Neighbourhood Centres as Inclusive Public Spaces for Persons with Disabilities

Abstract

With increased efforts by the Government to integrate Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) into our society, this paper seeks to analyse if Neighbourhood Centres (NCs) can be considered as inclusive public spaces for the PWDs. The Traditional NC (TNC) and New Generation NC (NGNC) are analysed in this study. The paper utilises both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative research encompasses a survey of 100 respondents from the public and 40 PWDs, to obtain their opinions on 1) Physical Accessibility, 2) Social Accessibility and 3) Access to Activities at the respective NCs. Qualitative research comprises an ethnographic study with PWDs at the selected NCs, to understand how PWDs interact with or at the NCs. In theory, both physical accessibility and social accessibility should ideally be achieved for all, including PWDs, regardless of the type of NC. However, findings showed that PWDs feel a lower level of inclusiveness at the NC as compared to the public; physical accessibility and social accessibility (in terms of comfort and image) performed poorer for the PWDs than the public. Moreover, it was found that PWDs felt more included at the TNC, despite the poorer physical accessibility, as compared to the NGNC. Therefore, the results are against the notion that NCs are inclusive public spaces from the perspective of PWDs. The study also provides insights to HDB on factors for consideration to create more inclusive NCs and other government agencies in developing inclusive public spaces for all, including the PWDs.