Enabling Good Lives (EGL) principles
SAFEGUARDING FOUNDATIONS
EGL is a movement in Aotearoa New Zealand that promotes self-determination, mana, and inclusion for disabled people. It supports disabled people to have greater choice and control in their lives and access to the same opportunities as everyone else.
Through Enabling Good Lives, disabled people and their whanau can choose to increase the choice and control they have in their lives and supports.
The Enabling Good Lives principles recognise the rights of Deaf people, disabled people and their whānau to receive the support needed to live a good life as they define it. This includes support to leave institutionalised settings. These principles recognise the interdependence and interconnectedness of people, whānau and communities and that, for some people (including Māori and Pacific Peoples) decisions should be made collectively and with the support and participation of whānau. The principles promote self-determination, including by providing for disabled people and their whānau to use allocated funding flexibly to meet their needs. They affirm that collective advocacy, based on best interpretation of a person’s will and preferences, is needed for some who may not be otherwise able to independently articulate their needs.
The Enabling Good Lives principles are:
Self-determination - Deaf and disabled people are in control of their lives.
Beginning early - invest early in families and whānau to support them to be aspirational for their children, to build community and natural supports and to support children to become independent, rather than waiting for a crisis before support is available.
Person-centred - Deaf and disabled people have supports that are tailored to their individual needs and goals, and that take a whole-of-life approach rather than being split across programmes.
Ordinary life outcomes - Deaf and disabled people are supported to live an everyday life in everyday places and are regarded as citizens with opportunities for learning, employment, having a home and family, and social participation like others at similar stages of life.
Mainstream first - Deaf and disabled people are supported to access mainstream services before specialist disability services.
Mana enhancing - the abilities and contributions of Deaf people and disabled people and their families are recognised and respected.
Easy to use - Deaf and disabled people have supports that are simple to use and flexible.
Relationship building - supports build and strengthen relationships between Deaf and disabled people, their whānau and community.
Source: Enabling Good Lives website
Learn more: About enabling good lives New Zealand
As an example of ‘Enabling Good Lives in action in a safeguarding context,’ EGL principles support and enable ethical decision-making.
This video (and the NZSL version) explains Enabling Good Lives, a social movement which is led by the community, for disabled people and families who want to change the system and live self-determined lives. EGL’s vision is that all disabled people and whānau will have more choice and control over their supports and lives.
Produced by Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People, 2024.