Housing and Independent Living
Mike Wright, Development Director
KeyRing Living Support Networks (UK)
21st April 2012
Introduction
 KeyRing
 Article 19 and its application
 Where do we start?
 Where do we want to end up?
 What’s stopping us?
 Is there hope?!
Introduction
Article 19 of UN Disability Rights
Convention
State Parties to this Convention recognise
the equal right of persons with disabilities
to live in the community with choices equal
to others, and shall take effective and
appropriate measures to facilitate full
enjoyment by persons with disabilities of
this right and their full inclusion and
participation in the Community
UK Government’s Office for Disability
Issues definition of independent living:
Independent living is about disabled
people having the same level of
choice, control and freedom in their
daily lives as any other person
UK Government’s Office for Disability
Issues definition of independent living:
Independent living is about disabled
people having the same level of
choice, control and freedom in their
daily lives as any other person
Asset or Deficit based thinking
Identify
strengths
Services for
more people
Facilitate
their use
Pride,
confidence,
excitement
Finances
fluid
Citizens not
clients
People build
up networks
Less
dependence
on services
Workers
become
third parties
Asset or Deficit based thinking
Highlight
weakness
Services for
few people
Compensate
for them
Anxiety,
lethargy,
pessimism
Finances
locked up
People
belong to
services
Client not
citizen
Increased
dependence
on services
Workers at
centre of
lives
UK Government’s Office for Disability
Issues definition of independent living:
Independent living is about disabled
people having the same level of
choice, control and freedom in their
daily lives as any other person
UK Government’s Office for Disability
Issues definition of independent living:
Independent living is about disabled
people having the same level of
choice, control and freedom in their
daily lives as any other person
Anatole France:
“The law, in its majestic equality,
forbids the rich as well as the poor to
sleep under bridges, to beg in the
streets, and to steal bread”
UK Government’s Office for Disability
Issues definition of independent living:
Independent living is about disabled
people having the same level of
choice, control and freedom in their
daily lives as any other person
UK Government’s Office for Disability
Issues definition of independent living:
Independent living is about disabled
people having the same level of
choice, control and freedom in their
daily lives as any other person
Eleanor Roosevelt:
“No one can make you feel inferior
without your consent”
George W Bush:
“We can't impose freedom, but we
can eliminate roadblocks to freedom,
and to allow free societies to
develop”
UK Government’s Office for Disability
Issues definition of independent living:
Independent living is about disabled
people having the same level of
choice, control and freedom in their
daily lives as any other person
UK Government’s Office for Disability
Issues definition of independent living:
Independent living is about disabled
people having the same level of
choice, control and freedom in their
daily lives as any other person
Who?
Black?
White?
Who?
Male?
Female?
Who?
Christian?
Muslim?
Who?
‘Able bodied’?
‘Disabled’?
Who?
Young?
Old?
Who?
Unknown?
Famous?
Who?
Cleared?
Convicted?
Who?
Entitled?
Titled?
Who?
Who?
The lowest
common
denominator?
The highest
standard?
Is there hope?
Thank you
Mike Wright, Development Director
KeyRing Living Support Networks
www.keyring.org
mike.wright@keyring.org