E. Šumskienė, Violeta Gevorgianienė, Jurga Mataityte-Dirziene, Rasa Geniene
{"title":"People and places: the potential of city events to facilitate the inclusion of people with disabilities in the community life","authors":"E. Šumskienė, Violeta Gevorgianienė, Jurga Mataityte-Dirziene, Rasa Geniene","doi":"10.1108/jpmh-09-2022-0094","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"\nPurpose\nThis paper aims to explore the symbolic meanings of physical places and social spaces for community members with and without disabilities in the process of relocation of people with disabilities into the communities. It particularly focuses on the potential of city events to become places for interacting with each other.\n\n\nDesign/methodology/approach\nThe data was gathered using two methods: drawing ecological maps (indicating places a person visits) and conducting interviews with people with disabilities and other community members. The ecological map is based on the theory of Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1986). Empirical data was gathered in four Lithuanian communities by drawing ecological maps and conducting interviews with community members with disabilities (35) and without disabilities (24).\n\n\nFindings\nData shows that two groups occasionally overlap in physical locations but seldom interact socially. However, city events which are rare, but provide a clearer structure for persons with disabilities and are attractive to other community members as well, offer a good starting point for inclusion.\n\n\nResearch limitations/implications\nFurther research of community places where people with disabilities live and act could focus on, first, the gender differences in people with disabilities participation; second, on the challenging versus nonchallenging community environments and their role in the people with disabilities learning to live and act as community members and citizens. It is also essential to explore the meaning of privacy in the participation of people with disabilities, and the potential of private and less private places to facilitate their inclusion.\n\n\nPractical implications\nIn the context of the ongoing deinstitutionalization, it is essential to identify the means of and desirable support for people with disabilities for their interaction in cafés, markets, bus stops and street corners, which encompass fewer preconditions for preparation. This implies, that practitioners should consider developing the abilities of people with disabilities to cope with the “chaotic order” of social gatherings. However, community-based citizenship implies not only festive city events but participation in decision-making. Thus, social policy actors should consider including people with disabilities in the community councils, increasing information accessibility and thus implementing the vision of an inclusive community.\n\n\nOriginality/value\nThe originality and value of the research lies in revealing the “framed” nature of people with disabilities participation. This type of participation is determined by their institutional experience, financial means and whose appearance (“coming in groups”) is frequently noticed by the community members.\n","PeriodicalId":45601,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Mental Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2023-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Public Mental Health","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jpmh-09-2022-0094","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the symbolic meanings of physical places and social spaces for community members with and without disabilities in the process of relocation of people with disabilities into the communities. It particularly focuses on the potential of city events to become places for interacting with each other.
Design/methodology/approach
The data was gathered using two methods: drawing ecological maps (indicating places a person visits) and conducting interviews with people with disabilities and other community members. The ecological map is based on the theory of Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1986). Empirical data was gathered in four Lithuanian communities by drawing ecological maps and conducting interviews with community members with disabilities (35) and without disabilities (24).
Findings
Data shows that two groups occasionally overlap in physical locations but seldom interact socially. However, city events which are rare, but provide a clearer structure for persons with disabilities and are attractive to other community members as well, offer a good starting point for inclusion.
Research limitations/implications
Further research of community places where people with disabilities live and act could focus on, first, the gender differences in people with disabilities participation; second, on the challenging versus nonchallenging community environments and their role in the people with disabilities learning to live and act as community members and citizens. It is also essential to explore the meaning of privacy in the participation of people with disabilities, and the potential of private and less private places to facilitate their inclusion.
Practical implications
In the context of the ongoing deinstitutionalization, it is essential to identify the means of and desirable support for people with disabilities for their interaction in cafés, markets, bus stops and street corners, which encompass fewer preconditions for preparation. This implies, that practitioners should consider developing the abilities of people with disabilities to cope with the “chaotic order” of social gatherings. However, community-based citizenship implies not only festive city events but participation in decision-making. Thus, social policy actors should consider including people with disabilities in the community councils, increasing information accessibility and thus implementing the vision of an inclusive community.
Originality/value
The originality and value of the research lies in revealing the “framed” nature of people with disabilities participation. This type of participation is determined by their institutional experience, financial means and whose appearance (“coming in groups”) is frequently noticed by the community members.