Integration ‘more important than ever’

The sense of belonging is part of human nature; no matter who you are, everyone deserves to feel like they belong. The power of communities and integration is that they represent a coming together of different walks of life, whether that be race, age, religion or abilities; communities don’t discriminate. However, with increasing budget cuts and the rise of social media replacing real-life social interaction, communities in the United Kingdom that were so representative of British culture have started to fade, and minorities are starting to feel this pinch.

People with learning disabilities can often feel sidelined and siloed when it comes to integrating into the community. It’s important that we all come together to ensure that we are making the most of the community and that the wonders of the British community continue to help people feel like they belong.

The role of the community

People with learning disabilities have previously struggled to find their place in the community. The government is pledging to increase funding for modernising and creating new builds to tackle social isolation, but that alone isn’t enough. We need to make sure that we can make a conscious effort to encourage a sense of togetherness. In 2017, Scope revealed the chronic loneliness epidemic experienced by disabled people every day, with 85 per cent of young disabled adults (18-34-year-olds) feeling lonely. Furthermore, the research showed how on a typical day, one in eight disabled people only had half an hour of interaction.

Recently, libraries in Brighton have opened cafés in partnership with charity Team Domenica to help people with learning disabilities unleash their career potential by creating job opportunities in these cafés. Libraries are constantly fighting for survival in the community, and this is a wonderful example of how we can take advantage of what already exists while helping people with learning disabilities feel integrated into the community.

Furthermore, communities can create a feeling of independence for people with learning disabilities. Giving them the autonomy to work and contribute to the community will give them a sense of purpose that is all too often overlooked. Better access to transport links and leisure facilities will create freedom of movement, which will also prevent marginalisation, and the feeling of purpose will encourage more activity in the community.

Role of technology and innovation

Technology is permeating every industry, and the care industry has recently welcomed a myriad of new innovations to help create a better quality of life for those who need it most. One example is the Tovertafel Up, an innovation from the Netherlands that brings people with learning disabilities together with games. The Tovertafel is a small box that is installed into the ceiling and projects interactive lights that form exciting, challenging and playful games that everyone can join in on.

Many Tovertafel Ups are installed in public places like libraries and community centres to create a central meeting point in the community, not in a closed environment. The Allensway Learning Disability centre, in Stockton, is one such example where community groups outside of Stockton travel to access the Tovertafel, providing an activity for those in rural communities with cognitive challenges. The games are unique because of their grown-up character and accessibility for people with different developmental levels. They are open for everyone to play with, spectate, and enjoy from afar. Other technologies are becoming more advanced every day, ranging from assistive technology devices to keep people independent as long as possible, or to learn skills like writing and cooking. These skills are imperative in making people with learning disabilities feel included in the community.

Integrating adults with learning disabilities into the community is more important than ever. The community holds much more importance the older people get, and it’s important that we enable adults with learning disabilities to show off the skills they possess and empower them to learn new skills too. The power of community combats many social epidemics, and coming together to create cafés, theatre shows and making use of innovative technologies to integrate adults in the community has never been as important as it is now.

John Ramsay is CEO and Founder of Shift8.

John Ramsay

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