Why Citizenship Matters - Lessons for Self-Directed Support
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Simon Duffy gave this talk on the importance of citizenship as an ideal and as a practical way of rethinking the purpose of social policy. This talk was given at the Achieving Full Citizenship 2015 Conference in Vancouver.
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Why Citizenship Matters - Lessons for Self-Directed Support
- 1. Why Citizenship Matters Concurrent Session B2i: 30 minute talk with Q&A Thursday, October 15, 2015, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm Dr Simon J Duffy of The Centre for Welfare Reform
- 2. 1. Citizenship is the most important goal for our work together. 2. True citizenship welcomes difference, creates equality and is inclusive of all. 3. Citizens work together to understand how citizenship can be opened up to everyone. 4. Our recent work has, to some degree, helped more people to achieve citizenship. 5. But if we take citizenship seriously then this may change how we carry out our work.
- 3. What are we doing ?
- 4. What is our goal ?
- 5. • Happiness • Care • Love • Inclusion • Empowerment • Fulfilment • Better Outcomes • Increased Social Value • Community Connections • Greater Contribution • Lives of Meaning • Normalisation There are lots of good ideas and nice words that groups use to say what they think we should all be trying to achieve.
- 6. But the most important goal is citizenship
- 7. Why ?
- 8. Because to be a citizen means you are part of the community that decides what its goals are.
- 9. If you are not a citizen you are outside and any goals that are set are not your goals (although they may still be set for you).
- 10. What kind of citizenship ?
- 11. The idea of citizenship has a long history and it has been used and abused by many different societies.
- 14. Lewis Carroll “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master - that’s all.” What is the true meaning of citizenship?
- 15. In a community of citizens we don’t all have to be the same - we can all be different and yet treat each other as equals. Equality is a status we create together - in community. Citizenship is the best route to equality =
- 16. “Aristotle explains that a community is not made out of equals, but on the contrary of people who are different and unequal. The community comes into being through equalising, isathenai.” [Nichomean Ethics 1133a 14] Hannah Arendt, The Promise of Politics
- 18. “Citizenship grows when people who are different recognise they are equal and start to work together in that spirit.” “Citizenship dies when people abandon those who are different to injustice and retreat into passivity.”
- 19. Understood correctly, citizenship enables us to be equal - and different - unique. Citizenship frees us from the idea that we must conform to a standard. Instead we can learn to live together with respect: as free and contributing members of the community.
- 20. How can we be citizens ?
- 21. Citizenship is valuable. But it has a price. It is not enough to just call people ‘citizens’, rather we must work to make sure that everyone can be valued as an equal.
- 22. Citizenship is ‘Universalised’ Social Role Valorisation (SRV) • Both pay attention to how our status is ‘constructed’ by society and both seek to increase status of people with intellectual disabilities. But • Citizenship demands we reject social devaluation for everyone, rather than just avoiding placing people in devalued roles. • Citizenship demands that we all have a duty to act as a citizen and to welcome others as citizens.
- 23. Some things are bad for citizenship.
- 24. Glamour and Fame Income Inequality Tyranny
- 25. Some things are good for citizenship.
- 27. We make citizenship real by 1. Finding our sense of purpose 2. Having the freedom to pursue it 3. Having enough money to be free 4. Having a home where we belong 5. Getting help from other people 6. Making life in community 7. Finding love
- 28. This protects our status 1. Our life is seen to have meaning 2. We are not on someone else’s control 3. We can pay our way - we’re not unduly dependent 4. We have a stake in the community 5. We give others the chance to give 6. We contribute to the community 7. We are building the relationships that sustain community
- 29. This kind of citizenship is entirely practical and sustainable. It is possible to achieve the keys to citizenship for everyone. Not only does it not rely on the exclusion of others it benefits from the inclusion of all.
- 31. What about self-directed support ?
- 32. For many of us self-directed support has always been about helping people achieve citizenship.
- 34. This often influences the design of different systems of self-directed support
- 36. • Purpose - enabling people to set their own goals • Freedom - overcoming problem of mental capacity • Money - moving resources from systems to citizens • Home - enabling people to live where they choose • Help - people directing their own support • Life - increasing participation and contribution • Love - strengthening families, friendships & relationships
- 37. Often research on self- directed support suggest some improvements in ‘signs of citizenship’.
- 39. What next ?
- 40. Systems cannot be tricked into treating people as citizens. Self- directed support will need strong foundations if it is be truly effective.
- 41. This means, for example 1. We must be able to define and measure how effective we are being in achieving citizenship. 2. We must recognise that this is about equipping people to act as citizens. 3. We must connect our efforts to wider social and democratic reforms.
- 44. Democratic Reform Community Focus Collective Action
- 45. People with disabilities, like many others, have had to fight for citizenship; and there is still much to be achieved. In fact people with disabilities can show people the true meaning of citizenship, and this raises important challenges for all societies in the decades ahead. It is time to challenge the priorities of modern society and to develop ideas that are more inclusive, empowering and creative. Citizenship is an ideal whose time has come.
- 46. But we must begin by acting as citizens ourselves.
- 47. Q & A
- 48. For more information: • www.centreforwelfarereform.org • @simonjduffy and @CforWR • simon@centreforwelfarereform.org • www.facebook.com/centreforwelfarereform
- 49. Learning objectives • Understand the meaning of citizenship • Evaluate different policies with regard to their impact on citizenship • Develop innovations that promote citizenship for all
- 50. References Arendt H (2005) The Promise of Politics. New York, Schocken Books. Duffy, S. (1996) Unlocking the Imagination, Choice Press, London. Duffy S (2006) Keys to Citizenship: a guide to getting good support services for people with learning disabilities. Sheffield, The Centre for Welfare Reform. Duffy S (2010) "Citizenship Theory of Social Justice - exploring the meaning of personalisation for social workers", Journal of Social Work Practice Vol. 24 No. 3 pp. 253-267 Duffy S (2013) The Unmaking of Man: Disability and the Holocaust. Sheffield, The Centre for Welfare Reform. Duffy S (2013) Travelling Hopefully: Best practice in self-directed support. Sheffield, The Centre for Welfare Reform. Duffy S (2013) 21st Century Vision. Sheffield, The Centre for Welfare Reform. Duffy S (2015) Putting Citizenship at the Heart of the Welfare State. Sheffield, The Centre for Welfare Reform. Hay M and Waters J (2009, Steering My Own Course. London, In Control Publications. Murray P (2010) A Fair Start. Sheffield, The Centre for Welfare Reform. Poll. C. Duffy, S. Hatton, C. Sanderson, H. and Routledge, M. (2006) A Report on In Control's First Phase 2003-2005. London, In Control Publications. Hagel J. and Seely Brown J (2005) The Only Sustainable Edge, Boston, Harvard Business Press, Lane M (2014) Greek and Roman Political Ideas. London, Pelican. Pitts J Soave V and Waters J (2009) Doing It Your Way: the story of self-directed support in Worcestershire. London, In Control Publications.