ORGANISING SELF HELP GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

DISCUSSION LED BY:

Mr.R. Ramachandran , Executive Director, ADD-India, 4005, 19th Cross, Banashankari II Stage Extn, Bangalore, - 560 070, India. Ph: 648551, 6655097, E-mail: admin@addind.ilban.ernet.in

WHAT IS A SELF HELP GROUP (SHG) ?

A self help group is a voluntary association of people, which functions democratically and accountably, to attain the collective goals of the group.

FEATURES OF SUSTAINABLE SELF HELP GROUPS

1. SHGs may be formed for any purpose. Some examples are: savings and credit groups, empowerment groups, rights groups, learning groups, mutual support groups and so on.
2. The size of the SHG can vary from group to group depending on the context, though homogenous, democratic and accountable groups are better sustained.
3. An external facilitator may facilitate the formation of the group. But the group is controlled by its members.
4. The goals of the SHG need to be clear, to arise out of the aspirations of its members and should be known to all members.
5. The SHG is better sustained if all its members have contributed to its formation in some way.
6. SHGs are dynamic. Hence their composition may change, and their life span is as long as the members' `felt needs' persist.
7. Intra-group conflicts may reduce the cohesion of the group, resulting in its dissolution.

WHY ORGANISE DISABLED PEOPLE ?

In the past 2 decades, CBR has evolved to include new ways to assist people with disabilities to live a little more independently, to live with their families and in their communities. The assistance includes mobility aids, assistive devices, inclusion in regular schools and other training institutions, self employment, income generation activities and so on. Many CBR programmes have successfully helped people with disabilities to live and work in the community. A lot of this has also depended on the disabled persons' motivation to improve themselves.

For persons with disabilities and many others too, it is not enough to be merely independent, but it is also necessary to have a group that supports and provides an empathetic relationship. Such a group acts as a forum to meet, to discuss and to represent their interests and needs to the outside world. Now that the state administration has begun to recognise the special needs of disabled people, such a group can also work collectively to seek the support services from those in authority, more as a right than a benefit, to improve on their existing situation.

Organising people in self help groups serves different purposes, depending on the situation and the need. Such a forum can help people to be visible members in the larger community. Members can support one another through sharing information on referral services and other available resources, help make decisions on family and individual matters etc. Self help groups with the support of other such groups, can advocate jointly to obtain services, aids and equipment, and for integration in the larger community.

CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO ORGANISE DISABLED PEOPLE

• To bring them together in regular meetings with an agenda for discussion
• To meet in places that are convenient to reach, bearing in mind the need for accessibility
• To discuss matters that concern and affect them directly
• To let the group choose a leader and an assistant leader, but to ensure that these leaders do not dominate and discuss only matters of their own interest
• To introduce and talk about issues of common interest and on disability issues, such as conditions of disability, the causes, the needs of disabled people, the lack of opportunities, etc.
• To set up and agree on tasks to be done by group members before the next meeting
• To educate the group members on the services available from the government and other institutions
• To help the group members to take the initiative to meet their needs
• To orient them on savings and credit management activities
• To discuss issues related to raising of resources for income generation activities

RISK FACTORS IN FORMATION OF SELF HELP GROUPS

1. The group may focus too much on the benefits that they can get from the government and other schemes.
2. The group may pay too much attention to savings and credit programmes.

Though these two issues are important, groups that have a wider perspective on disability issues are needed, and they can perform better.