Challenges To Inclusion In Our Times

Darcy Elks And Michael Kendrick

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Challenges To Inclusion In Our Times•Societal Context

•Social Inclusion Is Poorly Defined And Many Are Confused About What It Really Is Or Ought To Be

•Lots Of Rhetoric And Very Little Corresponding Practice To Match The Appealing Nature Of The Talk

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Challenges To Inclusion (Cont.)• Despite Official Support For Inclusion Many

Segregated And Congregated Programs Exist And Incentives Are Given To Use Them

• Inclusion Has Often Been Done Poorly And So People Have Dismissed It As Being A Credible Possibility i.e. Social Inclusion Done Well

• Too Often There Is A Void Of Leadership On This Issue, Particularly When It Is Most Needed

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Challenges To Inclusion (Cont.)• Social Inclusion Is A Many Sided And

Complicated Reality And Over Simplifying What Is Involved May Cause Difficulties

• At Least Some Families May Take Social Inclusion For Granted And Get Too (relaxed) Complacent

• Advocates Can Get Worn Down Fighting This And Other Issues And Not Press The Case For Inclusion Well Enough

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Challenges To Inclusion (Cont.)• In Recent Years There Is A Noticeable

Weakening Of Institutional Commitment And Support For Good Quality Social Inclusion

•There Is A Degree Of Failure To Properly Learn From Both Better And Worse Experiences With Social Inclusion

•There Is Growing Concern In Some Circles That There May Be “A Rolling Of The Clock Back”

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Challenges To Inclusion (Cont.)• The Way Forward On Social Inclusion, Given

the Substantive Challenges Involved, Is Poorly Spelled Out By The Current Champions Of And Leaders On Social Inclusion

• The Profound Benefits Of Social Inclusion (Done Well) Are Too Often Trivialized Or Are Much Too “Under Appreciated”

• The Goal Of Social Inclusion Gets Much Greater Emphasis Than The Means To Achieve It, Thereby Leaving It Vulnerable To Being Merely A Sentiment Rather Than A Strategy