Inclusion

       Social inclusion, the converse of social exclusion is the process of making all groups of people within a society feel valued and important, and making sure there is active participation amongst them. Social exclusion is a multidimensional process of progressive social rupture, detaching groups and individuals from social relations and institutions and preventing them from full participation in the society in which they live.

   Why Social Inclusion?

It is clear that people can be present in community without being socially included. Being socially included means that a number of things are present in people’s lives. Social inclusion means that people:

• Experience a sense of belonging
• Are accepted (for who they are) within their communities
• Have valued roles in the community
• Are actively participating in the community
• Are involved in activities based on their personal preferences
• Have social relationships with others whom they chose and share common interests
• Have friends             

            When people experience some or all of these conditions in their life they are more likely to be happier and healthier. In fact, social inclusion is an important “determinant of health” – without inclusion, people are more likely to experience poor health (including poor mental health), loneliness, isolation, and poor self esteem.