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latrobe.edu.au CRICOS Provider 00115M
Supporting Social Inclusion
Professor Christine Bigby& Ilan Wiesel
Outline
Research background to training package
Foundations in person centred active support - transferring and applying
concepts to the community
Social exclusion and inclusion
Tools to support encounters
Research and Background What happens when people with intellectual disability ‘access the
community’
Following along with 27 people and their workers 160 hours
Survey and interviews with community members
Feedback and discussion with support workers
Role play and improvisations by Ever After Theatre group
Pilot with support workers
Inclusion
What is social exclusion and inclusion?
Social exclusion means being shut out from the social, economic and
political systems which make up our society.
Experiencing social exclusion can mean one or more of the following:
Struggling financially to make ends meet and having limited options for
improving your financial situation;
Feeling socially isolated or lonely, having few friends and limited
opportunities to meet new people or make new relationships;
Having limited access to community resources such as health,
educational and recreational services;
Having no 'voice' and influence over decisions that affect your life.
Social inclusion - opposite, being actively engaged in our society's social,
economic and political systems, and consequently feeling a sense of
belonging and having more choices and opportunities in life
Meaningful social relationships one element of
social inclusion
• Relationships with family and friends define and shape who we are;
• Family and friends provide all sorts of help and support, from small to
big things;
• Having positive relationships with family and friends makes us happier
and healthier;
• Much of what we know about the world, we learn from our family and
friends;
• Family and friends provide us with 'social capital' – material and non-
material resources that we can use to achieve things we cannot
achieve on our own;
• Through existing friends, we can get to meet new friends;
Social inclusion more than just lasting
relationships Broad spectrum
• Being recognised as a legitimate community member - acknowledged
• Encounters with strangers - fleeting interactions and connections
• Becoming known as an individual by others
• Forging acquaintances
• Actively participating with shared purpose with other community
members
• Forming friendships
• Not necessarily a linear process but one might lead to another at times
Encounters with strangers
Mod 1 Vid 1 - value of encounters
Mod 1 Vid 2 - types of encounter – beyond presence or participation
Non-encounter
Passive acceptance / respect for privacy
“I do not avoid people with disability but I do not invade their space unless
they want me to” (locality survey respondent)
Fleeting encounters
• Non-verbal gestures (eye-contact, nods, smiles)
• Greetings and brief verbal exchanges
• Commercial transactions
Inclusive encounters
Shared purpose activity
Dance or exercise class
Clean-up Australia Day event
Rooting for a football team
Dory (participant with intellectual disability): “I have people [co-
residents in independent living complex] that I associate with, I don’t
really call them friends. It’s sort of a tolerance thing, I’ll tolerate them
and they’ll, they’ll tolerate me and it’s, we’ll all tolerate each other and
live, happily, happily? But it’s not really a friend… it’s more the people
that I’ve, you know, I sit with at sporting events.”
Exclusionary encounters
• Impatience
• Staring, singling out
• Intolerance of different and in some case disruptive behaviours (noise, physical
contact)
• Segregated activities for people with intellectual disability within mainstream
services, or exclusion from main events
“They do have them [people with intellectual disability], coming down there, as a,
to learn and play bowls, yes? ... But not on a Friday, no … I won’t say it’s a serious
day, but there’s a lot of competition, because [bowlers] come from other clubs”
(locality interviews)
“There is one church community just now, that has tried to have … a time
[separate service] for handicapped people to come together themselves, in their
own time of community in, within the church setting … some of the parents were
very supportive of that” (locality interviews)
Activity
Think back on some of your own encounters with strangers, and describe
2-3 of those encounters that were particularly meaningful for you, for
example:
• a gesture or a word said to you by a stranger that has made you feel
welcome or unwelcome in a place
• a brief encounter with a stranger that has challenged some of your
initial pre-conceptions about a certain 'social group'
• a situation where seeing yourself through the eyes of a stranger has
taught you something new about yourself
Exploring opportunities for encounter
Supporting choices about places
Familiar places
becoming a familiar place
feeling welcome and safe
confident to initiate conversation
Trying out new places
to get to know your community better;
more options of places you can later choose to return to;
to get to meet new people;
to challenge yourself by occasionally breaking out of your routine
and stepping out of your comfort zone.
‘Meeting places’ • Mainstream places that are open to anyone in the community (as
opposed to specialist places where people with disability are
segregated)
• Accessible places which are accessible and welcoming to people with
intellectual disability
• beyond physical access
• ‘communication accessibility' relates to how information is
presented, and whether these formats are accessible for people
with communication disabilities.
• whether a venue’s staff - such as shop keepers or librarians - are
able to communicate effectively with people with intellectual
disability.
• where people are not excluded because they have an intellectual
disability - not allowed to engage in activities with others, for
example, a bowling club where people with intellectual disability
cannot participate in games with others.
Convivial places where friendly interaction and
conversation between people is encouraged
Convivial places
Sociable
An atmosphere which encourages friendly interaction
and conversation between people, including strangers.
Intimate
A place where people feel more comfortable, informal
and experience more personal communications with
others.
Inclusive
A place where people of different gender, age, cultural
background, ability or other differences feel welcome
and safe.
Vibrant
Places teeming with life and energy, where exciting
things are happening or can be expected to happen;
there are opportunities for strangers to engage together
in purposeful activity such as singing in a choir,
drawing in an art group, or discussing a book in a
reading club.
Non-convivial places
Alienated
An atmosphere which discourages interaction between
people.
Impersonal
Places where people tend to remain anonymous and
communications are more formal and less personal in
nature.
Exclusive
Places where only certain types of people are
welcome; although these places can be very sociable
for some people, for others these may be experienced
as unsafe or unwelcoming places.
Dull
Places where nothing too exciting is happening or can
be expected to happen; each person seems to be 'doing
their own thing' in isolation from others.
Activity 2 Mapping meeting places in your own community
• Think about four places in the local area (neighbourhood or suburb) where you
live, such as a park, a shop, a café, an entertainment venue, a library, a
community centre or other.
• Think of yourself as an explorer trying to capture the atmosphere and essence
of places - observing the physical settings and the social interaction that is
taking place there.
• Describe whether the place is welcoming, and whether the atmosphere in the
place is sociable or alienated, intimate or impersonal, inclusive or exclusive,
vibrant or dull.
• Which of these places would offer the best opportunities for you to encounter
strangers?
• What risks should be considered in relation to activities in this place?
• Are these places accessible and welcoming for people with intellectual
disability?
• Which of these places would offer the best opportunities for people with
intellectual disability to encounter strangers and experience social inclusion?
• What risks should be considered in relation to activities in this place?
Barriers to social inclusion
People with intellectual disability often live in a ‘distinct social space’
Why
• Shut out – few opportunities to participate or be present in the past
• Community attitudes – people avoid making contact
negative, stereotypical beliefs
embarrassment
feeling unsure what is and is not appropriate.
worry that it might be difficult to ‘disengage’
• Cognitive and communication differences
communication between people with different cognitive abilities and
communication skills can sometimes be difficult.
some people with intellectual disability communicate in non-verbal ways
break social rules
• Practices of disability support staff
can play a very positive role in solving some of the problems
can also be part of the problem when they act as a barrier to, rather than
a facilitator of, community participation
Practices which limit opportunities
Mod 3 vid 2
Groups - dynamics
Busy schedules – take too much time
Protect people or the public
Speaking on behalf of people
Poor planning
In your experience as a disability support worker, what community
attitudes have you faced that prevented opportunities for encounters
and social inclusion?
Or what support worker practices have prevented opportunities?
Mod 7 vid 2
Planning to go out Person centred plan – overarching picture of person interests – sense of direction
Understanding local community – what’s available
Support choices – pictures – clips – trying out places
Specific planning can help:
• Use of staff time
• Preparing for potential complications
• Discussion about expectations
• Role play possibilities
• Stimulates creativity – thinking about options and making informed choice
Need to leave space for spontaneity
Before leaving the door
• Neat and appropriate physical presentation
• Communication aids
• Cash
• Transport
Impact of poor planning mod 4 v id 2
Making encounters happen Making judgment - whether its appropriate or not
Seizing opportunities for encounter - 'every moment has potential'.
without support there may be many 'missed opportunities‘
community members - willing to interact by making eye-contact or smiling
person with intellectual disability misses the signs or seems unsure how
to respond.
mod 5 vid 1 mod 5 vid 2
Letting go
respect privacy – watch body language
Creating an inviting atmosphere
help set-up a mood or atmosphere that is more inviting for other people to
make contact -staying attuned to the
environment and the people around
you.
Responding to opportunities
directing their attention to subtle signs
prompting
making an introduction
Activity
Should a support worker proactively try to initiate encounters for a service
user who is shy, and usually prefers to avoid social interactions with
strangers?
Examples of tactics you have used to initiate encounters for the person
you support?
Managing encounters
When is it appropriate to intervene?
Stepping back - doing nothing
mod 6 vid 1
Being an interpreter – facilitating communication
Mod 6 vid 2
Redirecting attention of others
mod 7 vid 3
Activity
Think of situations where you have acted as an interpreter to facilitate
more effective communication between a service user and a stranger.
Did you manage to interpret their messages to each other? Would you do
things differently now?
Challenging encounters
Despite good planning and support, some people might still present
behaviours that are not merely 'unconventional', but are socially
unacceptable and potentially harmful, such as:
Causing physical harm to other people
Inappropriately touching other people's body and belongings
Disobeying the formal or informal rules of a venue, for example by
being very noisy
Mod 7 vid 1
In the video example, the support worker explains Larry’s behaviour to
a stranger, but does not try to stop Larry from taking the bottle without
permission. Do you think the support worker did the right thing? Would
you have done it differently?
Each brief encounter with a stranger may seem trivial, but the
accumulated sum of such contact is an important aspect of
inclusion/exclusion
Community attitudes a challenge, but over time encounters will change
these
Key role for support staff in creating opportunities for encounter, and
assisting people with intellectual disability manage such encounters –
need for skill set
Extending to inclusion in groups
Its complex – processes of adjustment to be inclusive – require skilled negotiation
Leadership response
Differentiated or non-differentiated
Initial anxiety
Fitting in, being manageable
Conditions imposed
Discernment process
Group social processes
Expectations (beliefs about right place, wrong place)
Taking responsibility (shared across group or designated)
Accurate feedback (to adjust to group norms)
Familiarity (prior contact-level of comfort and modelling for others)
Kindness (presence of genuine warmth and positive regard)
Skills and characteristics of central participant
Use of initiative, be willing to try, people skills.
Access to expertise
Presence of integrating activity
Processes of adjustment
Community kitchen as exception
Difference dilemma
Access to expertise
Presence of integrating activity
Features of active participation – sharing common purpose
Equal membership status
Mutually rewarding for participants with and without intellectual disability
Working cooperatively toward a common goal
Effective use of expertise to develop capacity
Continuum of participation
Adjustment necessary even in the most inclusive
places
For example supporting inclusion in a community group -
Knowing the person and their interests – no small task
Locating and undertaking an analysis of groups and their culture
Presence of right conditions for meaningful contact and shard purpose (frequency, sustained over time, structured activity that fosters shared purpose and cooperation)
Is there authority support
Is there presence of integrating activity
Willingness to make effective use of skilled support
Early negotiation – ongoing or episodic support
skilled support to facilitate inclusion (shaping expectations, ensuring accurate feedback, transferring responsibility, utilising and building on familiarity and kindness)
Adequate preparation of people with intellectual disability
Coordination with other supporters involved in person’s life
Complex work requires focus and skill
Resources and References
Supporting Inclusion – Online training program (Bigby & Wiesel, 2015)
http://supportinginclusion.weebly.com (password encounter)
(password: encounter).
Transition to Retirement – Guide to inclusive practice
Stancliffe, Wilson, Gambin, Bigby, Balandin (2013).
manual and DVD is available
online at http://purl.library.usyd.edu.au/sup/9781743323274
Introduction to Active Support
On line training materials for active support
Greystanes Disability Services and La Trobe University, Living with Disability Research Centre
http://www.activesupportresource.net.au
References
Bigby, C.,& Wiesel, I. (2011). Encounter as a dimension of social inclusion for people
with intellectual disability: beyond and between community presence and
participation. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 36(4), 263-267.
Wiesel, I.,& Bigby, C. (2014). Being recognised and becoming known: encounters
between people with and without intellectual disability in the public realm. Environment
and Planning A, 46(7), 1754-1769.
Wiesel, I., Bigby, C., & Carling-Jenkins, R. (2013). ‘Do You Think I’m Stupid?’: Urban
Encounters between People with and without Intellectual Disability. Urban
Studies, 50(12), 2391-2406.
Bigby, C., & Wiesel, I. (2015). Mediating community participation: Practice of support
workers in initiating, facilitating or disrupting encounters between people with and without
intellectual disability. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disability 28, 307–318
Craig, D., & Bigby, C. (2015). “She’s been involved in everything as far as I can see”:
Supporting the active participation of people with intellectual disabilities in community
groups. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability. 40, 12-25
Bigby, C., Wilson, N., Stancliffe, R., Balandin, S., Craig, D, Gambin, N. (2014). An Effective
Program Design to Support Older Workers with Intellectual Disability Participate
Individually in Community Groups. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disability.
11, 117-127
Stancliffe, R., Bigby, C., Balandin, S., Wilson, N., Craig, D. (2014). Transition to retirement
and participation in inclusive community groups using active mentoring: An outcomes
evaluation with a matched comparison group. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research
59(8), 703-718. doi: 10.1111/jir.12174
Stancliffe, R., Wilson, N., Gambin, N., Bigby, C., Balandin, S (2013). Transition to
retirement: A guide to inclusive practice. Sydney: Sydney University Press.
Mansell, J., & Beadle Brown, J. (2012) Active support – Jessica Kingsley
Bigby, C., Anderson, S., & Bould, E. (2015). “I might need a hand with that” - Enabling
mutual support & social connections for people with intellectual disabilities. Living with
Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.9/319804
Bigby, C., Bould, E., & Beadle-Brown, J. (2015). ‘Not as connected with people as they want
to be’: Optimising outcomes for people with intellectual disability in supported living
arrangements. Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University
http://hdl.handle.net/1959.9/316724
Thank you
latrobe.edu.au CRICOS Provider 00115M
Contact Living with Disability Resource Centre, La Trobe University
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/school-allied-health/research/living-with-a-disability
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/health/about/staff/profile?uname=CBigby
