Identify opportunities for community participation and social inclusion

Identifying opportunities for community participation and social inclusion should start with the person’s goals, abilities, interests and preferences. Using a person centred approach will help you to work collaboratively with the person to identify and choose activities and opportunities for inclusion that match their interests. This is important because choosing activities that match the person’s interests will increase the likelihood of success as well as reinforcing the person’s right to make their own choices and decisions.

Barriers to participation

You will also need to consider the fact that people with disability continue to experience barriers to community participation and social inclusion despite the efforts of government and service providers to support these initiatives.

Common barriers to participation encountered by people with disabilities include:

• Stigma caused by the negative mindset that others have towards disability such as stereotyping people with disabilities in assuming that they can carry and transmit germs or avoiding people with disabilities because they do not behave as expected in society
• An inaccessible physical environment such as steps that block a person with physical impairment from entering a building
• A lack of inclusive services, policies and systems such as not accommodating a qualified person with disabilities to perform their job, preventing people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in certain programs or services due to physical barriers or inconvenient medical appointments or procedures
• A lack of assistive technology such as videos with closed captions, Braille displays, large print materials, phones with large tactile buttons, magnifiers, modifies or alternate keyboards, touch screens or voice-to-text software
• Communication difficulties caused by hearing, speaking, writing, reading or understanding
• A lack of skills caused by an inability to access suitable educational programs, occupational therapists or adequate transportation to support services

There is little point in supporting or encouraging your client to engage in activities in which they are not interested. You also need to be realistic in identifying and choosing opportunities for participation. This means considering the person’s capabilities as well as their goals and wishes. For example, an interest in music may not be accompanied by the talent needed to become a concert pianist, so encourage your client to set their sights on a musical activity that is within their reach, such as by joining a choir, learning to play an instrument as a beginner, joining a music appreciation group, attending concerts, listening to their favourite music with friends or joining a fan club.

Choosing realistic opportunities will also increase the likelihood of success. Also consider how accessible the activity is. Consider location, cost, transportation and other practical aspects as well as the availability of supports. Include the person’s existing social and support networks such as family members, friends and carers and identify support networks and options within the chosen activity or group. For example, community groups, clubs and associations may have members or volunteers who are interested in supporting your client to join and to participate.

Developing ‘natural’ social networks and community supports is an important aspect of participation and inclusion as these will expand the person’s relationships and social roles. The Person-Centred Approach to Support Practices

A person-centred approach is one you will often use as a support worker and keeps the focus on the person, what they can do, and not their disability or restrictions. It requires you to be flexible and place the person at the centre of all decisions being made. The focus is on supporting the persons strengths, goals and priorities first and any supports or help they may need second.

A person-centred approach acknowledges the person as the expert on their life and needs. It is an empowering approach that strives to support the person in making choices and exercising control over their life.

The person-centred approach also considers:

• the person’s age and gender
• their ethnicity and culture
• their beliefs and identity (e.g., their sexual orientation and religious views).

Additionally, the person-centred approach includes the client’s family and other supporters in their treatment plan. For example, if the client has a good relationship with their family or has a partner, they might choose to bring them to appointments. Family members, partners, carers, and other support people can: offer insights into the client’s biggest areas of need and treatment strategies that might be most effective provide emotional support. point out what is most important to the person. For example, a support worker might be hyper-focusing on the skills of daily living but the family shares that their loved one has expressed a great desire to find an appropriate community singing class provide information and insights that can help to more clearly identify the needs, concerns, and goals of the person.

This will help you know what their priorities are and helps you to collaborate on the actions that can be taken to meet their goals Some questions you could ask the person and their family, partner, carer or support people include:

• What are your biggest challenges right now?
• How would reducing these challenges change your daily life?
• How would it feel to not have to deal with these challenges?
• What are you good at?
• What do you most enjoy about your life?
• What do you most dislike?
• What are your hopes for the next 6–12 months/ What support would make your life easier?
• What support or activities would bring you more happiness or peace?

The person-centred approach supports self-determination

Self-determination is where a person controls their own life, having freedom of choice and being able to act or make decisions without needing permission or encountering excessive barriers created by others. This helps them to be able to grow, learn and develop competence. People tend to be happier when they are doing things that are aligned with their own goals and beliefs and feel more motivated and focused

Definition

Self-determination In a real-world situation.

Self-determination could mean that a child is not expected to attend noisy and crowded environments such as indoor playgrounds or big birthday parties if they have shown they prefer not to. However, they may be supported in having one-to-one play dates with friends, cousins, and neighbours. Self-determination can also take the form of a person with a disability having the chance to live independently by participating in classes for independent living skills or asking for support to find an accessible property.

Read

This framework summarises the broad areas across which people pursue life outcomes, and the common social policies and programs (both disability-specific and mainstream) related to everyday life.

People with Disability in Australia (Person Centred Reporting Framework) from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

The next article describes the Rights of people with disability.

Example

If you were working with a child who lives with a brain injury and visual impairment, a person-centred approach would mean the child is viewed as capable of attending a mainstream school with support. Support might come in the form of a teacher’s aide who is made aware of the child’s preference for physical activity. The aide allows the child to choose classes that allow for movement such as sport or music instead of classes that require lots of sitting and listening like maths or English. By doing so, the child is being supported to focus on their strengths, wants and needs.

Strength based approach to support practices The strengths-based approach is very similar to the person-centred approach. These two concepts tend to work hand in hand, always keeping the focus on someone’s abilities, strengthening and celebrating these, yet not ignoring challenges or struggles. In addition, a strengths-based approach encourages the individual to see their traits as unique to them and therefore something that makes them special.

The strengths-based approach also considers the persons environment and what resources are available to them. For example, a young woman who lives with Tourette’s syndrome and struggles with busy social situations (crowds, shops, etc.) might have a goal to start a business and start making a living out of her floristry. To support this goal, you might help her plan to apply for a stall at her weekend market and initially get support from her sister with the sales and customer interaction. In this way, she can start to pursue her goals and focus on her strengths, while getting support with other aspects of the business.

Or, a child who lives with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair might have spent his early years noticing all the things he can’t do that other kids can. At school, he tells his new teacher’s aide while watching other kids kick a ball around that he wishes he was good at something. His teacher’s aide asks what he enjoys and when he shares that he likes rock music and especially the Foo Fighters, she arranges for him and his parents to meet with the music teacher so a plan can be made to support his interest in music. A bonus of this is that he will perhaps make new friends, too.

Using a Strengths-Based Therapeutic Approach with People with Developmental Disabilities - MHDD National Training Center (mhddcenter.org)

Both the strengths-based approach and person-centred approach celebrate and support the person’s right to autonomy. Autonomy is a person’s right to having control of one’s own life choices and being able to make their own decisions. Generally, autonomy includes choosing:

• What treatments, supports or aids they receive or refuse
• Where they live and who they live with
• What they wear, what they eat, what they drink
• What hobbies they pursue, who they spend time with, how they exercise any social, political, and religious beliefs
• Current and future goals, education and employment pathways
• What risks to take such as smoking, who they love, to marry or to have children.

Keep in mind that it will be necessary for the boundaries around autonomy to change at different ages and life stages. How does age-appropriate autonomy look in practice? It could mean that a 19-year-old person with physical disabilities and neurodiversity chooses to leave home, go flatting, and live independently. Their loved ones may worry and have concerns (which is normal and healthy in any parent, caregiver and child relationship), but at the same time, they see the potential for growth and happiness that this choice offers their young adult child. Or it could mean that an older person with physical disabilities who is experiencing frequent falls and injuries is advised to make the move into residential care for health and safety reasons but encouraged to choose how they spend their time day to day.

Legal and ethical obligations

As a support worker, you need a thorough understanding of human rights, how this relates to people receiving care and support and the services we provide them (service framework), duty of care, dignity of risk, plus mandatory reporting, privacy, confidentiality and disclosure. Human Rights The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an international treaty aimed at protecting the rights and quality of life of people with disabilities. It came into force in 2008 and identifies what governments must do to protect and ensure the rights of people with disabilities. Australia has both signed and ratified (made official) the CRPD. In your role as a support worker, you need to understand the core concepts of CRPD as these relate to the services you provide.

Read

This artcile as an easy to read version of the UN Convention of Human Rights. 

IS164 07 UN Convention on Human Rights (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Key Rights

Key rights to be aware of include (but are not limited to) the following:

• People with disabilities have the inherent right to life.
• Countries who have ratified the CRPD must take steps to abolish laws, customs, and practices that are discriminatory toward people with disabilities.
• People with disabilities are guaranteed equal legal protection.
• People with disabilities have the right to control their own financial affairs, access to mortgages, bank accounts, credit cards, etc.
• Convention countries must eliminate obstacles and barriers to people with disabilities, including obstacles around public spaces, services, public transport, and telecommunications.
• As with all people, people with disabilities must be protected from cruel, inhumane, degrading treatment and medical experiments that they have not consented to.
• People with disabilities have the right to make decisions about their own lives

People with disabilities must be able to:

• live independently if they choose • be included in the community
• choose where they live and who they live with
• have access to support services (in-home, in residential centres, in the community). 
• Their independence and mobility should be fostered by access to affordable mobility aids and devices, mobility training, etc.
• People with disabilities have the right to work, earn a living, and vote.

People with disabilities have the right to the highest attainable standards of healthcare. There will be other national and state or territory-based legislation that relates to human rights that you will need to follow in your role as a support worker. For example, anti-discrimination laws, child protection acts, and mental health acts.

Note: As a support worker you will be using strategies that advocate for the human rights of your clients daily.

You will do this every time you:

• get to know the individual person – their hobbies, interests, likes, dislikes, hopes and dreams
• engage in active listening
• include the person in decision making and respecting their choices
• support the persons independence and social participation.

It is important to consider the common principles of the Human Rights based approach, which are:

• Participation: Where everyone must feel free to access information, have a say in decisions that affect their rights and be active in the community
• Empowerment: Where everyone should be able to access and understand information regarding their rights to enable themselves to contribute to the development of policies and practices that impact their lives.
• Accountability: Where appropriate laws, policies, procedures and mechanisms must be in place to ensure that human rights are secured.
• Legality: Laws must recognise and be consistent with human rights principles
• Non-discrimination and equality: Any form of discrimination must be prohibited, prevented and eliminated and priority should be given to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people

Read

This link called the Disability Inclusion Guide  provides an introduction to inclusive practices when working with children and young people with developmental delay or disability.

Watch

This video from NDIS Australia discusses the importance of inclusiveness

Disability Discrimination

The Australian Human Rights Commission 2012 states that: ‘Disability discrimination is when a person with a disability is treated less favourably than a person without the disability in the same or similar circumstances. For example, it would be ‘direct discrimination’ if a nightclub or restaurant refused a person entry because they are blind and have a guide dog.

It is also disability discrimination when there is a rule or policy that is the same for everyone but has an unfair effect on people with a particular disability. This is called ‘indirect discrimination’. For example, it may be indirect discrimination if the only way to enter a public building is by a set of stairs because people with disabilities who use wheelchairs would be unable to enter the building.’

Just as discrimination can be direct or indirect it can be embedded into the ‘norms of society’ in a structural and an individual context. Structural discrimination includes public policies and practices that create and sustain disadvantage through limiting opportunities, resources and power. It usually occurs through segregation and institutionalisation in housing, education and employment placing people at a higher risk of abuse and of isolation and poverty. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the anti-discrimination legislation for your state or territory protects people with a disability and their relatives, friends and carers against discrimination in areas including:

• Employment
• Education
• Accommodation
• Use of public and government services
• Access to public places.

The Act prohibits any discrimination or devaluation of people with mental or intellectual disabilities and prevents employers from discriminating against such people. Keep in mind that you will often have young adult and adult clients who are seeking or settling into employment, so you need to know this area of the law and be able to answer questions and help advocate for your clients when needed. In addition, talk to your supervisor about your workplace codes of conduct and industry standards you must adhere to in your role as a support worker.

Read

The Australian Human Rights Commission provides an excellent read and explanation about disability discrimination. 

Know your rights: Disability discrimination | Australian Human Rights Commission

You may also like to read the following information describing the legislative and regulatory framework in Australia and information about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Watch

This series of videos from the Disability Royal Commission was established to respond to widespread reports of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability. The series includes brief videos about a variety of information about these reports and more.

Duty of Care

Duty of care is a legal and moral obligation. Having a duty of care means we are in a position where another person is likely to be affected by what we do or do not do. It means ensuring we take reasonable care to identify risks to our clients and then take reasonable steps to avoid to those risks, minimising or avoiding physical, emotional, financial or psychological injury, damage or loss coming to our clients. We are in breach of duty of care if we fail to do what is reasonable or do something that is unreasonable.

Harm

What does ‘harm’ mean in terms of duty of care? Harm means any action that causes:

• Distress
• Embarrassment
• Emotional trauma
• Fear
• Loss of trust

The following shows examples of how to avoid injury to the person in your care:

• Determining when injury is foreseeable
• Avoiding compromises the rights of others
• Taking note of risks that the person alerts you to
• Recognizing when people are at risk from others
• Supporting people to confront risks safely
• Safeguarding others from injury
• Maintaining confidentiality
• Avoiding discrimination and overly restrictive options
• Not actively harming the person
• Recognizing that some risks are reasonable
• Assessing risk from the persons perspective
• Taking account of the seriousness of the potential injury

Social Model of Disability

Barriers to participation and inclusion can be related to how we view disability. The social model of disability focuses attention on these barriers and works to remove them or to provide supports to help people with disability to overcome them. This model also focuses on changing how society views disability. This means that changing societal barriers and supporting people with disability to overcome them is a way to ensure that they are included and can participate in their communities.

Read

The following website provides further information about the Social Model of Disability

In choosing opportunities and strategies for community participation and inclusion, you will need to consider the resources available in the community, the client’s own situation, interests, skills, goals, support needs and any other cultural factors.

Identifying opportunities for community participation and social inclusion should start with the person’s goals, abilities, interests and preferences.

Using a person-centred approach will help you to work collaboratively with the person to identify and choose activities and opportunities for inclusion that match their interests. This is important because choosing activities that match the person’s interests will increase the likelihood of success as well as reinforcing the person’s right to make their own choices and decisions.

There is little point in supporting or encouraging your client to engage in activities in which they are not interested. You also need to be realistic in identifying and choosing opportunities for participation. This means considering the person’s capabilities as well as their goals and wishes. For example, an interest in music may not be accompanied by the talent needed to become a concert pianist, so encourage your client to set their sights on a musical activity that is within their reach, such as by joining a choir, learning to play an instrument as a beginner, joining a music appreciation group, attending concerts, listening to their favourite music with friends or joining a fan club.

Choosing realistic opportunities will also increase the likelihood of success. Also consider how accessible the activity is. Consider location, cost, transportation and other practical aspects as well as the availability of supports.

Include the person’s existing social and support networks such as family members, friends and carers and identify support networks and options within the chosen activity or group. For example, community groups, clubs and associations may have members or volunteers who are interested in supporting your client to join and to participate. Developing ‘natural’ social networks and community supports is an important aspect of participation and inclusion as these will expand the person’s relationships and social roles.

Case Study - Andrea and Jason

Andrea is a support worker at Banksia Care and works with people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Her role includes identifying opportunities for her clients to participate in community-based activities and developing individualised plans to support them to engage in those activities.

Jason is nineteen years old. He has a developmental disability that affected his language development and learning. He communicates in short, simple sentences, has a limited vocabulary and sometimes struggles to follow a conversation. He does not read or write but can use pictures and symbols to follow instructions and to understand information. He lives in a small country town and attends a supported employment program where he has several friends with whom he attends local football matches on the weekends.

Jason is a keen AFL fan and would like to join the supporters’ club for his local team. He has been following the team since he was ten years old and rarely misses a match. Andrea contacts the chairperson of the local supporters’ club to discuss Jason’s wish to join. She outlines his limitations and emphasises how keen he is to join and how passionate he is about supporting the team.

The chairperson knows of Jason through his family, who are also keen supporters of the local team. The chairperson suggests ‘buddying’ Jason with an existing member who can introduce him to others and support him when he participates in social club activities. He also suggests that if possible, one or more of Jason’s family members could also join as a support to Jason.

The club is always looking for members who can volunteer for fundraising activities such as sausage sizzles, and the chairperson thinks that Jason may be able to help out with these events. Andrea discusses these suggestions with Jason and his family. Jason says that he would like his older brother to join the club with him, and that he is very keen to learn how to help out with fundraising events. He also says he wants to encourage his friends at work to join the club too. Andrea and Jason arrange for Andrea to help him complete the formalities and paperwork to become a member, and for Andrea to accompany him on his first few visits to club social events.

Activity: Reflection

When considering the Case Study about Andrew and Jason, reflect on the follow questions:

• What are some of Jason's interests, passions, and strengths that make him a good fit for joining the supporters' club for his local AFL team?
• How did Andrea collaborate with the chairperson of the supporters' club to ensure Jason's successful integration into the club's activities? What were the key factors that contributed to the positive outcome?
• Reflect on the importance of involving Jason's family and friends in supporting his participation in the club. How did their involvement enhance his experience, and what other ways could they continue to support him in his club activities?

Watch

This video from Family and Community Services NSW provides information about active support and how it works to support a person with disability to improve their quality of life.

Funding to support community participation for individuals is provided via the NDIS. For more information about how this works and about the types of activities funded, explore the links and resources below:

• Community participation | NDIS
• Community Participation – Able Australia
• Social and Community Participation Services | Aruma
• What is Social and community Participation Funding in my NDIS plan? | MyCareSpace

Watch

The NDIS Explained: NDIS Funding Categories

Being an active citizen means taking part in our society. It means that: people have a say about what matters to them. they have more choice and control. Active citizenship goes a step further to include political and civic involvement and action. Historically, people with disability have been relatively powerless within the political and civic arenas and have not been expected to participate in political processes. Participating in Learning, Work and Leisure Activities Being an active citizen means that people with disability do things that most members of a community do, such as learn, make friends, socialise, participate in leisure activities, work or volunteer. There are government funded programs that offer pathways to education and support people with disabilities to develop life skills based on their strengths. Programs include household living skills, money skills, independence skills and work skills. Continuous development of assistive technologies and their implementation in various programs and services enable people with different impairments and disabilities to live an active, better quality life, to build upon their strengths and to increase their independence.

Watch

Watch the following video describing active citizenship for persons with disabilities, UN CRPD, and DISCIT project (Multiple captions)

Supporting community participation and inclusion for people with disability can involve a range of people carrying out many different roles, including family members, carers, friends, community members, neighbours and other service providers. To be truly inclusive, involves a two-way process in which all the people involved have a role to play in supporting genuine engagement and supporting the development of ‘natural’ social networks and relationships. All the participants in supported participation and inclusion plans and strategies, not just the person with disability, should gain something of value from participating. Inclusion benefits everyone, not just people with disability.

Identifying opportunities for community participation and social inclusion should start with the person’s goals, abilities, interests and preferences. Using a person-centred approach will help you to work collaboratively with the person to identify and choose activities and opportunities for inclusion that match their interests. This is important because choosing activities that match the person’s interests will increase the likelihood of success as well as reinforcing the person’s right to make their own choices and decisions. There is little point in supporting or encouraging your client to engage in activities in which they are not interested.

You also need to be realistic in identifying and choosing opportunities for participation. This means considering the person’s capabilities as well as their goals and wishes. For example, an interest in music may not be accompanied by the talent needed to become a concert pianist, so encourage your client to set their sights on a musical activity that is within their reach, such as by joining a choir, learning to play an instrument as a beginner, joining a music appreciation group, attending concerts, listening to their favourite music with friends or joining a fan club. Choosing realistic opportunities will also increase the likelihood of success. Also consider how accessible the activity is.

Consider location, cost, transportation and other practical aspects as well as the availability of supports. Include the person’s existing social and support networks such as family members, friends and carers and identify support networks and options within the chosen activity or group. For example, community groups, clubs and associations may have members or volunteers who are interested in supporting your client to join and to participate. Developing ‘natural’ social networks and community supports is an important aspect of participation and inclusion as these will expand the person’s relationships and social roles.

Individualised Plans

Individualised support plans have been used in the disability sector for many years. Providing individualised supports and services is a requirement of the National Disability Services Standards. Individualised Support Plans are a way to ensure all community participation options are documented in the client's plan.

Individual support plans should include the following information:

Summary of information about client:

• Name, address, contact details, age/date of birth and gender
• Overview of functional abilities/capacities and supports currently required
• Brief history
• Current living situation (residence, family, occupation, existing support services etc.)
• Interests, goals, preferences, cultural factors and requirements
• Service aims/goals and intended outcomes
• Indicators for how the outcomes will be measured/ evaluated.
• What needs to happen to show they are achieved? Think about the sustainability of the participation and inclusion activities, and the person forming ‘natural’ social networks, connections and relationships
• Methods for collecting information about progress and outcomes, including feedback from participants
• Resources needed (people, services, supports including assistive technology, information etc.)
• Roles of everyone involved including tasks and responsibilities and how they will communicate with each other
• Strategies to be used
• Plan of action/what needs to happen when and where

As a support worker, remember that you play a crucial role in providing individuals with disabilities information about community participation options, networks, and services that cater to their needs and preferences. Here are some strategies to take into consideration:

• Talk to the person with a disability and find out what they like to do and what they want to achieve in their community. This will help you know what kind of activities and services to suggest.
• Look for organisations, groups, and services in the community that match the person's interests and needs. This could be things like sports clubs, art classes, support groups, job training programs, or fun activities.
• Give the person a list of community options that are a good fit for them. Include details like contact information, location, and when the activities happen. Let them know if there are any special accommodations available.
• Talk about the good things that can come from getting involved in the community. This could be making friends, learning new skills, growing as a person, and feeling like they belong. Show how these activities connect to their interests and goals.
• Help the person make choices by discussing the positive and negative aspects of different options. Encourage them to share their preferences, and give them guidance based on what they want. If needed, provide assistance in making initial contacts, attending first meetings, or finding someone to support them during activities.
• Keep checking in with the person to see how their community involvement is going. If they have any concerns or problems, listen and offer help. Adjust your recommendations if their interests or needs change over time.

When working with people with disabilities, it is important to recognise and accommodate their cultural and religious needs to ensure inclusivity and respect.

This can be done through:

• Learning about different cultures and religions so you can understand and respect the needs of people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds. Treat everyone with respect and dignity, regardless of their cultural or religious beliefs. Remember that people may have different customs and practices that are important to them, and we should honor those.
• Communicating openly and respectfully. Encourage individuals to share their cultural and religious needs and preferences. Listen carefully to what they have to say. If you have any questions, ask politely to better understand their requirements.
• Remembering that every person is unique, so avoid making assumptions or generalisations based on stereotypes. Take the time to understand each individual's specific needs and preferences. Involve family members, friends, or caregivers who may have knowledge about their cultural or religious needs. Work together to make sure those needs are met.
• Being flexible and willing to make reasonable accommodations. This means being open to adjusting practices, schedules, or procedures to include people with disabilities from different cultural or religious backgrounds. Provide resources, materials, and support services in accessible formats, considering factors like language and assistive technologies. Remember, the most important thing is to approach each person with empathy, respect, and a willingness to learn. By recognising and accommodating their cultural and religious needs, we can create an inclusive environment where everyone can participate fully and feel valued.

Read

• Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Strategy (NDIS)
• Cultural Sensitivity in Disability Services
• The experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse with disability Issues paper

Watch

The Challenges of Diversity. This video looks at reimagining cultural diversity.