In 2011, members of the disability community developed the Enabling Good Lives (EGL) approach with the intent of increasing choice and control for disabled people and their families. The EGL approach has eight core principles, a vision and key components to guide positive change. The vision and eight principles are based on respect towards disabled people and their families culminating in trusting disabled people and their families to be decision-makers in their own lives and to govern the resources used for their support.
The EGL approach is a foundation and framework to guide positive change for disabled people, families, communities and governance structures. Today, the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha’s System Transformation work is building on the vision of the EGL approach so that in the future, disabled children and adults and their families will have greater choice and control over their supports and lives, and make more use of natural and universally available supports.
The intent of this work is to make the necessary changes so that disabled people and their families have control of their lives. This includes having the “say so” in how resources are used.
There are many ways you will be able to have more choice and control using EGL. There are 5 elements underpinning the work of Whaikaha. They are:
To find out more about what these elements mean go to: https://www.whaikaha.govt.nz/about-us/enabling-good-lives/
If you need information on what supports are available in your local community contact your local Disability Information Centre.
