|
What
is an Inclusive City?
Fast
Facts
Ottawa
Based Research
Policies
Promoting Social Inclusion
Connecting
With Others
Effective
Measures |
|
What is an Inclusive City?
An inclusive city is one that offers opportunities and
the supports needed for individuals to develop their full potential as
well as to actively participate to their fullest extent in all aspects
of community life; such as decision-making, education, culture and recreation,
transportation, and employment, etc. Individuals are not only physically
included but also socially accepted in a community.
The following are some characteristics of an inclusive
city:1
- Integrative and cooperative. A community in which
all individuals are brought together and where people and organizations
work together
- Interactive. Individuals have access to public
spaces, and organizations and groups have opportunities to interact
- Invested. Public and private sectors commit resources
for the social and economic health and well-being of a community.
- Diverse. Diverse people and cultures and incorporated
and welcomed into the structures, processes and functions of the community.
- Equitable. All residents have the means to live
in decent conditions and have the opportunity to participate in the
community.
- Accessible and sensitive. Individuals have access
to available and culturally sensitive supports and services for their
social, health, and developmental needs.
- Participatory. An inclusive city is one that
encourages and supports the involvement of its members in the planning
and decision-making that affect community conditions and development.
- Safe. Individual and broad community safety is
ensured.
The following are characteristics of an exclusive city:1
- Lack of social networks and failings social support
systems. A city that promotes service cutbacks, unavailable or inadequate
levels of service, as well as inappropriate services for the population's
particular needs.
- Deprivation of basic living conditions. Individuals
live on inadequate incomes or income support programs, and live in unsafe
and poor quality housing. There is a lack of adequate supportive housing
for seniors and people living with disabilities.
- Barriers to developmental opportunities. A city
that offers little employment skill training for uneducated and unskilled
workers, and a lack of recognition of knowledge, skill and experience
that many immigrants bring to Canada.
- Prejudicial societal and cultural attitudes.
Individuals perceived as "different" live with the stigma
of poverty and of certain conditions such as disability, single parenthood,
age, and sexual orientation, etc.
- Harmful public policy, unresponsive bureaucracies
and power. Closed political process and decision-making, and the
political powerlessness of disadvantaged groups.
1Laidlaw Foundation, Building
inclusive communities: A social infrastructure strategy for Canadian municipalities,
Final report on Cross-Canada Community Soundings, January 2003, pg.12
|
|
