As demonstrated in the previous section, over the last six years outcomes are emerging across central government agencies and wider public bodies. Specifically agencies are:

• Gaining a greater understanding of disability issues.
• Involving disabled people in the development of policies, programmes and services.
• Removing some barriers to participation.
• Going some way to maximise opportunities for disabled people.

Given these shifts, some positive changes in the outcomes of disabled people are expected, as depicted in the outcomes framework. Implementation outcomes for disabled people are assessed across the following four areas:

• Disabled people are aware of their rights opportunities and choices.
• Disabled people’s aspirations and needs are communicated, heard and understood.
• Disabled people’s contribution, value and interdependence is acknowledged and affirmed.
• Disabled people take leadership, and partnership in agencies’ decision-making.

Aware of  rights, opportunities and choices

The Disability Strategy made explicit in objective 2 the need to ensure the rights of disabled people. The Disability Strategy advocates providing education to ensure that disabled people understand their rights, recognise discrimination and are able to self-advocate.

Disabled people acknowledge that the implementation of the Disability Strategy over the last six years has supported and given focus to them, and has fostered a more vocal and empowered, if still fragmented, sector. Discussions with disabled people demonstrate they are aware of and advocate for their right to participate fully in society. Disabled people are expressing their aspirations to have an ordinary life, to make choices about their lives and everyday activities. Further, they are taking steps to pursue their aspirations, supported by family, wha-nau, friends and others.

“When I talk to other disabled people about their aspirations, they want to explore university, tertiary study and to go and live life within the community, and it’s not a second thought for people, it’s just natural and I think this is really cool. It may not be the direct result of the Strategy but it is the thinking in there and attitudinal change that is going on for disabled people.” (Person with learning impairment)

“My view on the Disability Strategy is that we – disabled people – are doing a good job. We know what we want – now it’s time for people to listen to our needs and it’s up to us to make them listen. There are changes happening for the better. I know it will get better because now I know we have a voice and we will be using our voice to get our messages out there.” (Person with mobility impairment)

Aspirations and needs communicated, heard and understood

Ensuring disabled people’s aspirations and needs are communicated, heard and understood, links into objective 8, supporting quality living within the community, and particularly action point 8.3, the development of independent communication. Having the ability to communicate is recognised as a fundamental human right for all, and while improved outcomes have resulted for some, many disabled people continue to face significant barriers to effective communication.

Disabled people noted significant activities and technologies such as the New Zealand Sign Language Act (2006), the New Zealand Relay Service, and internet-based services such as online banking and shopping all add to improved daily communication outcomes for many disabled people. However, contributors to this review still see major gaps in communications for many disabled people which, when filled, will greatly improve outcomes. These gaps are particularly apparent for some impairment groups, such as people with vision impairment and those who use New Zealand Sign Language interpreters, and within specific agency work areas such as justice, and even within families.

“Technology and the internet, it means I have independence, huge independence. It has been the most singularly empowering advance for blind people. It means I can do all my own banking, I can read the Herald, I can do my own shopping…I can’t emphasise enough the need for broadband in everyone’s home because that is going to make a huge difference in terms of independence.” (Person with vision impairment)

“But from the point of view of blind people, some of our concerns are quite technical in nature having to do with access to information. A lot of that is technology driven and we find that although there might be commitments going in the right direction, in reality government departments and councils are finding [it] quite difficult to actually get their head around what they have to do to get information out to blind people in different accessible formats.” (Person with vision impairment)

Contribution, value and interdependence acknowledged and affirmed

In creating an enabling society, there is a requirement that the contribution, value and interdependence of disabled people is both acknowledged by wider society and affirmed by them. Disabled people are proud of their diversity and their varied contribution to their communities.

Disabled people reported that over the last six years there is a growing sense of wider society having a greater appreciation of the contribution of disabled people to society and a positive shift in attitudes towards them.

Research published in 2005 into the success of the Like Minds, Like Mine campaign demonstrates this positive shift. Between 1997 and 2004:

• Respondents’ acceptance of someone with a mental illness working for them increased from 61% to 75%.
• Respondents’ willingness to accept someone with mental illness as a workmate increased from 69% to 80%.
• Acceptance of someone with mental illness as a baby-sitter increased from 12% to 21%.
• Acceptance of someone with mental illness as a next-door neighbour increased from 55% to 66%.

Other positive shifts reported include the following:

• Central government agencies, territorial authorities and other public bodies are becoming more aware of disability issues.
• Employers are starting to recognise that disabled people have a valuable role to play in workplaces.
• Other private entities (e.g. banks, shops, power/gas companies, transport operators) recognise disabled people as consumers with unique needs, and are starting to invest in infrastructure to support services for disabled people.
• A growing acceptance of disabled children by their mainstream, non-disabled classmates.

“I have found younger people are more aware of diversity and disability.” (Parent of disabled child)

“I don’t seem to have to fight for issues so much anymore – less stress.” (Person with mobility impairment)

Leadership, and partnership in agencies’ decision making

Historically, disabled people have advocated for the reduction of barriers to participation and for change within society. Since the implementation of the Disability Strategy in 2001, disabled people report the development of a stronger partnership with government has led to disabled people having greater involvement in decision making. This outcome ties specifically to objective 5, the fostering of leadership by disabled people.

“Having a lot of disability advisory groups has helped. There’s been a lot of consultations happening across Government and that does help because I think the relationship in terms of the disability sector and government in certain areas probably has improved and people are not so scared of the disabled community.” (Person with vision impairment)

However, while many have welcomed the increased involvement in advisory groups and consortiums, some have described current approaches as tokenistic and suggest there is room for further improvement in the processes used.

“There are endless powerless advisory groups which really make little difference.” (Disabled person)

Scorecard for implementation outcomes for disabled people

As described above, the implementation of the Disability Strategy over the last six years appears to be resulting in some positive changes. Disabled people acknowledge greater empowerment, improvements in communications and accessibility offering them a greater voice, wider recognition of their value and contribution within their communities, and to some extent inclusion within central government decision making processes. While positive change is occurring, disabled people also voice that change is slow and there continues to be significant room for improvement. This mirrors the finding in the previous section on government implementation activities, that use of a disability perspective is not yet embedded within agencies’ business as usual.

Scorecard for implementation outcomes for disabled people
(4 point rating scale: minimal; some; moderate; significant)
Aware of rights, opportunities and choices	Significant
Aspirations and needs heard and understood	Moderate
Contribution and value affirmed	Some
Leadership, and partners in decision making	Minimal