In our community, everyone belongs

Inclusion is a way of looking at the world, seeing community, and understanding the role that all people can play in creating the world we live in. It’s a recognition that all people have gifts to share, and that if we provide the opportunities and encouragement that some people need in order to share their gifts, we can create a better world for everyone.

"Our goal should be clear.  We are seeking nothing less than a life surrounded by the richness and diversity of community.  A collective life.  A common life.  An everyday life.  A powerful life that gains its joy from the creativity and connectedness that come when we join in association to create an inclusive world."

from John McKnight, Community and its Counterfeits

There has been a growing realisation that there are still many people who are not actually a part of the community they live in. Despite the best intentioned efforts of specialists and service providers there are many people who don’t have any meaningful interaction within their community – no friends, no activities to participate in, no chance to contribute their gifts...

Community inclusion is a response to this need to bring people in from the edges. Inclusion is based upon the assumption that everyone has things they can offer to strengthen a group, an activity and, by extension, their community. People with disabilities are often the most in need of being connected to their community – through inclusion not only are the lives of people with disabilities made better, but the community itself is made stronger through this coming together.

Groups and associations are the building blocks of any community. This is where people come together for recreation and leisure, volunteering and involvement in their faith communities. Inclusion works best when it is framed in the context of these associations, and therefore here is where the efforts towards inclusion are best focused.

"The people who inhabit a community, their skills, attitudes and abilities, are themselves coming to be considered a natural resource. Developing these resources is becoming an investment of the highest priority at the community, provincial and national level."

from Ready, Willing and Able - Flo Frank / Anne Smith

A view from the Inclusion Toolkit of New Brunswick in Canada