Perspectives on occupation-based social inclusion: Collective occupation in the local, social world

Abstract

The construction of our social worlds through historical, social, cultural, and economic conditions has placed some people in un-just positions; positions which exclude them from full participation in the daily lives of their families and communities. The term social inclusion is used to describe a process that works to transform our societies, to re-construct 'societies for all'. However, this is a complex and multi-layered process, requiring change by all. While policy and economic change is an essential part of this, it is also recognised that change in the locally social world, the public world of the neighbourhood and community, is significant. I suggest that collective occupation, and our research and practice of collective occupation, is an important part of these processes. Following a general introduction to social inclusion, my first aim in this paper is to present the concept of collective occupation and its contribution to the construction and maintenance of the locally social world, including situations of both inclusion and exclusion. Following this I aim to discuss how collective occupation that supports social inclusion may be developed, including examples from Japan and Europe. Integral to this development is understanding of the importance of the public world, and the concepts of recognition and participatory citizenship. Enabling the social of all in our local neighbourhoods and communities through collective occupation can be part of the social transformation required to address the un-just conditions of many people's lives in our societies today.