Inclusion among the students

Hello! My name is Ingeborg, and I am a 26 year´s old social educator graduate from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to participate in NOREC´s exchange program in Arusha, Tanzania for three months as a student before completing my education. Our main goal was to implement and exchange knowledge about the human rights of children and people with disabilities (CRPD and CRC). During my stay, I was at Patandi Secondary School with three other students from Norway. Most of the students at Patandi secondary school had some form of physical disability. There were several students who were deaf, blind, wheelchair users or had other disabilities, in addition to some students without disabilities.

During my stay, I got to know the students at the school very well. The students welcomed us warmly and showed great interest in getting to know us and our culture, as well as wanting to get to know them. The warmth and care the students had for each other were among the first things I noticed. With few adults at the school, the students took a lot of responsibility for themselves and other students.

It was natural for the students at the school to help those who needed it. The inclusion I experienced among the students at the school is something that inspired me to work even more for it in Norway. At the secondary school, we saw that students who could hear translated what was said to the deaf students into sign language, so that everyone was equally included in the conversation. Students in wheelchairs were just as included in school activities as everyone else, and the other students helped if needed. Those with visual impairments or blindness always had a hand to hold if they needed assistance to navigate at the school. These are just some of the examples of how the students support each other.

These experiences highlight the importance of allowing children and young people, both with and without disabilities, to contribute to ensuring that everyone is included. In Norway, it can sometimes be perceived that as social educators or adults, we have a higher focus on protection, especially for individuals with disabilities. This can hinder the opportunity for other students or peers to contribute to inclusion.

To achieve inclusion and equality, we must allow children and young people, both with and without disabilities, to contribute and be part of the community in the same way as everyone else. My experiences from Tanzania have inspired me to work more for inclusion in Norway and have shown me the importance of allowing everyone to contribute to creating an inclusive society.