心智障礙者自我倡導團體的發展──八個單位的比較

The Development of Self-Advocacy Groups for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities: A Comparison of Eight Organizations

自1970年代中期起，「自我倡導團體」在世界各國紛紛成立，使心智障礙者在支持與充權下自我決策與發聲。國內1990年代中期起陸續成立「智青團體」，而「自我倡導」概念的導入則源於2008年中華民國智障者家長總會「自我倡導」交流平台的成立。本研究目的是探索國內自我倡導團體發展脈絡與作法，以為後續相關工作推展之參考。研究採質性探究取向，深度訪談方式蒐集資料。研究對象為較為穩定推展「智青團體」工作且持續參與智總自我倡導交流平台的8個單位的15名單位工作人員與3名心智障礙青年（智青）。研究發現這些自我倡導團體的成立，皆源於專業人員因應「服務」與「服務對象需求」間的落差而設計。各單位皆透過主題式小規模定期聚會，長期支持心智障礙者發展自我倡導。然而隨著組織脈絡與服務定位的差異，不同單位發展出不同的運作方式與內容。對照自我倡導文獻與國外自我倡導運動，本研究建議未來強化自我倡導者彼此的網絡連結、智青自我權利意識覺醒與對自己生活及所接受服務的自我決策，才能更符合「自我倡導」是心智障礙者主導的社會運動之本質。

Since the mid-1970s, self-advocacy groups could be found all over the world. Persons with intellectual disabilities are supported to make self-decision and make their voices heard. In Taiwan, since mid-1990s, more and more ‘Groups of persons with intellectual disabilities' were formed. In 2008, the idea of ‘self-advocacy' was introduced via the Self-Advocacy Platform formed by Parents' Association for Persons with Intellectual Disability, Taiwan (PAPID). The purpose of this study is to explore the contexts and current operation styles of various self-advocacy groups in Taiwan. Qualitative approach was adopted and in-depth interviews were taken. Participants were 15 service providers and 3 self-advocates from 8 organizations which developed self-advocacy groups in the earliest time and those which have stable participation in the Self-Advocacy Platform. We found that the initiation of these self-advocacy groups was from professionals' perception of the gap between clients' needs and services. Through small-size regular meetings on various topics, these groups support persons with intellectual disabilities to develop self-advocacy. Besides, with the differences in organizational contexts and definitions of the role of self-advocacy in existing services, these organizations developed different styles of operation and contents. This study suggests the development of more networking among self-advocates, enhancement of self-advocates' awareness of rights, and self-determination in their everyday lives and services they receive. Thus, self-advocacy will then reflect more of its real nature.