Creating safe space
Policy-makers in Canada and Worldwide have, for a long-time, echoed the call of people with intellectual disabilities, that they should have rights as full citizens and that they wish to be fully included in ordinary life. However, in reality, many people have found their lives held back, either by low expectation, by the actual organisations and governing bodies who support them, or by a society where these ideals are not taken seriously by many.
Until recently the main debate has been between those advocating inclusion and those advocating some form of institutional or residential care. We, as a society have lost sight of what is really important and have failed to take seriously people’s rightful desire to belong, to have loving relationships and to be treated as a valuable individual with a unique contribution to make. Given that far too many people, not just those with intellectual disabilities are still unable to achieve these fundamental needs, it is time to re-examine some of our assumptions about what is the best way to move forward.
We can all agree that the current working model needs revising, we can agree that there are a growing number of people being born with special needs who will need services and solutions, and we can agree that the isolation and marginalisation of people with learning disabilities is widely recognized and a solution must be found.
The Metta Terre Community model offers people with a disability a home to be proud of, a community to belong to, a space to grow intellectually and spiritually in and a life where their individual needs, desires, differences and personalities are not only encouraged but celebrated.
Our vision of creating the first Metta Terre inclusive community moves away from the traditional capitalistic approach to life, where wealth and consumption play a large role in defining personal worth. Metta Terre is a supportive community setting where we take our responsibilities toward others and the land as our sacred duty. We are not naive to the costs associated with running our current system, with housing requirements, work and day programs and the transportation to and from; Metta Terre communities aim to remove some of the burden by moving towards autonomy, physically and fiscally for those living with a disability.
Metta Terre community, life share project:
The main building will house our community center, theater, arts and crafts room, curative arts, movement and music room and communal kitchen. The main building will be open to the local community and offer artistic presentations, classes in curative arts and a weekly soup kitchen run by our community members. The main building will be a ''productive house model'', creating solar power for heating and water, retrieval of grey water for gardens and a living roof area for our bees and herb gardens.
The construction will be built according to Passive House standards enabling Metta Terre communities to have a small environmental foot print and manageable utilities overhead. Together, we will work towards a green economy, creating sustainable land based communities that will help eradicate poverty, and create new opportunities for people living with a disability.
Our land will provide vegetables and fruits for our internal houses and the local community we are established in. Various models of supported independent living will be offered. Although each Metta Terre community is unique in geographical location, form of revenue and housing options, the living principals of each are firmly based in the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, and the working model of Camphill Communities Worldwide.