Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To “ Social Inclusion” i.e. Valued Social Participatio

1. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To “Social Inclusion” i.e. Valued Social Participation Michael J. Kendrick PhD Kendrick Consulting Intl www.kendrickconsulting.org kendrickconsult@attglobal.net Use Only With Permisssion Of The Author

2. The Kinds Of Historical Conditions Of Life For People With Disabilities That Precipitated A Need For Social Inclusion Massive Denial Of The Essential Humanity Of People With Disabilities Profound Ignorance Of The True Nature Of People With Disabilities Fear Of People With Disabilities Based Upon False Understandings e.g. Negative Stereotypes Pervasive And Entrenched Segregation Of People With Disabilities From Community Life

3. The Kinds Of Historical Conditions Of Life For People With Disabilities That Precipitated A Need For Social Inclusion Profound Social Devaluation Of People With Disabilities Few Positive Examples Of People With Disabilities In Valued Social Roles An Absence Of Normative Opportunities In Community Life For People With Disabilities To Contribute And Be Valued For Their Gifts And Strengths An Absence Of A Positive Vision For The Lives Of People And Leaders To Champion It

4. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To “Social Inclusion” i.e. Valued Social Participation The Decision (By Countless Families) Not To Institutionalize Their Family Member The Decision (By Countless Families) That Their Family Member Would Indeed Be A Full And Valued Member Of Their Family The Decision (By Countless Families) That A Full life In The Community Offered Their Family Member The Best Prospects In Life

5. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To Social Inclusion (Cont’) • The Establishment Of The Concept And Moral And Legal Right For Students With Disabilities To Be Educated Entirely Within The Regular School System • The Pioneering Of The Family Supports Needed To Make It Possible For Families To Have What They Need To Successfully Have Their Family Member With A Disability Live At Home With Them

6. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To Social Inclusion (Cont’) • The Creation And Continuation Of All Manner Of Personal, Systemic And Legal Forms of Advocacy Based On The Premise Of Full (And Equal) Lives Within The Community For people With Disabilities • The Establishment Of The First Basic Community Services That Would Help People With Disabilities Live Their Lives Within Communities

7. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To Social Inclusion (Cont’) The Forming, Growth And Maturation Of Key Strategic Activist Alliances In Regards To Social Inclusion At Local/Provincial/National And International Levels The Millions Of Small Instances Over Decades Where Families Included Their Family Member With A Disability In All Of The Rich Aspects Of Personal, Family And Community Life

8. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To Social Inclusion (Cont’) • The Ultimately Effective Advocacy For The Successful Closure Of Large Residential Institutions With Much Better Life Options Created (At The Time) Without Any Irresponsible “Dumping” Of People With Disabilities Into Communities Without Good Supports. • The Cultivation Of Allies Within Governments Who Championed Social inclusion And Gave It Political, Moral And Bureaucratic Reality

9. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To Social Inclusion (Cont’) • Creating Innumerable Instructive And Inspiring Stories Of How The Lives Of People With Disabilities Can Succeed In Becoming Personally Fulfilled In So Many Ways Within Everyday Community Life • Family, Professional And Governmental Leaders Being Willing To Believe In And To Stay Steadfast To The Eventual Potential Of People With Disabilities To Be Within Valued Social Roles In Their Communities

10. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To Social Inclusion (Cont’) • Achieving, In Many Jurisdictions, Some Of The Highest Rates Of Socially Inclusive Individualized Employment Ever Attained. • Developing Supports That Have Made It Possible For Even Those With The Most Significant Degrees Of Disability To Be Able To Maintain A Socially Inclusive Lifestyle In The Community. • The Positive Shift In Public Attitudes Towards Persons With Disabilities.

11. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To Social Inclusion (Cont’) The Rise And Gradual Expansion Of Efforts At Social Inclusion In Higher Education, In Multiple Locales, For Persons With Developmental Disabilities The Creation Of Many Enduring Examples Of Socially Inclusive Options To Conventional Segregated Programs In Regards To Leisure And Other Lifestyle Related Interests. The Commonwealth Integrated Games

12. Historical Achievements By Families And Other Allies In Regards To Social Inclusion (Cont’) The Development Of Support Within Many Community Organizations For A Policy Of Social Inclusion Of Persons With Disabilities The Passage Of International Charters Of Rights That Are Premised On The Full Citizenship And Inclusion Of Persons With Disabilities The Numbers Of People With Disabilities That Now Have Homes And Lives “Of Their Own”