We believe that all disabled people should have the same freedom, choice, dignity and control as other citizens at home, at work and in the community. It does not necessarily mean living by yourself or fending for yourself. It means rights to practical assistance and support to participate in society and live an ordinary life. This is how we define Independent Living.
- We subscribe to the social model of disability. We understand disability to be the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by a contemporary social organisation, which takes little or no account of people who have impairments.
- We passionately support the principles of independent living which empower disabled people as active citizens in our own right, with rights and responsibilities of our own.
- We believe in Lived Experience as disabled people themselves are best placed to speak on the issues that affect them.
- We recognise the value of partnership working.
- We seek to promote a rebalancing and sharing of power through coproduction.
- We believe in social justice for disabled people, based on effective human rights, and rights to independent living, so that we have freedom and control over our own lives.
- We recognise the importance of reaching disabled people in all our diversity.