This edition of CRUcial Times focuses on the theme of "The heart of Vital Communities"
This edition contains the following articles:
Editorial
Jane Sherwin
From the President
Mike Duggan
Why communities need people with disabilities
Roz Cooper, from Cooran on the Sunshine Coast, shares her depth of understanding about the nature of true communities. She says divisive attitudes cannot exist within a context of a true community because true community can only exist when room is made for the differences and limitations of everyone.
A real community: accept no substitutes
Bill Webb, who has a background in human service worker training, says that in order for people with disabilities to feel that they are an important part of their local communities, support services need to be clear about what is helpful and what is unhelpful in their efforts.
The contribution of human service workers in getting the relationship "right" between people with disabilities and their community
Michael Kendrick is a regular contributor to CRUcial Times. In this article he sets out some important ways in which the small efforts of ordinary members of the community can be encouraged by direct support workers, who have a role at the interface between the local community and some of its vulnerable members.
What is a "vital" community
Michelle Clark describes a 'vital' community and in doing so provides some interesting insights into the relationship between place, roles and a belief in one another. Michelle lives in the Townsville community.
Support work is a means not the end
Kris Lumsden writes as a coordinator of a service. She explores her view that support work is a means to an end, and provides some helpful examples of challenges to doing this work creatively and sensitively. Most importantly, says Kris, the spirit of spontaneity, enthusiasm, personality and variety needs to be kept alive by support services.
Relationship building is a work in progress
Vicki Grinlaubs co-ordinates a service that supports vulnerable, marginalized people to develop relationships in the local community which Vicki describes as a vibrant, bustling cluster of suburbs in Brisbane. Direct support workers, and those they support, are encouraged to have a strong sense of place.