Anti Oppression Memo

To have a sound footing this memo, it will be pertinent for me to start off by elucidating on the main concepts in the question- inclusion and anti- oppression. “The essence of oppression is enforced exclusion from desirable opportunities and experiences. Correspondingly, the essence of anti-oppression is inclusion”. Simply put, the concept of inclusion stipulates that people from different social, economic, cultural, religious standing are allowed the opportunity to uninhibitedly involve in all aspects of their community where they will have the opportunity to be involved in deciding matters that affect them, directly or indirectly. This type of gesture is an eloquent expression of a show of equity and social justice in any society that practices

“The principle of affected interests has particular relevance to social policy and to the models of policy-making” Brad and McKenzie (2010 .128). Just as Brad and McKenzie (2010) cite as an example of” most parents who are deeply concerned about the well-being of their children to the point of becoming active participants in the School Board meetings, daycare centers, or community recreation centers”…,( ) a more inclusive and anti-oppressive approach will give the frontline workers as well as clients’ guardians or parents and clients who have the “personal choice and competence” the opportunity to be involved in policy making process that affects them. (p.128). Brad and Mackenzie (2010), continued to substantiate their claims by quoting Dal (1970) who posited that “Everyone who is affected by decision of a government should have a right to participate in that government” (128). Working with people with developmental disabilities, has made me understand that frontline workers, in most cases, due to their direct engagement with clients, seem to be having a better understanding of each other than the management, who in this case is more of an outsider than

Brad and McKenzie (2010. P.129).This approach not only provides the opportunity for the frontline staff, service providers, supervisors, program managers, the senior policy-makers and, possibly, competent service users, the opportunity to make policy together, it also provides an avenue for both sides of the spectrum to learn from each other. As Brad and Makenzie put it succinctly,” “shared decision making results in shared learning” Brad and McKenzie (2010.