Contributions from adults with assistance needs to their social environment

To this day people with assistance needs experience discrimination and exclusion, although knowing and recognizing their contributions to the social environment and making them visible is relevant for human co-existence.

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Empirical evidence shows that people with assistance needs open up new perspectives and impulses for overcoming challenges of social coexistence. The questions raised in this research project are addressed from the perspective and self-perception of people with assistance needs and on the basis of statements by professionals in anthroposophical organizations.

Another question is how this process relates to the professional self-image and understanding of the human being held in anthroposophically inspired special needs education and social therapy. Anthroposophically based approaches rely on equality, dialogical relationships, mutual developmental impulses and on making the contributions of people with special needs visible.

Dealing with misconceptions

The research, which is conducted in the form of a study, aims to contribute to increasing equal recognition of people with assistance needs and to counteracting prejudice, misconceptions and the ensuing discrimination. It also seeks to evaluate the professional self-image und practices of the supporting environment in anthroposophical contexts.

The study includes partially structured and guideline-supported interviews with the advisory council of self-advocates for people with assistance needs of AnthroSocial, the association for anthroposophical special needs education, social pedagogy and social psychiatry in Switzerland. Co-workers of anthroposophically oriented organizations are interviewed to establish the views of the supporting environment.

The research project is conducted by Stefanie Schälin, cultural scientist and research assistant in the Section for Inclusive Social Development at the Goetheanum, in cooperation with AnthroSocial and the Competence Centre for Disability and Quality of Life at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (CH). It is accompanied by a scientific team consisting of Jan Göschel (Section leader), Stefania Calabrese (professor at Lucerne University) and Clemens Wild (artist). The project will run until 2026.

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