Personal Narrative: My Personal Experiences Of Aboriginal People

Amongst Aboriginal people, disabilities are twice the national average standing at 32% (Durst, South, Bluechardt, 2006, p.34) yet for many access, and treatment services received is at a lower level than the general Canadian population. This means, that these individuals don’t receive appropriate or adequate services, which affects their quality of life. This lack of equal services is a result of generational difficulties we face as a nation, complexity of funding responsibility, and unfortunately discrimination. I’m a Developmental Services Worker graduate from Algonquin College in Ottawa. There I learned to support disabled individuals of all ages, of various physical, mental and/or developmental disabilities in ways that are respectful of the dignity and individuality of each person. Field placements gave me practice as well as a personal insight into difficulties faced by these individuals. Also I have a family member who has disabilities, so this topic is personal for me. Being First Nations myself, and knowing the difficulties faced by any disabled individual I wanted to research this topic from an Aboriginal perspective. I primarily …show more content…
This poverty can be traced to forced relocation to reserves, which had no infrastructure or economy and to the destruction of traditional ways of life (Centre for Social Justice, 2003). Migrating to urban areas often doesn’t lead to employment, but continued poverty. Mandamin-Cameron and Schormans noted a, “different history from their non-Aboriginal counterparts and the multiplicity of issues they frequently must contend with are a direct link to these histories.” (Mandamin-Cameron, R. & Schormans, A. F., 2007, p.25) Accessible housing is always in short supply, but together with poverty, and dual stereotyping of disability and race, any housing is difficult to