Global-Report-Living-Colour-dr2-2

Inclusive Communities = Stronger Communities
GLOBAL REPORT ON ARTICLE 19: THE RIGHT TO LIVE AND BE INCLUDED IN THE COMMUNITY
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In some regions of the world the question and the idea
was difficult for both self-advocates and families to define.
Self-advocates who live at home and receive little or no
support often could not imagine alternatives and families
feared for the safety of their family member in poor and
violent communities. In many countries living away from
one’s family is not the norm. For those families imagining
and developing supports and services to help the family is
the challenge. For others the limited options available for
housing, poor access to education, employment and
transportation and the denial of the right to exercise
choice made the question of what inclusion in the
community might look like especially difficult. Yet despite
the challenges of imagining real inclusion, self-advocates
in every region expressed clearly what inclusion should
look like from their perspective.
Self-Advocates Have A Clear Vision
Self-advocates told us very clearly that living
independently and being included in the community
means being able to make decisions for themselves:
choosing where and with whom they live, deciding when
and what they eat and how they spend their days. They
may need help and assistance with shopping, with
finances and with day to day tasks. For some more
significant supports such as assistance with
communicating and eating are needed. They may want
to have that assistance from their family but there are
times that they need other people in their lives to help
with these things. In the receipt of support and assistance
they want choice and control in from who and how that
support is provided. Most of all self-advocates described
how inclusion meant having friends, going to school,
having a job, participating and being accepted and
respected in the community. One self-advocate
commented that living in the community meant “realizing
our dreams”. Another said “you only know that you are
In Swaziland they told us
inclusion means:
• Freedom of speech and being free
to live anywhere one wants
• Having employment like other
people who do not have disability
• Being included in community
activities
• Being helped to have fulfilled
future
• Being respected and honoured
• Being heard and listened to
• Having self esteem
From the stories in Barcelona
“Living alone means: more freedom,
not rely on what anyone else says.
What I like is that after work and get
home I can relax and be calm. Visit
family whenever I want. For me it
means I can do whatever I want
without been controlled. By having less
control I have more freedom.”
“Independent Living means having
obligations. Before I came home and
everything was done, now I have to do
everything myself. If I do not do the
things, no one will do them for me and
if I do not do them well will be my
responsibility. For example, with the
money, now I know the value of things
what they are worth, I know I have to
make ends meet, I have to organize
myself to pay all expenses. I know that
not everyone has the opportunity to
live alone and I am very lucky to be
able to choose where to live. Living in
an institution is not independent ever.”