Toward An Engagement in Social Support: A Key to Community Integration in Rehabilitation

Abstract

Community integration is one of the most important as well as most frequently identified goals of rehabilitation and habilitation for people with disabilities. Although rehabilitation professionals have identified community integration as an important goal, the role of community leisure service providers in this process has not been as clear. This article offers the core ideas associated with community integration. In addition, using Duck's (1994) theoretical model of social relationships, this paper presents how social relationships are developed in order to engage in social support. Further, this paper demonstrates how leisure could be used to facilitate development of meaningful relationships. Such information can clarify the professional's role in providing community integration services.

Key words:

• Community integration
• social support
• meaningful relationships
• leisure