Articles & Documents
We hope you find the following collection of articles and documents of assistance. You can read them on line or download by clicking on the green buttons. For further information or queries please contact Belonging Matters on Phone/Fax +61 03 9739 8333 or Email info@belongingmatters.org
Social Role Valorisation
Roles Based Planning: A Thoughtful Approach to Social Inclusion and Empowerment
Scott Ramsey
ROLES BASED PLANNING is a new, innovative approach to planning that marries the most beneficial components of person-centered planning to the critical thought base associated with Social Role Valorization (Wolfensberger, 1998) and to field best practices for improving social status, social inclusion and employment outcomes for marginalized populations. Since its inception in 2002, Roles Based Planning has led to some of the best employment and social inclusion outcomes for adults with develop- mental disabilities in North America.
What Does Social Role Valorization Have to Teach Us About How Best to Support People with Disability?
John Armstrong
Sometimes the focus upon people’s physical and intellectual impairments obscures the realisation that people are also very devalued by their society and community, and often even by human service agencies themselves. Devaluation brings social repercussions to people’s situations that can be more impactful and pervasive than the intrinsic impairments that occupy much of our attention.
This article introduces the reader to the major implications of social devaluation and proposes a set of strategic responses utilising substantial empirical evidence taken from the fields of education, psychology and social science especially role theory.
Membership of The International Social Role Valorization Association
Our international organisation, comprised of individual and organizational members from across the globe, provides a network of support and alliance with others working to understand and use SRV. ISRVA maintains and updates the major SRV website, available in both English and French, keeps us all connected through social media, and provides opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue, training, and study for members. In addition, we support periodic International SRV Conferences, and offer small grants for SRV study and scholarship.
The International Social Role Valorization Association
Circles of Support
A Guide to Circles of Support
Many people with a disability, with the support of their families have taken great strides to improve social inclusion and access to their community but often this task depends on one or two key family members. This creates a significant concern about what will happen when these family members are no longer able to provide support in the future. Circles of Support are one of the ways people with disability can safeguard their vision and support in the future.
Voice - The Journal of Down Syndrome Australia: Deb Rouget and Teresa Micallef
Home Share
Are you living with a disability and looking for an opportunity to live independently? Maybe you’re looking for a housemate, but worried about finding the right person? We’re here to help... Home Share Melbourne provides a range of services that make it easier for you to make a great choice about where you live, how you live and who you live with.
Home Share Melbourne
Home and Accommodation
Belonging Matters’ Submission to the NDIA Home and Living consultation: An ordinary Life at Home. September 2021
"In this submission, we have provided a brief overview of Belonging Matters, our work, some of the barriers people with a disability face in regard to securing an ordinary home life (gained from nearly 20 years of supporting people with intellectual disability and Autism), some reflections from a recent consultation with people with intellectual disability and family members, as well as some recommendations about what needs to change to enable more people with a disability to achieve an ordinary home, and life at home in which they can enjoy and thrive."
Belonging Matters
You Can’t Solve Homelessness Through Housing Alone
"The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is not responsible for providing accommodation for people in need of housing assistance. What the NDIS is responsible for are the supports to ‘assist a person with disability to live in the community, including building their capacity to maintain a tenancy’. This policy imperative is consistent with Australia’s obligations as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which includes the obligation to support people to achieve their rights to live in and be included in the community.
In the context of an NDIS funding environment, questions therefore arise as to what constitutes quality (and indeed value for money)
in individualised community living; and how might people and their families plan for and demonstrate quality outcomes that are sustainable over time? The Individual Supported Living (ISL) framework provides a research backed approach with practical guidance to address these questions."
Keith McVilly, University of Melbourne, Gemma Dodevska, University of Melbourne,
Jenny Crosbie, University of Melbourne, Errol Cocks, Curtin University, Stian Thoresen, Curtin University, Allyson Thomson, Curtin University, Patricia O’Brien, University of Sydney
Creating Home - Establishing the Features that Turn a Dwelling into a Home
(Extract) Home constitutes the most important domain in our lives. This is not to say that other domains lack importance; our work- life, community connections, education or spiritual pursuits enrich us greatly and are greatly needed, yet all of these pursuits can still not flourish without the essential and secure foundation of a home. Refugees have shelter, but cannot flourish until they have home. People in group homes, nursing homes and shelters for the poor, have shelter, but do not have home. They can be said to be homeless; not shelter-less, but homeless. And they do not and cannot flourish.
By John Armstrong
Crucial Times - CRU Newsletter
This edition of CRUcial Times is an exploration of what it means to create a home. We want to explore how we can assist people with disability to have more than just a bed, a room in someone else’s home or basic shelter but a home that others would clearly recognise and maybe even envy. Having a stable home can open doors to community, growth and connection.
Community Resource Unit
QUALITY AND OUTCOMES OF INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTED LIVING (ISL) ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
The aim of the project was to learn more about the characteristics of Individual Supported Living (ISL) in order to inform, educate, and influence greater “take-up” of these options by families and support services to enhance the lives of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
By Professor Errol Cocks, Professor Patricia O’Brien, Dr Stian H Thoresen, Professor Keith McVilly
A Home of My Own
Cameron Skinner lives in Warrigal, Victoria. He is a receptionist for the Jeremiah Business Group, lives in his own home and believes in the importance of giving back to community through volunteering and sharing his story at workshops and conferences. He is also an avid Collingwood Football Club supporter. Deb Rouget has been involved in the lives of people with a disability and families for nearly 30 years. She has been the Chief Executive Officer of Belonging Matters since its inception in 20
By Cameron Skinner & Deb Rouget (First published in Monash University's jounral, 'Parity' 2018)
Community
What Helps You Feel Included Guide:
A study with people with intellectual disability talking about loneliness and feeling included.
Click Here for the 'Easy Read' version.
By Sally Robinson, Jan Idles, and Tim Cahalan
Loneliness and how to counter it: People with intellectual disability share their experiences and ideas - A study by Flinders University
A study with people with intellectual disability talking about loneliness and feeling included. In this inclusive research study, 17 people with intellectual disability participated in focus groups or individual interviews and talked about what makes them feel lonely and what helps them to feel included.
By Sally Robinson, Jan Idles, and Tim Cahalan
Neighbourhood Circles Project Part One
The Neighbourhood Circles project is being delivered as part of the Inclusive Neighbourhoods Initiative and aims to strengthen
the models for neighbourhoods where everyone has a role to play; where everyone is recognised, respected and included. This project is about exploring, strengthening, amplifying and advocating for current and future neighbourhood initiatives that work to include and look out for all members of its community. Neighbourhoods where all individuals, regardless of circumstance, can experience inclusion and belonging. The following document highlights the variety of ways that different neighbourhood circles can form and take shape in the greater Adelaide region and provides some background to different concepts that can help to support their amplification, inclusivity and sustainability into the future..
Community Living Project
Neighbourhood Circles Project Part Two
The first Neighbourhood Mapping document focused on exploring and enhancing our understanding of the different types of neighbourhood circles that exist across the greater Adelaide region, as well as some of their potential barriers to inclusion, accessibility and sustainability. We believe it is important to highlight some of the next steps for neighbourhood circles and initiatives to address some of the potential barriers, which may help us to think about what it might take to support more vulnerable people to be included in
the future. While this document does not attempt to provide all the answers to many of the questions that arose throughout the course of this project, it hopes to instil further confidence and inspiration
in our neighbourhoods as stronger places of safeguarding and belonging. The strength in our neighbourhoods resides in the stories that they tell. Sharing stories from our neighbourhoods becomes the guiding force behind this document, in which their significance as sources of belonging are addressed.
Community Living Project
The Art of Asking
What does it take to ask, and to enhance our skills in the art of asking?
By Ric Thompson
Empowerment
Belonging Matters’ Submission to the NDIA Support for Decision Making Consultation, September, 2021
In this submission, we have provided a brief overview of Belonging Matters, our work, insight into some of the barriers to decision making (gained from nearly 20 years of supporting people with intellectual disability and Autism), some reflections from a recent consultation with people with intellectual disability and family members as well as some recommendations for enabling more effective support for decision-making.
Seven Steps to Self Direction
Building right relationship between people with disability, their families, friends and support workers
Valued Lives Health Passport
In light of the COVID-19 Virus The passport is a detailed document that can be used as communication tool to fill out with important information that is readily available to whoever supports/cares for you in a changing/emergency situation e.g. if visiting a doctor, having to go to hospital, having a new support worker care for you
Valued Lives
Discerning Actual Levels of Substantive Empowerment:
Transforming Agencies to Personalised Supports
Work
School Inclusion
Vision for an Inclusive Education
A ‘vision’ can help people with disability and their families get what others often take for granted: a good life. A vision document capturing long-term hopes and dreams can be a powerful tool for sharing long-term goals and clarifying the place school can play in achieving that vision. A vision of an inclusive life is essential if a family wants a child with a disability to live a life embedded within, and contributing to their community, rather than being a ‘visitor’ on the outskirts. An in
Community Resource Unit Queensland
Learning From Home during COVID-19
The site provides general advice to parents in the current situation and useful websites to support student’s wellbeing.There are links to information on disability specific areas and Assistive Technology in the Inclusion tab and additional resources can be found in the Learning Resources tab
Deaprtment of Education Queensland
From Behaving to Belonging: The Inclusive Art of Supporting Students Who Challenge Us
About This Book: Challenging behavior is one of the most significant issues educators face. Though it may seem radical to use words like love, compassion, and heart when we talk about behavior and discipline, the compassionate and heartfelt words, actions, and strategies teachers employ in the classroom directly shape who students are—and who they will become. But how can teaching from the heart translate into effective supports and practices for students who exhibit challenging behavior?
Julie Causton & Kate MacLeod
Life Long Learners
Most people with disability have been tagged with a long list of deficits. Many of these are determined through an array of assessments that indicate what is wrong with them. What often follows is a whole series of interventions to try to ‘fix’ their problem. While some of these may be helpful and necessary, too often deficits are used to define the identity of the individual and what their life will be. This can have a negative impact on the experiences, opportunities and roles they are offered
Family Advocacy
A Summary of the Evidence on Inclusive Education
Across the globe, students with disabilities are increasingly educated alongside their nondisabled peers in a practice known as inclusion. Inclusion is prominently featured in a number of international declarations, national laws, and education policies. These policies, coupled with the efforts of advocates for the rights of people with disabilities, have led to a substantial increase in the number of students with disabilities who receive schooling alongside their non-disabled peers.
Dr. Thomas Hehir, Silvana and Christopher Pascucci Professor of Practice in Learning Differences at the Harvard Graduate School of Education IN PARTNERSHIP WITH: Abt Associates 55 Wheeler Street Cambridge, MA 0213