Inflytande och delaktighet för unga vuxna som har intellektuell funktionsnedsättning. I lokalsamhällets sociala arenor och demokratiska processer

Influence and participation of young adults who have an intellectual disability, in the local community’s social arenas and democratic processes

To achieve citizenship, all citizens need to be able to make their voices heard. Policy and practice in the welfare society stress that all citizens should be included, but in reality, young adults who have intellectual disabilities (ID) are often excluded. The overall aim of the thesis was to study how young adults who have ID acquired citizenship. The specific aims were also to study how young adults who have ID experienced influence and participation in a municipality’s leisure activities, cultural activities, and democratic processes.

The theories used were theories of citizenship, participation, and situated learning.

The study was conducted as participatory action research by seven co-researchers and staff. The action Influence Café was organized as a meeting place on three occasions. To support dialogues with the co-researchers, the method Talking Mats was used during the individual interviews, while during the focus group interviews, photographs were used. The co-researchers were seven young adults aged between 16 to 30 years of age who have ID. Five staff from the municipal organization constituted a project group. The co-researchers took part in two single interviews each, three focus group interviews, and three actions. The staff from the municipality took part in a focus group interview and a survey. Field notes were taken during the action process.

The results showed that young adults who have ID experienced exclusion in leisure, culture, and democracy activities and had difficulties gaining influence as citizens. When staff from the municipality were given a method and the opportunity to reflect on involving young adults who have ID in decision making, a change in their attitudes towards a more inclusive direction could be achieved. Conversely, when young adults who have ID were allowed to express their thoughts, they experienced a sense of impact on the organization in the municipality. The results indicate that a shift needs to take place, away from the lack of knowledge and abilities of young adults who have ID, towards the knowledge deficits and normative beliefs of those around them. A conclusion that can be drawn from the study is that empowerment and the ability to influence society can be created if young adults who have ID are made visible and begin to be seen as a resource; and thereby they can be allowed to take their place as citizens.

Young adults who have ID can participate as co-researchers if the right adaptations are made. To enable influence and participation for young adults who have ID in leisure, cultural, and democracy activities, staff need to have knowledge about prevailing norms, ID, and how an adaptation of activities can take place. The Influence Café method can contribute to increased influence and increased participation in municipal activities for young adults who have ID. The Talking Mats can be used as a method for interviews, but adaptations of the method need to be made based on the design of the study. In future research, more studies need to be based on the theory of situated learning where young adults who have an ID get the opportunity to cooperate with staff in focus on adaptation and knowledge building.