“If I Was the Boss of My Local Government”: Perspectives of People with Intellectual Disabilities on Improving Inclusion

Phillippa Carnemolla,Aine Healy,Jack Kelly,Catherine Donnelley,Megan Taylor

doi:10.3390/su13169075

Phillippa Carnemolla, Aine Healy + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169075

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Aug 13, 2021
Citations: 7	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Technology Sydney

Abstract

Despite many initiatives to reframe and support inclusion for people with disabilities, people with intellectual disabilities continue to experience social exclusion in their local communities. This study shares the perspectives of people with an intellectual disability on what matters to them in their local communities. This study aims to inform local governments of the value of engaging with and listening to local people with intellectual disabilities and is an important exploration of how the social sustainability of cities is framed and valued by people who have historically been socially and geographically excluded. Focus groups and interviews were conducted in six local government areas, with a mix of metropolitan and regional areas, in two states of Australia—NSW and Victoria. The study analysed how 45 Australian adults with intellectual disabilities described their local communities and conceptualised better inclusion. The results were collated and organised by applying an adapted framework of inclusive cities. The participants expressed the need for safe, accessible and clean public amenities; accessible information; appropriate communication; and for people to be more respectful, friendly and understanding of the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. This study suggests that local governments can take action in order to improve social sustainability by engaging with local people with intellectual disabilities as citizens, advisors and employees, and by educating the wider community about respect and social inclusion for all.

Highlights

This paper focuses on the Australian setting of local government and disability rights, which are framed in this study as a right to inclusion and access to services, social and community events and public spaces, buildings and amenities
The responses were clustered into topic areas that were drawn from a framework of inclusive cities [18] and have been applied to local government policy and governance strategy internationally: 1
This report expands on current evidence by conceptualising how inclusion is framed for people with intellectual disabilities in a way that is relevant to the responsibilities of local governments, councils and municipalities more broadly, by adapting an inclusive city framework in order to organise responses

Summary

Introduction

There has been a wide range of research undertaken in relation to the role of local governments in supporting inclusion within their communities. The fact that local governments are embedded within local communities means that they have a deeper understanding and knowledge of the unique communities they govern and are well placed to lead the public policy drive toward social inclusion [1]. Researchers have investigated the role of local governments as the drivers of more diverse and inclusive communities across the globe and across a range of policy areas and population groups, including refugee migrants [2], sexuality and intersectionality [3], older people [4], workforce inclusion [5] and people with a disability [6,7]. Re-confirm the purpose of the focus group and project “My Home, My Community”

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