This year May 5th is not just a Bank holiday , it’s European Independent Living Day .
Independent living refers to Disabled people living in the community with the same choices, control, and freedom as any other citizen, including having choice and control over where they live, who they live with and the support they receive. It’s about empowering individuals to make their own decisions about their lives and participate fully in their communities through:
Choice and Control:
Independent living is about having the freedom to choose how to live, who to live with, and what support to access.
Community Inclusion:
It’s about being a part of the community, with access to the same opportunities and services as everyone else.
Personal Support:
While some people may not need any support, others may need help with tasks like personal care, household tasks, or managing finances. Independent living means having access to the support they need to live independently, and the choice to manage that support themselves.
Social Model of Disability:
Independent living is often linked to the social model of disability, which focuses on removing barriers and discrimination to enable full inclusion of Disabled people.
Examples of Independent Living include living in adapted housing, using assistive technology, accessing social services, and receiving support from personal assistants.
We support the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) on #ENILILDAY. On this day let’s remind ourselves of the 12 pillars to independent living ( the 12 basic rights of Disabled people ). Our information Officer has penned a ‘rap’ as a different way of presenting the pillars at a meeting last year and thought you might enjoy reading it !
