#independentlivingalternatives – empowering disabled people

 

Attitudes from society are still poor; perceptions of disability as negative and people searching for a cure or to eradicate disability; financial aspects in these current times of austerity people worry about funding from the government for income and for care. People are also risk adverse worrying that it might be dangerous for the disabled person or that society must “look after” disabled people but have a misperception of what a person wants. IE you need to risk assess going on holiday because you are disabled or I need to check that you are OK because you are disability. The general perception is that disabled people are always vulnerable. However, if they are given the right support disabled people are active and equal members of society.

ILA provides user controlled personal assistance placing the disabled person in control of the services that they need in order to live independently. This enables people to self-determine their own lives, to do what they want, when they want to do it.

Enabling people to have direct control over every aspect of their lives and enabling people to make life choices and mistakes in order to work out what they want.

The volunteering programme is an opportunity primarily for people from overseas to work with disabled people in London to understand and explore disability issues in the UK. Volunteers receive pocket money and accommodation in return for working for a disabled person for 6 months to one year.

ILA works with the public sector to identify people who may want a user controlled service and we work to promote the concept of user autonomy and the rights of disabled people to live independently. It is difficult to make changes when people are very risk adverse and ILA’s role is to endeavour to change society’s perception and also to empower the disabled people who want to manage their own personal assistance.