Blogs

Re-imagining the Role of Human Service Workers: Staff Experiences of a Social Change Initiative

The need for change in the field is evident given the continued marginalization of people with intellectual disabilities.

So much of who we are is based on the opportunities that we took advantage of. Some of those opportunities were as simple as education choices, jobs, relationships, vacation destinations and even getting a driver’s license. Some of the opportunities we take might even represent a degree of ‘healthy risk’ – like snowboarding, biking across town or taking a solo trip. Our opportunities add up, provide us with skills, knowledge and experience, and eventually shape who we are as individuals.

Accessibility isn’t, we’ve learned, just about the physical environment, and discrimination isn’t just about negative attitudes. So much of what non-disabled people design is designed for people just like them. The problem is, people with disabilities are a growing demographic and already represent about 15% of our population - so designing systems, policies and environments that inadvertently create barriers just isn’t something we can afford as a society to ignore anymore.