| 外文摘要 |
This study investigated the current status of “Living Independently and Being Included in the Community” of people with disabilities in Hsinchu and Miaoli, Taiwan and examined the factors that expedite and hinder their “Living Independently and Being Included in the Community”. The research targets comprised a “case management center for people with disabilities” and practitioners involved in a “project of independent living”. A qualitative method was adopted, whereby data were obtained through semi-structured, in-depth interviews.
Research results:
1.The participants’ understanding of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD):
(1) Circumstances for knowing CPRD: (a) at work, (b) when receiving in-service educational training, and (c) no specific circumstance, but with the development of a related policy. (2) The perceived functions of CPRD: (a) stimulating people’s thinking of and emphasis on resource networks, and (b) serving as a crucial social advocacy tool for people with disabilities.
2.Current status of independent living of people with disabilities:
(1) The participants’ understanding of independent living of people with disabilities: independent living enables people with disabilities to (a) possess more opportunities to make choices, (b) decide what they want to do, and (c) realize self-choice, self-determination, and being responsible for themselves. (2) The participants’ perceived factors that are conducive to the independent living of people with disabilities: (a) equal participation being ensured, (b) their interpersonal relationships being enhanced, (c) their social advocacy ability being developed, (d) support from the work team, and (e) positive support from resource networks. (3) The participants’ perceived factors that hinder the independent living of people with disabilities: (a) unfamiliarity with the basic concepts of independent living, (b) incorrect understanding of units that provide resources, (c) internal and external constraints, (d) difficulty in maintaining human resource workforce for service provision, (e) limitations involved in the independent living project that result in the social exclusion of people with disabilities, (f) lack of comprehensive supporting measures in government projects, (g) practitioners’ heavy workload, (h) people with disabilities being overly protected and restricted, and (i) insufficient economic abilities of the families of people with disabilities.
3.Current status of community integration of people with disabilities:
(1) The participants’ understanding of community integration of people with disabilities: (a) ensuring people with disabilities have equal access to social resources, (b) enabling them to build positive interpersonal relationships, and (c) allowing them to have a stable life in the community. (2) The participants’ perceived factors conducive to the community integration of people with disabilities: (a) the chiefs of villages and community residents providing friendly support for people with disabilities, (b) the government and legislation helping people with disabilities to integrate into the community, (c) nonprofit organizations providing professional support, (d) families of people with disabilities sharing the same life experience, and (e) people with disabilities possessing a stable living environment. (3) The participants’ perceived factors that hinder the community integration of people with disabilities: (a) a lack of consensus among resource networks, (b) limited community resources that are not allocated reasonably, (c) traditional beliefs that people with disabilities should be placed in institutions, (d) community’s unfriendly attitude toward people with disabilities, (e) lack of access-free facilities in the community, and (f) insufficient self-efficacy in people with disabilities.
4.Future vision of “Living Independently and Being Included in the Community” in Hsinchu and Miaoli:
(1) Vision and blueprint of “Living Independently and Being Included in the Community”: (a) enhancing the concepts and application of technical aids and universal designs, (b) creating friendly environments and co-living spaces, and (c) strengthening the work model that combines research, promotion, and education. (2) Development of strategies for “Living Independently and Being Included in the Community”: (a) enhancing the rights to housing and transportation for people with disabilities, (b) simplifying social workers’ work model, and (c) ensuring the availability of resources in rural areas and creating a community resource integration model. (3) The innovative service model for “Living Independently and Being Included in the Community”: (a) inviting social enterprises to jointly participate in the independent living services, (b) setting access-free transportation innovation programs as the first priority of development, (c) developing diverse leisure activities and life education activities, (d) formulating independent living innovation programs specifically for various types of disabilities, and (e) developing independent living programs for people with disabilities from the perspective of human rights.
This study suggests that relevant authorities improve education on the CRPD. Moreover, social workers’ professional values should be enhanced. Finally, social enterprises should provide more employment opportunities for people with disabilities. |
