Sharing Places Inc was established in 1989 by a group of parents of young people who had disability and high and complex needs who required full time support in all aspects of their life. At that time there were no post school programs for these young people about to graduate from school. Sharing Places has continued from 1989 to expand services in a community inclusive environment using a person centred approach.
The name ‘Sharing Places’ was decided based on John O’Brien’s ‘Valued Experiences’ publication in the 1980s. John O’Brien has been a leading thinker who has written widely in the field of disability since the early 1980s. He is a pioneer and lifelong advocate of person centred planning and his thinking is based on social role valorisation (SRV). His values based approach emphasises learning with each person about the direction their lives could take and moving from segregation to inclusion.
Each valued experience supports a vital dimension of human experience which common practice limits for people with disability:
Growing relationships;Contributing;Making choices;Having the dignity of valued social roles; andSharing ordinary places.Each valued experience challenges and strengthens the relationship between people with a disability and other community members.
Sharing Ordinary Places:
A human service program focused on community presence will mobilise its resources to assist people with disability to share the ordinary places and activities of ordinary community life. A growing number of people with disability will use a growing variety of ordinary community settings at the same time and in similar ways to other citizens. People will get necessary assistance to identify useful or enjoyable community settings, to get to and from a variety of ordinary places safely, and to participate effectively.
Increasing community presence challenges all people’s willingness to include everyone.
This is Sharing Places….
Vision
A society where everyone has dignity and is valued.
Mission
To provide opportunities and support people with disability to achieve their own goals and aspirations, improve their wellbeing and reach their full potential.
Values
Respect for all human lifeAn organisation with people at its centreSocial inclusion, participation and developmentCollaborative and collective actionSustainability
Sharing Places Inc. is an incorporated body listed under the Association Incorporation Act 1991. It is a not for profit, non government organisation. The Board of Sharing Places comprises members who are parents, family members and community members. The Board meets on a monthly basis. The Annual General Meeting of the Association is held annually in October. Sharing Places has effective, comprehensive, well articulated and documented Governance Policies, Procedures and Constitution. The Organisation has a continuous improvement system that covers quality management, policies and procedures, risk management and business management. Transparent, formalised audit procedures both internal and external to the organisation are rigorously practiced together with effective and transparent financial management systems. Staff management practices focus on recognition and professional skill development.
Sharing Places engages in partnerships with other ACT disability and community service agencies, ACT government, Human Rights Commission, school community liaison, multicultural organisations, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island community and provides programs in community disability awareness for the wider community. Sharing Places, LEAD and Hartley Lifecare have formed a working Alliance called Better Together.