Creating opportunities for social inclusion : insights from a research project that supported older adults with a lifelong disability to join local community or volunteer groups

The right of people with disabilities to be fully included in mainstream society is a well established policy goal. Yet, many people with disabilities remain excluded from a range of social experiences that people without disabilities usually take for granted. In the Transition to Retirement research project we supported 27 older adults with a lifelong disability to join local mainstream community or volunteer groups. Here we share some of our experiences and discuss what we have learnt about creating opportunities for social inclusion. All names and photos are used with permission unless otherwise stated.