Social Inclusion

Much of my working life has been involved with, and committed to, measures to increase social inclusion and to challenge physical, legislative, cultural, social and psychological barriers to inclusion.

In a development context, my expertise lies in identifying measures necessary to overcome barriers specific to each situation, e.g. at government, community, group or individual level.  This is based upon my psychotherapy practice, my work with inclusion in development, as well as my early architectural experience. 

Experience
As a young project leader in an architectural practice I designed Britain’s first purpose built day centre for the disabled as part of a sheltered housing project in Ipswich.  Then, as co-consultant to Papworth and Enham Village Industries, the brief was to safeguard physical accessibility in building adaptations, new constructions and planning.

More recent practice as a psychotherapist working with individuals and groups has informed the development of an experiential dimension to social inclusion. This provides the basis for my participatory work with project staff, southern partners and community groups to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are included as a cross-cutting issue, wherever appropriate.

In particular I have explored the psychological impacts of intra-personal exclusion/inclusion mechanisms and their impact on inter-personal relationships, as they manifest at various levels of society.  See 'inclusive development'.