David Craig - The great debate, has life improved for people with a disability

Has Life Improved for People with Disabilities? David Craig - 23 September 2009

“I like to think of myself as an optimist with a reality chaser. I know the glass is half full. I just want to know who the hell’s been drinking out of it and do I have to pay full price.” Bob Zany

Optimists and pessimists contribute to community….
The optimist invented the aeroplane…the pessimist invented the parachute.
- George Bernard Shaw

How do we test the success or failure of our efforts?
Would I find it acceptable if I was on the receiving end?
Does it comply with equal opportunity and human rights available to other citizens?
Making the person whose support needs are the most challenging the test case for our program effectiveness.
How open are we to criticism and challenge?
Is there a sense of continuous struggle to find better outcomes and strategies or are we formula dependent?
Does our work support the human rights of people with disability and encourage responsibility & contribution?

Failures & Shortfalls
Denial of basic citizenship rights
Lack of Leadership
Hearing the voice of people with disability
Short changing the adventure of living full lives
Unhealthy or non productivity of our communities
No passion for rights of vulnerable citizens

Denial of Citizenship Rights for People with Disabilities
No entitlement to disability support
Freedom to live anywhere in Australia is denied by Commonwealth/State administration arrangements.
Exemptions from DDA for migration of emergency egress support.
No housing for many – inappropriate housing & support for many others.
Many other breaches of the UNCRPD.

Lack of leadership
Knowledge about disability
People with disabilities
Their families
Their support agencies
Their communities
Weakness of the change agency function of our “sector”.
We have been picked up cheap by government officers on shopping tours to provide services rather than supports.
We are too, keen to believe our own publicity materials rather than be honest about the challenges for change and reform.

Hearing the voiceless
What do we really know about the aspirations and dreams of people who rely on disability support providers and funders? Too many tools and not enough quality time.
How do we give respect to these voices if we do hear them?
How do we stay true to rhetoric and keep on tune?
What would we want people to hear and respond to if placed in the shoes of those we are funded to support?

Avoiding the adventure of living
Drowning in the sea of risk management, accountability requirements and quality assurance – Looking Good v.Doing Good
Death of recreation as a vehicle for getting a life worth living
People that connect
Passions that motivate
Places that create a sensory and stimulating enjoyment of the natural and constructed world
Giving up on friendship, sexuality and spirituality

Inclusive Communities
What do we know about the capacity of our communities to support people with disabilities?
What do we know about the capacity of people with disability to contribute to community building and strengthening?
How can we get out of the way of good things happening?

Undermining Communities
Safety and risk management
From congregation to individualisation
Abuse of privacy principles
Dominance of activity & program over relationships and connections
Community tourism or community engagement
Agency competition or sector development as a community of common interest – is there depth and strength in our discourse on inclusive communities?

Final Thoughts
Have we moved progressively forward or have we lost some good things along the way?
Have we secured our gains such that they won’t be lost in the next wave of change?
Do we have an agenda for the future that is shaped by the stories and aspirations of people with disabilities and their families and advocates?
Are we prepared to commit to full implementation of the UN Convention on Rights of People with Disability?

David Craig - The great debate, has life improved for people with a disability

by field - furthering inclusive learning and development on Feb 24, 2010

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