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What Is Social Inclusion?
Social Inclusion is making sure that everyone in society has an equal chance at a good quality of life.
It’s about:
- Treating people equally regardless of their background
- Making sure people have equal access to goods and services
- Removing barriers and helping those that may need it more, for example older persons, disabled persons, Travellers, the unemployed and so on
- Targeting resources where they are most needed
- Challenging discrimination
- Changing attitudes and ways of working
What Is Social Exclusion?
The following are some examples of when people or communities can feel excluded:
- Not being involved in local decision making
- Not having an opportunity to take part
- Not understanding, for example finding it difficult to read documents
- Not having access - physically unable to enter a room or a building in the same way as everyone else
- Being treated differently due to age, race, religion, political persuasion, sexual orientation, marital status (Equal Status & Employment Act 2000)
- Having barriers which prevent involvement
- Not having enough means to participate
Who Is At Risk Being Excluded?
People who are socially excluded are often referred to as target groups. Examples of some of the groups who are at risk of poverty and social exclusion are:
- Lone parent families
- Older people
- Children and Young people
- People with disabilities
- The unemployed or underemployed
- Members of the Traveller community
- Homeless people
- Rural or Urban dwellers for different reasons
- Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) communities
- Migrant workers and members of ethnic minority groups
- People with poor education and or lack of adequate literacy skills
- Gender, that is men and women can experience exclusion for various reasons
If you would like more information on social inclusion please visit the Social Inclusion Division website
