Advocating for people with intellectual disability in New Zealand David Corner, Andrea Jamison and Claire Stewart, October 2017

What is IHC? Founded in 1949. Parents wanted their children to be treated the same as other children. Parents wanted their children to have good health and to go to good schools.

IHC Advocates for the rights, inclusion and welfare of all people with intellectual disabilities. Supports people with intellectual disabilities to live satisfying lives in the community.  

IHC believes in people: Being treated with respect and dignity Having a say in their lives Living, learning, working and enjoying life as part of a community Having support to meet their goals and aspirations Being part of a family

Advocacy Talk to local and international leaders Talk to people with disabilities families and supporters Communicate about issues Write letters Facebook Support other advocates Find out about Council Plans, make submissions lobby Government plans, make submissions, Give information Advocacy

Human rights Grounded in human rights Embed human rights “ CRPD speaks to all of society and the nature of the social contract between individuals, families, communities and government” Inclusion International (2012)

To have an ordinary life (2003) Concluded “That many people with intellectual disability had lives that were far from ‘ordinary’ and that there was a long way to go for them to achieve the same day-to-day rights of citizenship as the rest of the population or the vision of the 2001 New Zealand Disability Strategy”

IHC’s 2017 survey Responses suggest: • Progress is stalled but signs that some things are going the right way. • The quality of people's lives depends on where they live, their individual circumstances and, too often, luck. • Families feel worn down and are worried about the future. • Opportunities for a good life are limited in many different and often compounding ways.

Three types of advocacy Systemic advocacy Community advocacy Self-advocacy

We advocate for people with intellectual disabilities Being welcomed and connected in their communities Learning, participating and contributing in same ways/rates as peers Being included in policy, planning, monitoring and reporting Timely, flexible, fair and transparent processes and systems

We advocate for inclusive systems Lobbying and campaigns Writing submissions Keeping up to date with and commenting on issues Supporting the campaigns of others Monitoring progress on government plans and strategies

We advocate for inclusive communities Individual/family and community capacity building Practical skill development Providing information Developing resources Offering workshops/training Providing consultancy/advisory services Community development (working with other community partners to promote inclusion in specific communities)

Self advocacy is… Speaking up about things that important to me Having a say about everything in my life Being listened to Having choices Doing things for myself Having support when I need it People seeing me as an individual

IHC

IHC IHC’s David Corner and Trish Grant - Inclusion International Asia Pacific representatives

Advocacy with Inclusion International IHC Advocacy with Inclusion International Empower us - Inclusion International self- advocacy website http://selfadvocacyportal.com/

http://www.un.org/sustai nabledevelopment/ IHC Sustainable Development Goals - Leave no-one behind. http://www.un.org/sustai nabledevelopment/

IHC Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific http://www.maketherig htreal.net/about-us

https://ihc.org.nz/advocacy www.ihc.org.nz https://ihc.org.nz/advocacy https://ihc.org.nz/ihcs-education-complaint https://ihc.org.nz/sites/default/files/documents/10007_1511_SupportedDecisionMaking_Resource_V4.3_WEB_0.pdf https://www.facebook.com/IHCNewZealand/ https://ihc.org.nz/get-involved/volunteering https://ihc.org.nz/events/art-awards https://www.facebook.com/AlphaGalleryAndStudio/ https://artsaccess.org.nz/