Your Right to Connect

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, was adopted by the United Nations in 2006. It states that people with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms. ​These rights include having the right to be an active member of your community.

 

In Topic 1 we talked about how in the past people living with disability have been treated very differently to others and have often been excluded in our communities. While things have improved, research has shown there are still a variety of things that make it hard for people living with disability to connect with their community.

These include:

• Ongoing pain or depression
• Being from a culturally or linguistically diverse background
• Physical and social barriers, such as inaccessible buildings or poor community attitudes
• Being over 40
• Higher levels of disability or having challenging behaviours
• Quality and quantity of social support

 

In this topic, we will look at some strategies to overcome these barriers.

 

Community Connection

Community connection and participation happens when we share activities, in shared spaces, with other people.

In the image below you will see a range of places you can connect with your community. You probably each have your own preferences about where you like to do this. 

 

Everyone likes doing different things. For example, some people enjoy connection:

• With invited guests in their homes 
• In built environments such as shops, community centres, recreational club rooms, cafes or libraries
• Online by connecting with shared interests in online groups, or 
• Through activities in nature-based places 

 

 

The Benefits

Wherever you choose to socialise, connecting with others provides several benefits.

These include:

• Economic and social participation​ through employment, education, income, life satisfaction and health outcomes ​
• Improved well-being by avoiding social isolation​
• Becoming known and valued in your community as an important safeguard 
• Breaking down stereotypes and strengthening diverse and inclusive communities​

 

These points show us that there are shared benefits when taking part in a community that is INCLUSIVE of all people.

 

In the quote below we are also reminded that being part of a community means having access to everyday opportunities, resources and routines - and that finding ways to take part, although challenging at times, is definitely worthwhile.

“…the route to enriched and satisfying lives, that suit the person, are not going to be in places called “special”, but will instead be found deep within the rhythms and patterns of everyday life." - Michael Kendrick

 

​Exploring the ways you want to connect with everyday life is an exciting and satisfying journey. Let's keep going!

 

Click below to move on when you are ready…