Have you ever wondered the role of community participation in disability inclusion?
To become an empathetic community member!
Yes, I believe it is my and the community’s responsibility for empowering people with disabilities and educating the younger generation about the same.
In this blog we will talk about what disability is, it's connection to mental health and the role of the community in empowering people with disabilities.
Then, what is Community Integration about? As the name suggests, community integration refers to assimilation and accommodation of people with disabilities into the larger community. This enables the person with disability to have full participation in the community. How can this be possible, enabling them to have citizenship rights, inclusive education, housing facilities and of course support from family and friends. Then, how do we know we are an inclusive community, "individuals with disabilities experience inclusion when they experience feelings of belonging and membership". When individuals with disabilities feel that both their physical and social presence is appreciated, like "I am needed" , we know we have become an inclusive community. What it is to have community integration, the biggest benefit of having community integration for people with disabilities is the opportunity to truly be part of their community. Regardless of disability status, people with disabilities want to be completely accepted, understood and should be included in social engagements. People with disabilities deserve to be respected, accepted and be given opportunities for social inclusion. If you have explored new ways of such support please mention that in the comment for more people to learn from our shared experiences. Also, to know more about the role of community in empowering persons with disability and supporting them for their growth, you can watch our live session on Instagram on 2 December at 6PM. You can also watch the session on our youtube channel.
