Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI) was established as CIL in 1992 by and for disabled people. Its aim was to ensure that disabled people achieved Independent Living, choice and control over their lives and full participation in society as equal citizens.
We are a campaigning, national representative organisation that promotes the philosophy of independent living and to build an inclusive society. Central to the way we work is to ensure that policy decisions that impact on the lives of disabled people have to be directly influenced by those whose lives are directly affected.
Our philosophy can be summed up as: ‘Nothing about us without us!’ and ‘Rights Not Charity’.
Our Vision
Our vision is an Ireland where disabled persons have freedom, choice and control over all aspects of their lives and can fully participate in an inclusive society as equals
Mission
We are working collectively to create an independent living Movement in Ireland which is led by disabled people and promotes a rights-based social model of disability, challenging the unacceptable charity / medical model of disability. We are working towards the removal of societal barriers that prevent active equal participation of disabled people, challenging the denial of people’s rights and the promotion of the philosophy of independent living.
Core Values
Our core values are underpinned by the philosophy of Independent Living and all activities are aimed towards promoting:
- Independence
- Options
- Rights
- Empowerment
Our Principles
- We promote the active participation of leaders in all aspects of the work of ILMI: locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
- We are a DPO (disabled persons organisation) formed to ensure that the voice of disabled people will be heard in campaigns, research and policy development.
- We recognise and promote equality within our members, in terms of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, age, marital status, socio-economic status and impairment.
- We will actively promote an understanding of disability as an interaction between a person’s impairment and the societal and environmental barriers that disable people’s participation in society – and actively lobby to remove these barriers to participation and challenge the unacceptable medical / charity model of disability.
- We are committed that ILMI continue to develop new innovative models to achieve equality of outcome, recognising that people have a variety of abilities, needs and wants.
Language
The Independent Living Movement Ireland recognises that language is a very powerful and evocative tool. Therefore, the language and terminology used in this website has been carefully chosen to reflect the values of equality and empowerment which at the core of this organisation.
The term ‘disabled people’ has been used throughout the website in accordance with the UPIAS classification of disability and impairment which has been developed by disabled people themselves (UPIAS 1976).
Where disabled people are referred to in the website this should be understood to include all disabled people, including those with learning difficulties, mental health difficulties and sensory impairments.