What is community inclusion?

A large portion of my job involves writing various materials -- press releases, news information, photo captions, and (of course) the agency's newsletter ARC Notes.  Every now and then I drop the word "community inclusion" into something.  It's a term we use very often around here...but its not something that people outside of our agency would understand.  Community inclusion, for the most part, is just being included in the community.  It pretty much involves everything -- education, job training, employment, and volunteer work.  It even includes little things we do every day like going grocery shopping or the bank, enjoying lunch at a restaurant, or browsing through items at a store.

Sounds like a pretty simple concept, right?  Historically speaking, not so much.  The concept of community inclusion, as we know it today, is recent.  Before agencies like Ontario ARC were formed, people with developmental disabilities were not accepted in the community.  If they were sent off to an institution, they stayed home and rarely went out in public.  They were typically not welcomed at their local schools.  Families didn't have access to services that helped them map out their children's future. There were no residential programs, like we offer today.  There was very little available to assist parents, families, or individuals with developmental disabilities.

Thankfully, all of that has changed.  We are fortunate enough today to receive a tremendous outpouring of support from local residents.  Not only do we have their backing, but they often help us develop opportunities for participants to join in various community projects, like the Community Reading Partnership's Little Red Bookshelf.  Or find job opportunities for people, like our friends at Thompson Hospital, Canandaigua V.A. Hospital, or Tariff Affliates have.  The bottom line?  The concept of community inclusion is alive and well in Ontario County.  And we have the local community to thank for it.