Guidelines for

Community Inclusion

Prepared by the

Issued: May 2004

Guidelines for

Community Inclusion

This is an edited version of material found in a more detailed report, it should be seen as a guide only. To view the full report, please go to our website http://www.advocacyhouse.org/CLA.htm

Where to Start …

• Analyse, document and share good practice

• Maximise opportunities for community inclusion outside the disability sector

• Support people in the sector

• Create change - from a climate of minimising risk to maximising quality of life

• Encourage continuous quality improvement

• Reform the service system

Emerging Themes …

• A common understanding and strong vision of community inclusion

• Acknowledgement of the complex nature of community inclusion

• Development of good practice and ongoing continuous improvement across the service system to enable community inclusion

• Identification and measurement of good outcomes for individuals

• Sharing and promotion of good practice information and initiatives for community inclusion

• Protect and ensure sustainability of good practice initiatives

• An understanding of how to facilitate community inclusion for people with particularly complex needs

• A paradigm/cultural shift in service provision to focus on community inclusion

• Engagement with families

• Community capacity building and strategic partnerships outside of disability specific organisations and government departments

• Collaboration amongst all stakeholders in the disability sector

How To Contribute …

Ensure a good knowledge of community inclusion

Be well informed about community inclusion

Contribute to developing and disseminating knowledge of community inclusion

Advise key stakeholders about important aspects of community inclusion? Disseminate specific information on community inclusion

Build networks

Shared understanding and vision at each services/person’s local level and then bring back to CLA. Create important links between services, families and government

Engage with Families

Advocacy sector/services need to actively work to inform, resource, educate and facilitate family involvement in community inclusion

Training

Integrate good practice knowledge link into current training and work to have good practice knowledge about community inclusion formally incorporated into mainstream disability training

System information

Ensure important information is more widely available (disability resources, services and supports)

Where Has This Information Come From?

These Guidelines for Community Inclusion come from the December 2002 report prepared by Anne O’Brien and Susan Inglis for the Coalition Against Segregated Living (CASL). That report was based on the findings of the Community Living Indicators Project (CLIP).

CLIP was an initiative of the CASL, now called Community Living Alliance (CLA), a collective of advocacy groups originally formed to lobby for the closure of institutions for people with disabilities.

Who Is the CLA?

The Community Living Alliance is a coalition of groups and individuals who are committed to supporting and developing policies and services that support inclusive community living opportunities for ALL people with a disability. There are representatives on the CLA from: Action for Community Living Inc, AMIDA, CAUS, Disability Justice Advocacy, People First, Reinforce, STAR, Villamanta, Westernport Speaking Out and more.

What Does the CLA Believe?

We believe that the long term interests and well being of all people with disabilities is best served when they are supported to live their lives in the midst of others in a variety of community settings. It is our view that people with disabilities should be able to explore a wide range of different experiences and have support to pursue social interactions, relationships and friendships within the communities in which they live.

What Does the CLA Do?

The Community Living Alliance brings together people with a disability, families, disability workers and members of the community who are committed to and active in the support and development of strategies and practices that lead to community inclusion. This alliance will seek to promote and encourage good practice and promote shared learning among a range of key stakeholders. We will do this through holding workshops, conducting research and sharing and evaluating current practice and policies.

Contact Us:

We welcome your involvement and support.

David Craig

Action for Community Living Inc.

03 9489 2999

d.craig@advocacyhouse.org

Join Us & Find Out More:

http://www.advocacyhouse.org/CLA.htm

Created by Hootville Communications www.hootville.com

on behalf of the Community Living Alliance. Date: 11^th May 2004