Good morning all,
I need some help, quickly!
"what is community access?" It seems to me a term that has come into bureauspeak on the back of de-institutionalization, but I am not aware that it has ever been defined. To me that is ok as it can be many things to many people. This may however not satisfy administrators who allow or disallow expenditure of money allocated in funding packages.
This is a problem we have run into just now with Amanda. Because of changes in process which reduces flexibility and pushes discretionary powers from the regions up to the minister.
Rather then define 'community access' it is more useful I believe to define what it is meant to do. In this context I believe that any activity that is conducted away from the domicile that enriches a person's life; that contributes to giving meaning to a person's life, that helps meet physical, psychological, or emotional needs that otherwize can not be met; activities that contribute to a person developing to their potential; qualify as 'community access'. Improving a persons joy of living, quality of life, empowering a person, raising a person's sense of worth, are other concepts that come to mind. All are part of adding value to a person's life.
I believe that anything from a stroll in the park to going to the theatre; from having a holiday to paying for sombody having a job, qualifies as community access provided they enrich a person's life.
In this context 'community access' seems a too passive term. 'Community participation', is more pro-active, energetic; doing, rather than letting it (whatever 'it' may be) happen.
I am preparing a brief on this matter, that I hope will help shape a broad, all embracing definition if no definition exists. To make this effective I would like input from many of you, on or off the record. [log in to unmask] I will keep you posted on developments.
many thanks for your help.
rgds John
(father of Amanda)
I now live in Emu Park. My new Phone number: 07 4938 8283. My snailmail address remains the same: J Homan - P.O. Box 1019 - YEPPOON - 4703. My Email address remains: [log in to unmask]
________________End of message______________________
Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List
are now located at:
www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
|