The History of Positive Bridges

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This isn’t a program, it’s my home

Some service providers who support people with disabilities to live in their own homes, tend to forget that they are working in a person's home, not a structured program within a facility. While it is acknowledged that it is imperative that services must have some guidelines as to how their services will operate, it's also important to remember that they are working in someone's home, they may not want signs up everywhere- making it look like a workplace instead of a home, they may not want the roster up on the fridge- for everyone to see, or anyone documenting every lttlle thing they do. It is not necessary to have service documentation scattered over someone's dining room table. While it is imperative that services abide by Workplace Health and some legislation, as well as other legislatory requirements, the placement of any signs, as well as the handling of any service documentation, could be dealt with, in a discreet manner. For instance, instead of placing a sign on the front of a cupboard door, placed the sign on the inside of a cupboard door, instead of having paperwork scattered on the dining room table-keep it in a discreet place. It is important to to acknowledge that workers have the right to work in a safe environment, however, this does not mean that a person with a disability has to put up formalised safety audits in their home every week and being admonished if they have incidently miss something. The objective of keeping everyone safe, can just as easily be achieved by informally discussing the safety of home with the person and coming up with a plan af action, when it comes to fixing any problems. If there's a need for keeping any progress notes on the person and if appropriate, workers should get the person involved in this process. If the person has some difficulties with communication or can't physically write things down, they may ask the worker to write notes to in the book, to let the rest of the team know what's happening. Workers must not write things that are degrogatory to the person or in the case of progress notes being submitted to the service-bad mouth the person to the service provider, all problems should be dealt with face to face. Most importantly of all, workers who come into a person's home MUST always remember that the person or someone representing the person's best interests are the ultimate decision makers regarding what happens within the home, and while they may support someone to make a decision, they, themselves, are not the person making the decision!!

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Why does the Community Need Vulnerable People?

There are a number of reasons why the community needs vulnerable people. When we say vulnerable people, we are not only referring to people with disabilities, but also refugees, migrants, homeless people, those struggling with addiction, the mentally ill, etc. If we did not have vulnerable people within our communities, the diverse nature of our community would either be a rarity or even fail to exist. All members of society would be expected to live up to the unrealistic expectation of perfection, with those failing to conform to this notion, being shunned. If vulnerable people weren't included within our communities, there would be no understanding or tolerance for those who are different, no compassion, a community that is rigid when it comes to the expectations of its' members. Without vulnerable people within our communities, our communities would be less tolerant, particularly when it comes to accepting people's difference. There would also be less resilience within our communities when thing go adrift such as bushfires, droughts, floods, and acts of terrorism, etc. If our society can not cope with those who are different being in our communities, how can it cope with bigger picture issues, such as national emergencies or crises. Some people may say that we don't need vulnerable people to be part of our communities, that they just don't “belong”, what they don't realiseThere are a number of reasons why the community needs vulnerable people. When we say vulnerable people, we are not only referring to people with disabilities, but also refugees, migrants, homeless people, those struggling with addiction, the mentally ill, etc. If we did not have vulnerable people within our communities, the diverse nature of our community would either be a rarity or even fail to exist. All members of society would be expected to live up to the unrealistic expectation of perfection, with those failing to conform to this notion, being shunned. If vulnerable people weren't included within our communities, there would be no understanding or tolerance for those who are different, no compassion, a community that is rigid when it comes to the expectations of its' members. Without vulnerable people within our communities, our communities would be less tolerant, particularly when it comes to accepting people's difference. There would also be less resilience within our communities when thing go adrift such as bushfires, d is by excluding such persons from the community, they are seriously jeopardising the wholeness and well-being of communities. The presence of these people helps all to understand the concept of “difference”, to understand the powerfulness of fear and prejudice and provides us with a chance to conqeur such fear and prejudice. Vulnerable people tend to be seen for their vulnerabilities and weaknesses, rather than the positive contributions they make to society. For example, while some migrants have established businesses that vastly contribute to our economy and employ many Australians, more emphasis has been placed on those who arrive on our shores illegally and are locked up in Detention Centres at the expense of taxpayers. We tend to see the negatives in a person's vulnerability, before we ever consider the positives. Yes, a person may be vulnerable, but this vulnerability should never be allowed to define their identity. Having vulnerable people contributing and participating in community life can teach other members of the community, important life lessons that only serve to strengthen the community. Vulnerable people can be good teachers, when it comes to teaching other community members, the deeper meaning of life.

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High Hopes and Expectations

Sometimes from the very moment their child is born, parents of a child with a disability are told not to have high hopes or expectations for that child, because it's very likely that they won't achieve very much. Unfortunately, this message is more often than not, reinforced throughout the person's life, particularly at stages of great change such as transitioning from school to adult life, etc. At times there is a blanket approach to people with disabilities and people are not seen as individuals with unique talents and abilities, gifts, interests, likes and dislikes. Instead, they are treated as homogenous group, blob together with their “own kind”, unable to contribute anything to the world around them. However, if people take the time to get to know individuals with a disability, they would realise that these individuals are all different, with unique abilities, talents, gifts and likes/dislikes, and they can and most often do, make a positive contribution to the world around them. Sometimes it is beneficial for parents of a child with a disability to see achievements of other people with disabilities. When they have seen such persons achieve so much, it might raise their hopes and expectations that their child may achieve things that they originally though was not possible. In order for both families and the general community to have high hopes for people with disabilities both collectively and individually, it is very important that such persons are not only presented in neat and tidy manner, but they are seen with people of their own age, doing what other people typically of that age would do. For example if someone who is 18 is going to a Day Respite Centre- cololuring in all day, people will have low expectations of that person, while if that person attended a TAFE class – people will have higher expectations, because it is what people of that age do. No one has a crystral ball and can predict the future, but with no hope and low expectations, no one will get anywhere, with high hopes and high expectations, someone may get to a point where they are living a life-previously unimaginable.

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Becoming Powerless in the Client Role

Even in this day and age with the implementation of a consumer driven system such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), people can still become powerless in the client role. The introduction of the NDIS does not mean that the unscruplous practices carried out by some Disability Service Providers in the past, have completely faded away, albeit there have been stricter legislative requirements placed on service providers. Although it is to a lesser extent, unsavoury service practices still come in when it comes to providing services to people with disabilities. For instance, some Day Respite programs are loathed to provide 1 to 1 care to individuals with disabilities, because they stand to profit more from designating 3 people to one support worker. Unfortunately, this happens even when this NDIS has approved 1 to 1 care for a person who has complex needs, having detrimental effects on the quality of care, the person receives from the service. There also has been instances where people have received funding to have support on public holidays, only to be told that support workers are not allowed to work on public holidays. Poor planning practices can also leave people with disabilities feeling powerless. There are many instances where services or Support Co-ordinators have failed to prepare people for NDIS planning meetings, with people poorly defining their goals, not knowing what kind of supports they need or not having the necessary paperwork from Specialists. As a result, people have received inadequate funding packages to meet their needs. However, this powerlessness not only applies to service providers, but sometimes the NDIS itself. Some NDIS planners have just been thrown into the job withh inadequate training to carry out their role. As a result, these planners sometimes do not understand the needs of the individuals they are assessing, hence, sometimes these individuals receive inadequate funding packages. Inadequate funding packages can cause stress to people with disabilities and their families. At times, the solution to this problem may be as simple as calling the person's NDIS Planner, or it may be more complicated, needing to go through the appeals process. Whatever the situation is, at some point, it is likely to leave the person feeling vulnerable and powerless as to what happens in their own lives. The implementation of the NDIS has meant that today's disability services have been designed to give people with disabilities and their families choice and control over their lives. Fortunately, this has happen to a certain extent, however we still have a long way to go til such persons can enjoy complete autonomy over their lives.

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Being In The Real  Community, not the Pretend Community

The mantra of a lot of Disability Service Providers is that they assist people with disabilities to connect to the community, but the question is are they really supporting people to connect to the real community, or are people being driven around in buses and being treated like “tourists” in the community? Before we can discuss people with disabilities being in the community, we must defined what is meant by “Community”. Is the “community” a house in the suburbs, being at the local coffee shop, going to the movies, or a trip to the park. Unfortunately, none of these definitions do not include socially interacting with other members of the community. It is very common for Disability Service Providers, particularly those that offer some type of daytime respite, to shuttle people with disabilities in a large group, on a specialised bus, to a variety of “outings” within the community. However, while people are on these “outings”, they are only socially interacting with other members of the group, or support workers who are caring for them, not other members of the community. This means that while people maybe physically present in the community, they are not participating in the life of the community. Due to the fact that they may only go to a place once or go somewhere like random like a park or a movie, people are unlikely to become known or form relationships with other members of the community. However, if a person frequently visits a coffee shop, bank, supermarket, library, plays sport or joins a community club or group, they will inevitably become known and it is more likely that they will form relationships with other members of the community. Another aspect of services just taking people on random outings is that it reinforces the notion of “otherness”, that people with disabilities always need to have a support worker, “special” people who have a mysterious ability to care for them, that can not be found in ordinary members of the community. Most often than not, community participation has been confused with recreation, with recreation becoming an end to a mean. If a person is genuinely having a good time on an “outing”, it is difficult for support workers to see why people need to have other options available to them. Sadly, some people with disabilities have very few meaningful relationships in their apart from housemates-who at times they are forced to live with, or support workers who are paid to care for them, they rarely have other meaningful relationships in their lives. Achieving authenitic relationships and true community participation in the community for people with disabilities will creative work and innovative problem solving, remembering that it just doesn't happen overnight, begging the question: is the disability sector ready to assist people with disabilities to connect to the “real” community, instead of the fake community, that only ever exists in “disability service land”.“A civil society is the type I want to be part of, a society that is built upon social networks in the real world, not the CONSTRUCTED world of disability.”-Kevin Cocks

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Why the Community Needs People with Disabilities

eThe dictionary defines the word “need” as something we must have, something we can't do without, like food and water-something we must have to survive. So taking this definition into consideration, can the community survive without people with disability? There are many people who are family members or friends of people with disability who would say “of course we need people with disabilities”, unfortunately there are also many people who are unconvinced of this notion for various reasons. When we think of this question in relation to individual persons with a disability, we ask ourselves “What do they bring to their local communities? “Does the community actually need this particular contribution and why do they need it? Would the community get by without the person's presence? Does the person bring anything to the community that can not be met by any other means, given the community's diversity? When pondering these aspects, is it worth asking ourselves are these “needs” really “needs” at all, or are they benefits, or potential opportunities. In asking these questions, one of the underlying assumptions is everyone is meant to be the person they are, including people with disabilities. We are all put on this earth for some reason- a purpose and within this grand plan, there is a certain and specific composition of society that is indeed essential and without this composition, society will not function well. Although people with disabilities have the potential to bring to a community enriching experiences for other members of that community- including eliciting qualities of compassion, understanding, giving and receiving, presenting opportunities for relationships, which in turn extend outwards and is beneficial to the community as a whole, this is not enough evidence to suggest that the community actually needs people with disabilities, in particular amongst the diversity of a given community. However, if we are saying that communities do not need people with disabilities, which are a devalued group within our society, are we saying that society also does not need homeless people or drug addicts? Doesn't the presence within the community of people who are homeless or drug – addicted, present members of that particular communitiy with the opportunity to respond with understanding and compassion as well as offering opportunities for relationship development, challenging and enriching experiences. When trying to focus on why the community needs people with disabilities, family, friends and other allies of people with disabilities have tried to focus on both the positive attributes individuals with disabilities bring to community and the general positive aspects of including people with disabilities in the community. However, not everyone is willing or ready to engage with, learn from, or contribute to the presence of people with disabilities. While some people may take the opportunity to engage with a person with a disability as a neighbour, sitting beside them on a train or while visiting the local shopping centre, other people are not willing or prepared to engage and gain from such opportunities. Over the years, many families, friends and allies have fought for people with disabilities to be in the community, this has led to some successes and some failures. Some people have gained from their engagement with a person with a disability, while in other instances the person with a disability has experienced hurt and rejection, due to the fact another person is angry that they're in their space. For those of us who do share the view that people with disability must take their place within the community-why do we say this? Yes, people with disabilities can benefit from having a presence in the community, but there also benefits to other members of the community, as opportunities are provided to learn from, to develop understanding, compassion and to be enriched by people with disabilities. Ordinary community members can gain by the presence of a person with a disability. There's no sense in romanticising why communities need people with disabilities, communities need people with disabilities as much as people with disabilities need communities, people with disabilities do enrich the fabric of our society, by teaching us not to be afraid of “otherness”, each individual' is a“unique human being” and it is not necessary to prove the “worthiness” of their life.

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What is a Vital Community?

A vital community is a community that welcomes everyone from all walks of life, regardless of whether they have a disability, are a refugee or come from a non English Speaking background, ther religionous background or in a same sex relationship, at the heart of a vital community becomes a sense of belonging. A sense of belonging often goes hand in hand with a sense of place. For instance, if someone goes to a weekly craft class and gradually becomes known and develops a number of friendships with classmates, these friendships help the person feel as though they “belong” in the class. There is a sense of ownership, when people are part of a vital community. Sharing a place and belonging to a community leads to people interacting within that community and having a particular role within that community. For instance, a person may not be able to fully participate in a card making class, but may be able to use the special machine that cuts out shapes and patterns for the class, thus, the person is assigned that role, a role whichs allows them to participate in the class, in a unique way. However, in order for a person to fulfil a role, they have to feel competent in undertaking that role and other people within that particular community have to believe that the person has the competence and skills to fulfil that role. Like everything else in life, vital communities not only have good times, but they also go through bad times. A part of ownership within the community is sharing these problems with each other, not saying “it's not my problem”, and finding solutions these problems. The ingredients that make up a vital community can be said to be reciprocity, belonging, participation and responsibility. A vital community invokes a sense of belonging and a belief in ourselves and others. vital community is a community that welcomes everyone from all walks of life, regardless of whether they have a disability, are a refugee or come from a non English Speaking background, ther religionous background or in a same sex relationship, at the heart of a vital community becomes a sense of belonging. A sense of belonging often goes hand in hand with a sense of place. For instance, if someone goes to a weekly craft class and gradually becomes known and develops a number of friendships with classmates, these friendships help the person feel as though they “belong” in the class. There is a sense of ownership, when people are part of a vital community. Sharing a place and belonging to a community leads to people interacting within that community and having a particular role within that community. For instance, a person may not be able to fully participate in a card making class, but may be able to use the special machine that cuts out shapes and patterns for the class, thus, the person is assigned that role, a role whichs allows them to participate in the class, in a unique way. However, in order for a person to fulfil a role, they have to feel competent in undertaking that role and other people within that particular community have to believe that the person has the competence and skills to fulfil that role. Like everything else in life, vital communities not only have good times, but they also go through bad times. A part of ownership within the community is sharing these problems with each other, not saying “it's not my problem”, and finding solutions these problems. The ingredients that make up a vital community can be said to be reciprocity, belonging, participation and responsibility. A vital community invokes a sense of belonging and a belief in ourselves and others.

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The Contribution of Service Workers in Facilitating Community Relationships

An indication that the right type of relationship exists between the community and a person with a disability, is when the person holds valued roles-where they are well supported and are treated with respect. They are treated in ethical ways insofar as their dignity and potential are appreciated annd acted upon. The contributions of service workers in facilitating community relationships, all too often goes unnoticed and unacknowledged. Even the simplest little thing may make the world of difference for a person with disability, trying to connect to the community. The very simplicity of these acts masks their true value, however it is of significance that we acknowledge these acts and the important role they play in making members at ease, within their relationships with one another. All too often, people with disabilities experience loneliness, rejection and isolation, and even these small acts of assistance can go a long way in easing the process of ordinary members of the community. forming more relaxed and natural relationships with people with disabilities. An indication that the right type of relationship exists between the community and a person with a disability, is when the person holds valued roles-where they are well supported and are treated with respect. They are treated in ethical ways insofar as their dignity and potential are appreciated annd acted upon. The contributions of service workers in facilitating community relationships, all too often goes unnoticed and unacknowledged. Even the simplest little thing may make the world of difference for a person with disability, trying to connect to the community. The very simplicity of these acts masks their true value, however it is of significance that we acknowledge these acts and the important role they play in making members at ease, within their relationships with one another. All too often, people with disabilities experience loneliness, rejection and isolation, and even these small acts of assistance can go a long way in easing the process of ordinary members of the community. forming more relaxed and natural relationships with people with disabilities. Many service workers have created strategies that are helpful in bringing people together and as a result many relationships have blossomed in ways which were not foreseen at the outset. In any setting where encounters between people seem awkward, a great deal rests on trying to keep these occasions comfortable for everyone. Everyone can experience fears and anxieties- for example, a person with a disability may feel uncomfortable because they know that the other person is uncertain of how to act in their presence. Quite often, a third person has the ability to smooth things over and in most cases, it will be a service worker that makes this contribution. When social encounters are uncomfortable, we often place emphasis on what is different about a person, therefore, not recognising the commonalities of people, rather than placing emphasis on what is lacking in people, we should place emphasis on the actual capacities of a person. Due to the fact that historically people with disabilities were segregated from the rest of society and from everyday life, some pre-conceptions of such persons may exist, that are not easy to overcome. However the efforts of people with disabilities, their support workers, as well as other supporters, are slowly working to open up the minds of ordinary people who do not experience disability on a daily basis. The misjudgement may not only be towards people with disabilities, but also ordinary members of the community, who may not be credited with the capacity of forming positive relationships with people with disabilities. As a consequence, valuable opportunities may be missed for them to make positive contributions to the lives of such persons. It is important that service workers do not think their efforts do the matter, because the person at the receiving end of these efforts would be poorer for their absence. It is vital that these contributions are seen for the importance they hold and that similar efforts of ordinary community members are encouraged. Small everyday acts often play an valuable part in contributions being made to the lives of others, subtly changing the moral character of a community. Reference: Kendrick, M, 2009, “LETTING IN THE LIGHT: REFLECTIONS ON LEADERSHIP, ETHICS AND HUMAN SERVICES” CRU Publications, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Pages 67-72.

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The Importance of Life-Giving Values

When observing human behaviour, it would be reasonable to say that most people are of the belief that they themselves have sound values beliefs and motives behind their actions, that they themselves behave in blameless ways towards others. It is also most common for people to see a need for the behaviour of others to be improved, before they see the need for improvements in their own behaviour. We often can recognise the harmful effects of another person's values and beliefs on the lives of people and yet, we rarely check if our own values and beliefs can be harmful, to other people. However focus should not only be placed on the values and beliefs of individuals, but also on society as a collective. Social roles that are assigned to individuals, can be either life-giving or life denying. Throughout history, people who have held devalued roles, have done so- because of oppression and the way they have been perceived by others. It is also very common for these people to be seen as less than human. So what are life giving values? Life giving values include people with disabilities living life to the fullest in the community, being actually included, not just merely presence in the community, living amongst fellow citizens and sharing virtues and hardships that are associated with community living. Community living should not only mean living in a house in the community, but also having socially valued roles, not just being left to languish in roles that are socially devaluing and oppressive. Historically, people with disabiliities have had low expectations placed upon them, and have been subjected to life-wasting routines. There is a widespread belief in many affluent societies that it would merciful to let such persons to end their lives, because their lives are seen as not worth living. To uphold ways in which devalued people are living life in ways in which they are not only surviving, but thriving, we must ensure that life-giving messages surround people who are at great risk of having their lives devalued and extinguished. Another life-giving value important to all of us including people with disabiliities, is personal relationships, love and intimacy. People can receive good support in the daily care they need, but something is still very much missing from their lives-personal relationships- the need to feel love and be loved. It is therefore life-giving to affirm these needs and do whatever is reasonable to assist to bring these aspects into a person's life. While it may be difficult to assist people with these matters that are usually considered as very personal, it is better than the other option of having people feeling rejected, lonely and isolated. When we are able to recognise our values and actions as being either life-giving or life denying, we will understand the need to be vigilant in ensuring people with disabilities are not expected to life devalued lives. Individually and collectively, we can choose to enrich the lives of people, who would otherwise have their lives seriously devalued.

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Questioning the very existence of People with Disabilities

t is a sad reality that within our society, most people with disabilities will repeatedly experience acts of devaluation throughout their lifetime. However the ultimate act of devaluation for people with disabilities, is to have their very existence questioned. In 2001, Harriet McBryde Johnson a prominent writer who lived with a disability, wrote an account of her interview with Peter Singer, an utilitarian philosopher who advocates for the withdrawal of life support for people who have severe disabilities. When it comes to devaluing the lives of people with disabilities, Peter Singer's views are quite disturbing. He believes that parents should be allowed the option of killing their newborn baby, if it has been born with a severe disability. He states that all infants are born without self-awareness and that killing newborn babies with severe disabilities should be an option, to save them from a lifetime of suffering. He also states that it is acceptable for newborn babies with severe disabilities to be killed, due to the fact that their parents prefer to have a different kind of child. Another disturbing viewpoint of Singer, is the fact that he thinks it should be lawful to kill individuals with cognitive impairments of any age, because he doesn't consider them to be “persons”. Amazingly Singer is famous for his work with Animal Liberation and it seems as though he respects the rights of animals more, than he does the rights of human beings. During her interview with Peter Singer, Harriet McBryce Johnson seriously questions Singer's baby replacement theory: allowing parents to kill their severely disabled baby and replace it with a non- disabled baby, who according to Singer, has a greater chance of happiness. Harriet quickly points out that the presence of disability doesn't necessary predict, the kind of quality of life the person will live and that each person has their own gifts and flaws that are so peculiar, they can't be measured on the same scale. Singer is, of course, not the only person to assume that disabled people "suffer", that their lives are inherently "worse" than those of non-disabled people. But as someone who lives this life, Ms. McBryce Johnson knows without a shadow of a doubt that his is a misinformed view based on prejudice. It is also one that doesn't take into account the broader social context. So, does this mean that if someone who is well known and has made a positive contribution to the community and they suddenly acquire a severe disability, their life will be rendered useless by Singer? While respecting the fact that Singer has been well educated, this does not give him a licence to play “God” and decide who will live and who will die!!

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Constructing Normalacy

We live in a world full of norms, with each of us endeavouring to be considered as “normal”. In our definition of “normal”, we take into consideration what the average person thinks, earns or consumes. A person's weight, height, sex drive and orientation, wealth and beauty, are all factors that we also take into consideration when thinking about normalcy. When we want write about people with disabilities, we tend to make such persons the object of the study, just as a study about race focussed on people with coloured skin. Instead, we should not concentrate on disability as being the “problem” but rather how normalcy has been constructed to create the “problem” of the disabled person. The social process of “disabling” can be linked with the industrialisation of the late eighteenth and nineteenth century notions of nationality, race, gender, criminality, sexual orientation and so on. The word “normal” as constituting, conforming to, not deviating or different from, the common type, standard, regular or usual, only entered the English vernicular around around 1840. I n this era, classical paintings and sculptures tended to idealise the body and while it was found that most of society did not have the “ideal” body, people with disabilities were seen as being quite grotesque. When we think of bodies, in a society where the concept of the norm is operative, then people with disabilities will always be thought of as “deviant”. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution was to place people with disabilities along the wayside as evolutionary defectives to be surpassed by natural selection. This meant that eugenists became obsessed with the elimination of “defectives”, a category which included the feebleminded, the deaf, the blind, the physically defective and so on. Eugenists have also expressed concern that if deaf-mute people are allowed to marry each other, the dire consequence will be that an entire race of deaf people will be created as a result. In England, in 1933, the prestigious scientific magazine Nature approved the Nazi's proposal bill for the “the avoidance of the inherited diseases in posterity” by sterilising people with disabilities. The magazine editorial said “ the Bill as it reads, will command the appreciative attention of all who are interested of the controlled and deliberate improvement of human stock. The list of disabilities in which sterilisation would be appropriate included congenital feeblemindedness, manic depressive, insanity, schizophrenia, hereditary epilespy, hereditary blindness and deafness, hereditary bodily malformation and habitual alcoholism. Unfortunately the idea of “constructing normalcy” is still alive today, although it is less prominent than it was in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. During the US election in 1994, Newt Gingrich accused President Clinton of being “the enemy of normal Americans”, when asked what he meant by that common, he responded “the middle class”. Another example of how today's society is “constructing normalcy” is the pre-natal testing of foetuses for Down Syndrome and giving pregnant women the option of terminating pregnancies, if such tests suggest that there is high probability of their child being born with Down Syndrome. There is also the possibility that in the future prospective parents will be able to have “designer babies” and will be able to choose the gender and actually select the characteristics or features of their babies, very few parents will choose to have a child with a disability, thus, leading to the eventual total eradication of people with disabilities n.

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The Historical-Contemporary Connection

Although the majority of people with disabilities are no longer physically segregated in large institutionalise settings across Australia, the fact of the matter is that such persons still experiencing isolation, segregation and loneliness in smaller group homes in the community. While Group Homes seem smaller, more hospitable and more comfortable, than their large residential predecessors, have they really improved the lives of people with disabilities? In some cases, people with disabilities are still subjected to the whims of service providers who preside over these group homes, giving them little choice and control-despite recent reforms to the disability sector, including the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). People with disabilities who reside in some group homes are still being told what to eat, what to wear, what to do and when to do it. This is not to say that there aren't any good group homes as there are some group homes, where residents have totally choice and control over their lives. However, some group homes still invest in traditional ways of providing services-in an authoritarian manner. However it is not only group homes that remain a small remnant of past treatment of people with disabilities. While there has been some emphasis placed on person-centred practices and treating people with disabilities as individuals, there are still instances while this just doesn't happen. For instance, Centre-based Respite Services still have “community access” programs, that are poorly planned, do not take the individual needs of participants into consideration and have poor staff ratios—one staff member caring for four program participants. Furthermore, participants rarely have a say in the activities they do or the places they go. While the NDIS is revolutionary in its' approach to people with disabilities, further vigilance is needed to ensure that services are abiding by the principles of the NDIS, instead of just resorting back to the traditional way of providing services, because this was easier and it's the way they have always done it. “It's time that service providers leave the past in the past and embrace the future”.

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Historical Context of the Treatment of People With Disability

While the lives of many people with disabilities have since with the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the treatment of such persons stills remains far from equal in today's society. While admitting that our society has still got a fair way to go, when it comes to the equality of people with disabilities, it is important that we do acknowledge that we have made advancements in the way we treat people with disabilities and that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Generations ago, people with disabilities were systematically brutalised by the human service system. Today, there are legislative requirements as well as a societal code of behaviour that stipulates that such behaviour is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. This is not to say that such brutality does not exist today, however unlike the past, people are held accountable and face consequences for their actions. The extent of harm in the past cause by the human service system, can be directly linked to the degree in which society and the helping professions have differentiated between people with disabilities and the rest of society. It is a sobering that those involved in the delivery of the most murderous of services, thought they were doing the wrong thing at the time.. Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, people with disabilities were imprisoned in cells designed for lunatics or criminals, they were chained to walls, often, pushed through trapped doors into icy water or snake pits. Confinement to coffins, burning of genitals, and suspension by the arms or legs using ropes and pulleys, were not uncommon forms of treatment endured by people with disabilities. Even in the best of institutions, conditions were unbearable. People with disabilities lived in horrid and flithy conditions with excrement dabbed on walls, thirteen people being placed in one very small bedroom or “cell”, some of these people would chained to walls, given scraps for food and urine soaked straw for bedding. Their plight was either unseen or just ignored. In the early nineteenth century, the issue of sterilisation came to the forefront. Ten of thousands of people were sterilised, oblivious to their fate, however, some volunteered for this procedure- as it was a way of gaining their freedom or being “paroled” from the institution. Involuntary eugenical sterilisation was still being practised in the United States as late as 1976. Another issue that came to the the forefront in the late 1930s/ early 1940s, was the killing of newborn infants with disabilities, whose life was thought of as worthless. Sometimes families requested these “mercy killings”, sometimes they did not. Quite often, parents would be shamed, if they had a child born with a disability. If it was the couple's first child, they were told to forget about the child, that they could have “healthier and happier” children in the future. In the latter years, “mercy killing” was replaced by indefinite institutionalisation. Normalisation and Social Role Valorisation revolutionised the disability industry in the late 1970s'/early 1980s'. These theories were established to redress and even prevent the wounding of people with disabilities in the first place. The main focus of these theories is to “enable, establish, enhance, maintain, and/or defend valued roles for people who are seriously at risk of being devalued by society and wherever possible, those who work within this sector, should work towards valued characteristics being made or even bestowed upon people in order to faclitate acceptance, respect and genuine liking by the rest of the communty. The disability industry has come a long way since the brutality of centuries that have gone before us, but there is still long way to go before people with disabilities can be considered as being on a even playing field with the rest of society.'

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Social Construct of Disability

The Social Model of Disability has been developed to demonstrate how the wider community contribute to heightening the levels of impairment for people with disabilities. The way in which the wider community contributes to the heighten levels of impairment for such persons, includes: Physical or economic barriers, social attitudes, misconceptions about people with disabilities and discrimination. By addressing these societal issues, access to community infrastructure can be improved for all and respect can be demonstrated for all members of our community, inclusive of all people with disabilities. Having respect for all members of the community, also means that everyone has to become aware of, and take responsibility for, any unintentional attitudes or actions that may be detrimental to people with disabilities, as well as other minority groups. While it is acknowledged that people with disabilities have levels of impairment which may be of a physical and/or intellectual nature, the challenges presented to them on a daily basis are compounded by the way in which they are treated by society and the barriers they face to their full participation within the community. For example, a person with a disability who has been discriminated against may become increasingly isolated and distrustful of others. This may lead to them not receiving the right amount of support they need, affecting their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing, thus increasing their level of impairment. The above scenario depicts how society can “construct” disability and how our actions and attitudes can directly contribute to a person's health, wellbeing and level of impairment. Our attitudes and actions can have a influence on how a person's disability impacts their life and can either improve or worsen their experiences, access to the good things in life and their well-being. Society constructs disability by: defining “normality” as a fully functioning able-bodied person limiting physical access- that is, lack of ramps, elevators, etc. setting expectations of 'normal' levels of performance, time or participation that is, at work or study. Limiting communication access- for example not providing communication options for people with hearing impairments. Having a lack of of visual representation of people with disabilities in 'normal' areas, such as TV or in advertisements. Having economic barriers due to a lack of suitable employment. Having social stigma, discrimination and lack of education about disability issues. Having technological barriers- that is, lack of physical supports, education or equipment to access technology. Not overcoming cultural and social exclusion; and having a lack of a political voice.

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Engaging Community

“Hold my hand and walk with me.  We must break the back of social inequity; We must empower every individual with a disability To live with dignity in an inclusive society.”  -William E. Lightbourne Building a community inventory involves looking at the community with different eyes, as a series of opportunities and potential relationships. Building an inventory of community options is often best created by walking through the neighbourhoods and charting the resources that are available. These include things like: Recreation centres Stores Businesses Banks Churches and other faith communities Schools, including colleges and universities Parks Cultural resources like theatres, art galleries and libraries Child care centres Bars or clubs Community services like hospitals, police and fire halls Clubs and associations Resources that welcome volunteers like SPCA, food banks, and thrift stores Local hangouts like coffee shops, restaurants, and other places ‘regulars’ gather These kinds of assets, while often obvious, are rarely deliberately recorded to create a map of the opportunities that exist. The resources and places identified should be literally drawn to help visualize the scope of opportunities and to support the involvement and access of people with low literacy. Using photographs can again enhance the quality of the community map you create, help remind people of places they are comfortable going to orinterested in visiting, and build excitement for the process. The community asset inventory should be specifically enhanced with the key preferences of the individual with developmental disabilities you are supporting so that it represents their personal perspective and connections while you are building more. In addition to the “bricks and mortar” places you identify, it is also important to inventory what associational connections are available to explore. These include clubs of various kinds, service organizations and not-for-profit organizations such as the SPCA. The process of searching for and finding these gems in your community will be interesting and support the exploration of interests, abilities and experiences for the individual you are supporting. It is also important to pay attention to the community calendar of events. Small towns are historically quite rich in community events which offer opportunities for social connections. Neighbourhoods in larger cities also host events. Learning about when these occur and making sure they are on the calendar is an important way to support new experiences and new relationships. Explore volunteer opportunities in your asset mapping as well. Community events offer many opportunities to volunteer as do local not-for-profit organizations. Including these in the asset inventory will extend your creative thinking with respect to potential friendships and social connections.

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The Work of Network

While personal support networkers rarely have formal titles or recognizable job descriptions, they do not act randomly in doing this work. The work of helping support friendships and social connections does not tend to have dramatic results, and it can be hard to discern how or if efforts are making a difference. Networking takes place in community, and the process of connecting can appear to others as unmanaged and unaccountable time. Support for networkers is essential to sustaining the belief in the value of this kind of role. A consistent recommendation from networkers is to keep notebooks, address books, and diaries of their interactions. In one community, they developed specific tools for documenting their process which supported keeping everyone aware and up-to-date so that no one and nothing was forgotten. Their ideas include: Maintaining up-to-date weekly schedules for each person they were supporting, indicating who accompanies the person on various activities, who they come in contact with during the activity and strategies for support these informal relationships. Noticing the key relationships that are important and successful for the individual they are supporting. Creating and maintaining up-to-date contact lists and address books. Journals, scrapbooks and photo albums for keeping track of family and friends. Ways for individuals to offer their contact information to initiate a second connection. These included business cards with their name, phone number and email address. Another valuable suggestion is to routinely carry a camera with you and photograph connections, places, people and activities to use to build scrapbooks, augment address books and develop the asset inventory for both the individual and community. The adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” is particularly apt for individuals who may not communicate using typical methods or who do not read and write fluently. Photographs allow choices to be identified, honour and confirm preferences and participation, and encourage individuality while celebrating the person’s past, present and future possibilities for friendships and social connections. What is most essential is beginning with an idea that feels manageable and doable and following through on it. Starting with small steps leads to greater confidence, experience and more ideas about how to support networking and social connections. A critical component of sustaining enthusiasm is sustaining the conversation about this vision and activity in the various arenas where you gather. These can include staff meetings, personal planning sessions, informal gatherings, training opportunities and celebrations. Conversations are key to generating ideas.

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Is there a difference between Inclusion and Belonging?

Inclusion is a word that has become part of the lexicon of the community living movement. It has represented hope for a world that includes everyone, regardless of ability or disability. The vision of an inclusive society has acted as a north star, guiding our work over the years. There is however a distinction worth noting when thinking about inclusion versus belonging. Consider the difference between when you’ve felt you were included in something or someplace versus when you felt you truly belonged somewhere. The difference is subtle but important and speaks to the essence of sustaining relationships and the reciprocity inherent in a valued connection. Our connections support our sense of belonging and offer us ways to be included in various aspects of community, be they work, social and recreational environments, school, faith communities, clubs or associations. Inclusion was where we began. Belonging is what we need to strive for as it offers the joy and celebration of lives embedded in a rich circle of relationships that honour us as whole beings.