individuals, groups or communities. Usually informal resources are things that individuals use
for various purposes, and they are often used in a way that is different from their specific purpose. For
example, if a person needs to borrow some money, they might borrow it from a relative (an informal
resource, because it is not a relative’s specific ‘purpose’ to lend money) rather than applying for a loan
from a bank (a formal resource that has been developed specifically to lend people money).
The way in which resources are used can determine whether they are classified as formal or informal.
For example, on a driving trip, an individual might use their car to sleep in for the night (informal)
rather than sleeping at a hotel or hostel (formal). However, if that car was being used for its specific
purpose—to drive from one place to another—then it would be classified as a formal resource.
Activities
distinguish between different classifications of resources
1.
Describe the characteristics of finite, infinite, renewable and non-renewable resources, and
provide examples of each.
2.
Interpret this statement: ‘Time can be both a human and a non-human resource.’
3.
Explain how the internet could be used as either an economic or a non-economic resource.
4.
Develop a table that shows examples of resources that could be classified as either formal,
informal or both, depending on the way they are used, and justify your responses.
5.
Consider the following saying: ‘Time is endless.’ Comment on this saying, using your
knowledge of resources.
Evidence of learning
describe the nature of resources
•
identify the different classifications of resources
•
show the differences between the various classifications
•
justify how resources can be classified in different ways, using examples.
influences on availability of and access to resources
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You will know you are on the right track if you can:
CAFS Module 1 new.indd 20
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Individuals and groups all need to use resources to function within society. There are a number of
factors that influence what resources are available to individuals and groups, and whether or not they
are able to access those resources.
These factors include socioeconomic status, location, education, disability, age, gender and ethnicity,
or ‘SLEDAGE’ for short.
Many of these factors interrelate with each other, in the sense that one may affect another. In
the HSC course you will need to have a good understanding of these factors and how they affect
individuals’ and communities’ access to resources.
16/9/09 10:00:08 AM
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 1
–
socioeconomic status
Socioeconomic status (SES) is based on income, education level, occupation and social status in the
community. People with high SES often have access to a wider range of resources than people with
lower SES, due to their higher levels of income and education. People with low SES often lack the
financial, social and educational supports to be able to access resources. For example, people with low
SES might not have enough money to afford a home loan, to have private health cover or to go to
university. Although resources such as home loans, private health cover and university education are
available to them, people of low SES might be unable to access these resources due to their financial
situation.
SOCIOECONOMIC FOOTPRINT
The ‘footprint’ of a small number of
people in a rich community—or in the
rich world—will take up a lot more space
than that of a large number of people in
a poor community—or the poor world.
So the rich have bigger houses, gardens
and physical space, but they also
have greater access to a wider range
of resources—schools, shops, banks,
health services, for example. A rich
community may have many doctors or
schools or shops to choose from—a poor
one just one of each.
F I G U R E 1 . 12
Socioeconomic
footprint
Rich
Poor
SOURCE: ‘POOR AND RICH—THE FACTS’, NEW INTERNATIONALIST,
MARCH 1999, http://www.newint.org/features/1999/03/01/poorrich-the-facts
location
–
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This factor relates to where a person lives, and has a great impact on the availability of resources. In
locations where resources are not available, it is extremely difficult for people to access them without
other means of support.
For example, people living in a rural community might not have as many resources available to
them as someone living in the city. The populations of rural communities are very small compared to
those of the major cities, and this means that there is less demand for some resources, such as schools.
A person living in a small rural community may therefore only have one or two schools available to
them. In most cases all people, whether they live in a rural area or in a city, will have access to the same
resources; however, the availability of those resources might be limited due to their location.
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–
education
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This factor refers to the level of education a person has, and includes primary, secondary and tertiary as
well as lifelong education.
People’s level of education influences the type of employment they can obtain, the amount of money
they can earn and the knowledge they have about how to access resources. For example, a person who
lacks education in computers might not be able to access resources such as the internet. A person who
cannot read or write well might find it difficult to fill out forms in order to apply for resources such as a
bank account, a loan, a driver’s licence or a job. There might be resources available to these people but
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due to a lack of education they might find it difficult to access those resources. The more education or
knowledge people acquire, the greater access they will have to a variety of resources.
– disability
A person with a disability might find it
difficult to access some of the resources
that are available. For example, in the
past, accessing resources such as television,
video and other forms of audiovisual media
was difficult for people with a hearing
impairment, because they could only see
what was on the screen. Today, media such
as television have subtitles or text that shows
what is being said, so people with a hearing
impairment now have greater access to such
resources. Technologies such as hearing aids
and cochlear implants have also allowed
greater access to and availability of resources
such as communication, language and
education. This situation is similar to that
of people with a visual impairment, who in
the past were unable to independently access
F I G U R E 1 . 13
information
from
books,
newspapers
or
magazines.
Th
ere
are now audio books and books written in
Braille is read by
Braille, which allow people with visual impairments greater access to information from written media.
running the
fingers along the – age
raised bumps
that make up the People’s age not only influences the types of resources they can access, but also the types of resources
that are available to them. Knowledge and skills develop as a person gets older, so as you age, you
words
–
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become more educated and can therefore access more resources. For example, newborn babies do not
have the knowledge or ability to access food, use household appliances, drive or read books, so their
access to such resources is limited unless someone else assists them. A child under the age of about two
does not have the language skills to speak, read or write, and therefore has less access to knowledge than
an older child or an adult.
In addition to education, laws also put restrictions on what resources people can access based on
their age. Here are some examples.
• A person under the age of 16 cannot apply for a driver’s licence to legally drive a car on the road and
so has limited access to transport is limited.
• A person under the age of 14 years and nine months cannot legally be employed, and so is unable to
access work and therefore income.
• Only people over the age of 65 can access the aged pension.
gender
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In today’s society, the majority of resources are available to both men and women. However, concepts
of masculinity and femininity (as discussed earlier) can influence the types of resources people access.
Although it does not have a significant impact on all people, gender does still play a part in influencing
access to resources.
Resources that are stereotyped by society as being feminine are generally accessed more by women.
These resources might not be accessed by men simply due to their fear of being labelled or judged by
society. Stereotypes such as ‘soft’ and ‘sissy’ might be used to describe men who access resources that
16/9/09 10:00:16 AM
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 1
F E A T U R E A R T I C L E
Rural doctors say people
in the bush can expect
to die younger
subsidy is diverted annually to urban
Australia instead of rural Australia, because
those living in the bush have less access to
private healthcare facilities and therefore
have a lower take-up of private health
(RDAA) says because of the shortage
of doctors in rural and remote Australia
people in the bush die sooner.
According to the Rural Doctors’
Association the shortage of doctors in
such areas is very severe and at least 1000
doctors are needed immediately in rural
and remote Australia to guarantee even
basic medical coverage. …
RDAA president Peter Rischbieth says
insurance.
Over 50% of Australia’s small rural
maternity units closed down in the last
10 years and many Australians living in
rural areas are forced to wait 6 weeks or
more for a basic consultation with a doctor
or face driving hundreds of kilometres to
see a doctor.
The plight of Indigenous Australians is
even worse with a life expectancy 17 years
people living in rural and remote areas
less on average with increased rates of
in Australia can expect to die three years
chronic disease. …
earlier than those living in metropolitan
The Rural Doctors’ Association says
areas and says there are 16 000 vacancies
it will lobby the government for funding
for General Practitioners in rural Australia,
towards new models of medical practice,
excluding the 6000 vacant nursing
which combine nursing, midwifery and
positions. …
doctor services.
Around $100 million of the
Commonwealth’s Private Health Insurance
SOURCE: ADAPTED FROM HEALTHCARE NEWS, 21 JULY 2008, http://www.
news-medical.net/?id=40123.
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are perceived as feminine. When feminine stereotypes are placed on resources, fewer men are likely to
access them.
The same applies to women accessing resources that are seen as being masculine. Stereotypes such
as ‘tomboy’ and ‘butch’ might be used to describe women who access resources that are perceived as
masculine. When masculine stereotypes are placed on resources, fewer women are likely to access them.
Examples of resources that might be accessed differently by men and women due to their perceived
links with masculinity or femininity include:
• employment in occupations such as hairdressing or plumbing
• retail jobs in fields such as hardware or fashion
• careers in healthcare fields such as medicine or naturopathy
• education in areas such a childcare, nursing or metalwork.
ES
The Australian Rural Doctors’ Association
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As society becomes more educated about the unique differences in people with regard to gender, these
stereotypical perceptions will change. Change is already evident, with the increase in women entering
trade occupations. In 2001, 112 216 women were employed in trade occupations, compared to 105 233
in 1991 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001 Census of Population and Housing).
Read the article ‘Women in trades the way of the future’.
http://www.tafensw.edu.au/news/women_in_trades.htm
The other element that relates to how gender can influence the access to and availability of resources
is whether a resource is relevant to both men and women. For example, contraceptives such as ‘the pill’
and other female contraceptive devices would not be something men would access for themselves.
–
ethnicity/culture
An ethnic group is a group of human beings whose members identify with each other, through a
common heritage that is real or presumed. Ethnic identity is further marked by the recognition …
of common cultural, linguistic, religious, behavioral or biological traits, real or presumed, as indicators
of contrast to other groups.
SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA, ‘ETHNIC GROUP’, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_group.
ES
The term ‘ethnic’ is generally used to refer to people or groups who have migrated and become residents
or citizens of another country. Ethnicity can also be used to refer to a person’s specific background—
for example, Scottish, Turkish, Greek, Croatian, Vietnamese, Mexican, Sudanese, French, Indian,
Samoan and so on. Another way to refer to ethnicity is to describe people as being from culturally and
linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
Some people who migrate to another country might not speak the local language, and could
therefore find it difficult to access resources such as information, education and health services. Services
such as interpreters, translated documents, multilingual websites and community organisations
might help to make these resources more accessible to people from culturally and linguistically
diverse backgrounds. Language differences might also make it challenging for these people to access
employment, and they might find that their job availability is limited. This might then affect their
available level of income and make it even harder for them to access other resources.
It is important to remember that there is as much diversity between individuals from the same
ethnic background as there is between individuals of different ethnic backgrounds. Hence the factors
that influence the availability of and access to resources for one person can be very different from those
that influence another person of the same ethnicity. Other factors such as education, age, language and
religious beliefs also interrelate with ethnicity to influence the types of resources an individual can access.
interchangeability and sustainability of resources
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Interchangeability of resources is where one resource can be exchanged for another. For example,
parents can use money to pay for a babysitter so that they have time to go to work. Similarly, people
can use their time to go to work so that they can earn money. Part of managing resources effectively is
knowing which resources are interchangeable. When people manage their resources effectively, they use
those resources that they have in abundance and exchange them for resources that they would like to
access. Here are some examples.
• People might use their time to attend antenatal classes in order to gain knowledge about childbirth
and parenting.
• People might volunteer their time to coach a soccer team so that they can gain experience and
expertise in coaching.
• Young people might use their energy to do household chores so that they can earn pocket money.
• Young children might use their toys to share with other children in order to develop friendships and
learn to interact with others.
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Sustainability of resources refers to the
ability to make a resource last longer. The
term sustainability is often used in reference to
non-renewable resources, where making them
last longer will prevent individuals, groups
and communities from running out of that
resource. A person who manages their resources
effectively uses strategies in order to sustain their
resources, making them last longer. Examples
include:
• preparing a budget in order to monitor
where money is spent so that it can be
made to last longer and be used for more
things
• using cloth nappies that can be washed and
re-used, rather than disposable ones that are
thrown away after one use
• installing a water-saving shower head to
sustain water supplies
• adhering to water restrictions to sustain water supplies
• installing rainwater tanks to sustain water supplies
• switching off lights that are not in use to sustain electricity supplies.
F I G U R E 1 . 14
Energy-saving
light globes can
help sustain
electricity supplies
Activities
1.
Use the following statement to explain how education can influence the availability of and
access to resources: ‘If you want a decent job and a good life, get an education.’
2.
Demonstrate the relationship between location and socioeconomic status in terms of how
they influence the availability of and access to resources for different individuals.
Use a variety of examples to explain how disability can influence an individual’s access to
resources. Use the definitions of various disabilities on the accompanying eText to support
your answers.
4.
Discuss the statement ‘Time is money’, using your knowledge of the interchangeability of
resources.
5.
Outline various community campaigns that encourage the sustainability of resources (for
example, Earth Hour).
6.
Assess the strategies that you use at home to determine how effective your resource
management is.
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Read the article ‘Welcome to our sustainable street’ on the accompanying eText to determine
how individuals and communities can work together to sustain resources.
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analyse the influences on the availability of, and access to, resources
for individuals and groups
FEATURE
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Evidence of learning
You will know you are on the right track if you can:
•
identify the factors that influence the availability of and access to resources
•
explain the relationships between the various factors that influence the availability of and
access to resources
•
define the terms interchangeability and sustainability in relation to resources
•
demonstrate the strategies that individuals and groups use to manage their resources
effectively.
VA LU E S A N D S TA N D A R D S
personal nature of values
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Values relate to those aspects of life that really matter to a person, or the things that a person sees as
most important, such as good health, family, education, freedom of speech and money. The ideas and
beliefs that we hold are usually connected to what our values are.
• A person who values family would believe that love, connectedness and belonging are important.
• A person who believes in working out and exercising to keep fit would value physical health.
Our actions and behaviours can also demonstrate what we value.
• A young person who values education is more likely to attend school regularly, complete assignments
and show respect for school rules.
• A person who is trustworthy and doesn’t lie to friends is likely to value honesty, loyalty and
friendship.
• A person who turns up to work on time and completes tasks by the set deadlines is likely to value
reliability and hard work.
Values are personal things—they develop over time and are influenced by many factors in a person’s
life, such as family, friends, significant others, and the media, as well as by that person’s needs and
wants, beliefs, education and religion.
The different stages of the lifespan can also significantly influence what a person values. Young
people generally value family, love and affection, and they might show this by giving their parents a hug
or kiss goodnight. As they develop into adolescence they might place more value on their friendships,
their independence and their sense of identity. As they get older, employment and financial security
might become more valuable to them.
A lot of our values don’t change over our lifetime, as they are entrenched within our belief system
from a very young age; however, the degree of importance that we place on these values might
fluctuate.
interrelationship of values and standards
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Standards are the expectations that people place on themselves—for example, how well they expect
to do in an exam, how good a friend they expect themselves to be, how loving to others they expect
themselves to be. Values and standards are interrelated in the sense that each person will set their own
standards on how to act and behave based on what they value. People who value respect would set
high standards on the way they behave and treat others, and on how they expect others to treat them.
Specific standards that a person might have in relation to respect could include:
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RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 1
• speaking nicely to people
• listening to others when they are talking
• treating people as equals
• looking after other people’s property
• obeying people in positions of authority
• following instructions
• following rules.
Standards can also help people to measure how much they value certain things. For example, if you were
asked to make a decision between going to a party on the weekend with your friends or staying at home
and finishing an assignment that is due on Monday, would you go to the party or stay at home? If you
choose the party, that might indicate that you value your friends and having a good time more than you
value your education. You might still value your education, and you might still get the assignment done
in time, but the standard at which you would complete the assignment, based on the amount of time
devoted to it, would not be as high as it would have been if you had stayed at home.
potential for conflicting values
Personal values can cause conflict when a person has to make decisions or work with other people.
Conflict can arise in situations such as when a person:
• wants to go out with friends but also wants to spend one-on-one time with a partner
• wants to go to a party with friends but has been asked to work at the family business that day
• is involved in a class discussion where classmates have different opinions
• wants to practise a particular religion but others will not allow it or disapprove of it.
Activities
2.
List some of the rules that a parent might set for
their children, and outline the values embedded
within these rules.
3.
Describe the values portrayed in the following
images.
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The government requires all workplaces to have
anti-discrimination policies, grievance procedures
and occupational health and safety guidelines in
place for their workers. Identify the things that
you think the government values, as reflected in
the setting of these laws. Justify your answers
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decode media messages, conversations, community practices, policies
and rules to determine the values embedded within them
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Activities continued
4.
View the video Australia’s Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd says sorry to the Stolen
Generation, or read the transcript of his
speech, and determine the values he
portrayed in his speech on behalf of the
Australian people.
analyse how femininity and
masculinity shape values and
standards
Examine the three cartoons below. Determine the values embedded within them and
comment on how masculinity and femininity may have shaped these values.
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Evidence of learning
You will know you are on the right track if you can:
•
define values and standards
•
outline the relationship between values and standards, using examples
•
recognise the values embedded within different forms of media, government policies and
community practices
•
identify values related to femininity and masculinity
•
describe the relationship between gender and developing personal values and standards.
GO A L S
In order to manage resources effectively, individuals and groups need to be able to set goals that are
realistic and achievable. Goals that are not achievable can have a negative effect on our wellbeing, but
goals that we can work towards and achieve promote positive self-esteem and wellbeing. Goals that are
realistic reflect what a person is able to achieve based on the abilities and skills they possess. When goals
are not realistic they are much harder to achieve.
classification of goals
short-term, intermediate, long-term
Intermediate
goals
individual and group
s3TUDYING
s!TTENDING
CLASS
s,ISTENINGIN
CLASS
s#OMPLETING
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Short-term
goals
M
Individual goals are personal goals set by an individual, such as
building their own home. These can affect group goals or be
influenced by global or community goals.
Group goals are set by a group of two or more people, such
as a couple wanting to move their family into a bigger house.
They are usually set to benefit the majority of individuals
within the group. Conflict can result when group goals are
not in harmony with the goals of the individuals within
the group.
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Short-term goals are expected to be achieved in a short period of time, and might need to be repeated
over and over again in order for us to reach an intermediate or long-term goal. They are generally
achieved on a daily or weekly basis.
Intermediate goals usually require more effort than shortterm goals, and generally take a month or more to achieve.
Long-term goals require a lot of effort and motivation to
Long-term
reach, because short-term and intermediate goals must be
goals
achieved first in order for us to reach a long-term goal. They
usually take a long period of time to achieve, such as a year
s&INISHING
THE(3#
or more.
ES
–
F I G U R E 1 . 15
Short-term goals
are the stepping
stones to reaching
our intermediate
and long-term
goals
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–
community and global
Community goals are usually created as a result of the ideas and desires of a number of individuals and/
or groups within a community, such as the government’s goal of introducing technology into schools.
They are generally established by particular organisations within the community, such as the council or
government. To achieve community goals, effort and the motivation of individuals and groups within
that community are required.
Global goals are goals set by organisations across the globe that are intended to benefit or affect all of
humankind, such as the goal of various nations to raise money to reduce poverty. Global goals can only
be achieved when communities, groups and individuals contribute and commit to achieving them.
F I G U R E 1 . 16
Individual goals
The cyclic nature
of goals
Individuals recycle e-waste,
such as computers and
mobile phones
Group goals
Global goals
s "USINESSESANDORGANISATIONSBEAR
the cost of the collection, recovery
ANDDISPOSALOFDEVICESNOLONGER
wanted by consumers
4HE5.DEVELOPSAGLOBAL
STANDARDFORRECYCLINGAND
COLLECTINGEWASTE
s &AMILIESDONTTHROWAWAYEQUIPMENT
that still works
Community goals
&EDERALSTATEANDLOCALGOVERNMENTS
SETPOLICIESREGARDINGPRODUCTDESIGN
life expectancy and recyclability
prepare strategic plans that incorporate short-term, intermediate and
long-term goals that are realistic and achievable
Create a study, career, travel or life plan for yourself or someone else you know that includes
short-term, intermediate and long-term goals.
2.
Develop a table that highlights the individual goals of an Olympic athlete, and explain how
these might relate to achieving group goals.
3.
Suggest three community or global goals that could be set to improve the wellbeing of
individuals (for example, to reduce poverty).
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Activities
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RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 1
Evidence of learning
You will know you are on the right track if you can:
•
define short-term, intermediate and long-term goals
•
provide examples of individual and group goals
•
propose various community and/or global goals
•
create a plan that demonstrates short-term, intermediate and long-term goals.
1. What is the difference between wellbeing and ill-being?
Review
questions
2. What are the components of wellbeing?
3. How is social wellbeing related to emotional wellbeing?
4. What is the difference between needs and wants?
5. What are primary needs?
6. What are some examples of secondary needs?
7. What are the levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
8. How does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs compare to the
‘SPECS’ classification of needs?
9. How can gender influence the satisfaction of needs?
10. What are the six classifications of resources?
11. How does a finite resource differ from an infinite
resource?
12. What are three examples of renewable resources?
13. How can a resource be both non-renewable and finite?
ES
14. What does ‘SLEDAGE’ stand for?
16. What is the benefit of sustainability in resources?
17. What are values?
18. How can values cause conflict?
19. What are the differences between short-term,
intermediate and long-term goals?
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15. Why would an individual use interchangeable
resources?
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20. What other terms are used to classify goals?
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