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This charter of rights was made by people with a developmental disability
who use services at the 1994 Opening Doors Conference put on by The
Vocational and Rehabilitation Research Institute, 3304 - 33rd Street N.W.,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2L 2A6.
Click here to read two self-advocates’ experiences on making the charter.
As
an adult with a developmental disability and as a consumer of services, I have the right to
Be treated as an adult human being
- be treated in a fair way
- be treated with respect
- not be teased, called names or hurt in other ways
- have friends
- go out and have fun
- have someone to love
- get married
- have children
- take care of my own money
- have control in my own home
Laws that protect me (like the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms)
- not be discriminated against for things like being female or male, the
country my family comes from, my skin colour, my religious beliefs, who I
choose to love or my disability
- get fair wages
- get the same things as everyone else who does the same job (for
example, coffee and lunch breaks, medical benefits, vacation time
and maternity leave)
- get the same medical services and care as other people
Make informed choices and decisions in my life
- make decisions and choices based on my feelings, beliefs and what is important to me
- be told enough things to help me decide (make an informed choice)
- take chances (risks) once I know what might happen
- decide what I do on my own time
- decide what I do with my own things
- decide how I plan for my future (what goals I set and what I want to talk about when I plan)
- choose to live on my own or with others
- decide who comes into my home
- choose the services I use
- have choices when I use services, including where I live, who I live with, what I eat, what changes
happen in my home, what work I do, when I go to the bathroom, what doctor I
go to, what my doctor does to me, and many other things
- make mistakes
- change my mind
- decide to stop using a service
- choose when I need support
Support
- get help, if I need it, with things like finding a place to live, making a budget and learning what I need to learn
- have staff and other supporters (like family and friends) who treat me nice (kind, polite and with respect)
- have supporters who are helpful
- not be told off by supporters
- hear good things, not just bad things, about myself from supporters
- have enough money from the government to buy the services and support I need
- get help with making decisions (from my guardian and others), if I need it
- get help with taking care of money (from my trustee and others), if I need it
- have a say even if I need help making decisions
Speak for myself and to be listened to
- speak my mind and give my opinions
- talk about my rights
- show my feelings
- make complaints if I am not happy
- say "no"
- disagree with people
- have people listen to me when I talk
- have people try to understand me
Access
- get services in my community
- have good special (accessible) transportation,
if I need it
- use seating for people with a disability
on regular transportation, if I need it
- get around easier if I use a wheelchair
(for example, ramps, curb cuts)
- be part of and have access to the
community (things like jobs and recreation)
- go to school and to get the training
I need to learn new things
Privacy
- spend time alone, if I want
- have people get my O.K. to go into
my locker at work
- have people knock or get my O.K. before
they go into my room at home
- use the telephone without someone
listening to what I am saying
- have the choice of going out without
telling others where I am going
- have things my doctor knows about
me be kept between us, unless I need help to understand
Safety and protection
- feel safe when I use services
- feel safe when I am out in the community
- not be hurt, attacked or have my things
taken from me
- learn how to take care of myself
Good services
- have service providers I can count
on
- be helped when it’s my turn in line
- be given the same service as everyone else
- ask questions if I need to know more
- get a different doctor if I want
- ask another doctor to check what my doctor said (get a second opinion)
- have doctors and dentists explain
to me (not just to my parents, staff and others) why I need to
have something done, what it will cost and what will happen if
I get it done
- say "no" to medical care
once I know what will happen if I say "no"
- be treated gently if I get medical care.
I also know that everyone else has rights, so I will
- not do things that take away other people’s rights
- treat other people the way I want to be treated
- be a responsible adult
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