Gas prices have gone through the roof!  People who have to travel long distances and organizations that transport people are really feeling the pinch.  This is especially true for the rural provider where transportation is vital to consumer programming.

 

Community Inclusion is critical in supporting people with disabilities to achieve a high quality of life.  Inclusion promotes community membership and assists people in making friends and being a part of the everyday life in the town, city, or village in which they live.  

 

However, more often than not, community inclusion requires transportation to and from community sites.

 

How does an organization continue to offer Community Inclusion and deal with increasing gas prices?  Here’s 5 helpful hints:

 

1.  MAKE TRIPS COUNT:  Before leaving program sites, staff need to analyze the benefits they plan to derive from each trip.  Maximizing outcomes will benefit consumers and ensure that the trip resulted in meaningful outcomes.

 

2.  WALK, RUN, BIKE:  Look for options other than driving to one site and than another.  Can you visit 2-3 sites by parking and then walking to the next place?  Is a bike ride an option for your consumers?  Bike riding is a great way to see the community, talk with people, and observe daily activities.  It also would provide exercise and teach consumers about safety issues.  A run or a walk around the neighborhood is also a good way to get involved in daily activities.

 

3.  DON’T SAY WE CAN’T DO INCLUSION ANY MORE:  Some people would love to move away from the concept of inclusion.  Don’t let that happen.  

 

4.  OPPORTUNITY RATHER THAN A PROBLEM:  Every crisis also presents an opportunity.  It may be time to revisit with staff what Community Inclusion means and share ideas of how the same goals may be accomplished using new strategies.   Maybe in this crunch, there are undiscovered opportunities that will improve quality and result in better outcomes.

 

5.  STRATEGIC QUALITY:  Quality is never a product of how much is produced, but rather, the results of what is produced.  This current economic downturn may offer a time to reassess how your organization is conducting business.  Perhaps the changes you have been making recently need to be operationalized more rapidly.  Or, perhaps some of the strategic outcomes you were seeking are just not timely.  Whatever you decide, now may be a good time to think and plan.  

 

We hope you find these ideas helpful.  We remain optimistic that good things can occur no matter what the economy’s condition.  Creativity has always been a hallmark of our field.