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About us

Mission Statement

Inclusive Living Sheffield will help disabled people overcome the barriers that prevent them from being fully included in society.

Inclusive Living Sheffield

• Is a 'not for profit' company and a registered charity driven by disabled people
• Delivers responsive, high quality and professional services
• Focuses on the barriers to services that people face, not specific impairments
• Works in effective partnership with the public, private and voluntary sectors to improve the accessibility of services for all
• Is working towards delivering services directly to disabled people
• Enables disabled people to take part in their community as service users, workers and managers
• Is committed to accountability, integrity and openness
• Uses the 'social approach' to disability, working to dismantle the social and environmental barriers that disabled people can face

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ILS Strategic Objectives

• To promote choice, control and independence for disabled people by empowering them as consumers of services
• To strive to make services accessible to everyone - and promote good practice across Sheffield and nationally
• To strengthen the voice of disabled people within planning, policy making and partnership arenas
• To promote the values which underpin the work of ILS through the development of best practice with our partners and clients
• To work in effective partnership with the public, private and voluntary / community sectors in achieving the above objectives

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A social approach to disability

ILS uses a ‘social approach' to disability, rather than the ‘medical approach'. People with impairments are disabled by the barriers they face in every day life – such as inaccessible communication formats, other people's attitudes or inaccessible buildings - not by the way minds and bodies work. This approach has now been adopted as good practice by central government, as well as internationally. Inclusive Living Sheffield is underpinned by a social approach to disability. The company's values and behaviour reflect this.

People are different to each other. The way that society is organised tends to treat everybody as if they are the same and not to take account of individual differences and requirements. For example, most people can walk and also use cars. This is not thought to be different or unusual. Society is organised with roads, garages etc to facilitate this. Someone who cannot walk may use a wheelchair, but because this is thought to be unusual there may be many places eg the first floor of a building, that cannot be accessed. If a lift or ramp is included as part of the design then someone who uses a wheelchair has no access difficulty.

As part of the ordinary human condition some people have impairments. This can mean they need to do things differently. Impairments can be caused by:

• Accidents
• Society activity, either intentional (eg war) or accidental (eg industrial accident)
• Illness, disease, genetic inheritance
• Appearance eg facial scar
• A previous condition that influences attitudes

Disability means 'to be prevented from doing something'. People with impairment have reduced opportunities to take part in ordinary day to day activities on an equal level with other people. They may be prevented from doing things by barriers in the way society is organised. Most impairments cannot be cured or changed, but we can change society.

People with impairments are discriminated against ie treated less favourably, because of barriers in society. Barriers can include:

• Negative attitudes and stereotypes
• Lack of information
• Materials in a format that cannot be understood eg use of written text for someone with a visual impairment
• Inaccessible transport and housing
• Lack of personal assistance or support
• Lack of equipment and/or adaptations
• Lack of flexibility eg rigid timetables
• Lack of access to public buildings, educational opportunities and leisure activities
• Reduced employment prospects

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A snapshot of the company

ILS is a not for profit company, and a registered charity, controlled by disabled people. We are also a membership organisation with over 50 full (disabled) members; and 15 associate (non-disabled) members. Amongst the initiatives with which we are involved are:

• Facilitating consultation with disabled people in Sheffield on relevant local and national issues
• Partnership working with disabled people, the statutory services and the health services in Sheffield
• Sympsons; a project which aims to promote independence for young people with very high support needs

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