True inclusion requires thought and action to ensure people take their rightful place in the life of the community.
Authors: Annick Janson, Melissa Janson and Yaniv Janson
It is easy to use words like inclusion and to assume that if we end institutional exclusion we have somehow created inclusion. However, as this important research explores, real inclusion requires thoughtfulness and new practices that positively bring people together, uncover points of connection and create opportunities for growth and friendship.
This work tested an ‘Intentional invitation’ mechanism to facilitate social integration in a small scale setting. Working with community organisations to design inclusive environments, we identified and addressed specific barriers to social inclusion and designed a series of interventions to foster engagement, from early intervention to in-situ encounters during creative community pop-up events. Intentional invitations proved effective in facilitating the engagement of people with disability. This in turn allowed for authentic interactions between all participants to unfold in a community setting.
Data collected via participant observation and interviews reveal new perspectives about disability and experiences of togetherness. Our aim was to facilitate engagement of people with disability as a channel for authentic contribution bringing potential societal gain within our communities. Findings point to possible changes in professional practice that would encompass intentional invitation mechanisms under the Keys to Citizenship (Perez & Duffy, 2024) framework.
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The publisher is Citizen Network. Making Space for Social Integration © A Janson, M Janson and Y Janson 2025.
education, faith & creativity, Family Leadership, Inclusion, intellectual disabilities, Person-Centred Planning, Global, Paper
