Community‐based cooperative ventures for adults with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

When people with intellectual disabilities gain some influence over the running of their own households and the organisation of their workplaces, their lives can improve markedly. But success depends on community support not only from their families and social workers, but also from nonprofit groups and public services such as social housing and public transit. Dominant trends among institutions in the social sector responsible for meeting the needs of people with intellectual disabilities have produced models that focus on deficiencies, individualisation and service. Through cooperative structures and entrepreneurial activity, projects in community economic development have attempted to replace these models with an emphasis on capacities, collectivisation and care. We describe projects engaged in by community‐based cooperatives in Toronto that demonstrate this approach and encourage those with disabilities to live interdependently and to participate as partners in their own businesses.

Day Service Provision for People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Case Study Mapping 15‐Year Trends in Ireland

“…Regardless of the labels used, group‐orientated activities within centres continue, which many would argue are exploitative, closed, paternalistic and preventive of proper community integration (Kirby 1986; Murphy and Rogan 1995; Parent et al . 1989; Neufeldt 1990; Schuster 1990 as cited in Lemon & Lemon ). Others claim, by contrast, that rather than simply being physically integrated within the general community, service provision should be concerned with connectedness and that such connectedness is actually more achievable within a community of people with an intellectual disability (Cummins & Lau ).…”

Implications of Terrestrial Variations on the utility of Theory of Special Neurodiversity

“…The study evaluated and resolved the implication of topical work on disability within human geography as a whole and suggested possible links to the growing literature on rights, social justice, and ethics. Lemon and Lemon [3] reported that the potential of intellectual special needs people can noticeably improve and imply in managing their households and the workplaces. The study affirmed that the success of such an economic model can happen with community support viz., families, social workers, and from non-profit groups and public services such as social housing and public transit.…”

Volunteer work with vulnerable persons in the community: A qualitative study of social inclusion

“…On the other hand, supported work in a segregated setting, i.e. sheltered work, may serve as a meaningful activity and a way to earn money (Butcher & Wilton, 2008;Hall, 2010), but is also blamed for resulting in exploitation (Hyde, 1998;Lemon & Lemon, 2003) and for perversely bringing about social segregation and stigmatization (Holmqvist, 2010;Sebrechts et al, 2018). Therefore, alternative routes are being explored to socially include these vulnerable groups through work (Hall & Wilton, 2011).…”