An Educational Institute on Disability, Community, and Innovation
Who Are We? Keystone Institute India is a programme launched by Keystone Human Services International, USA and it provides extensive consultation and education around developing responsive, effective, and inclusive supports to help move toward belonging, acceptance, and a rich community life, especially for people with developmental and psychosocial disability and their families. Together with forward-thinking allies across the country, we are working to develop an inclusive society, where all people belong and are invited to participate in all the community has to offer. We believe that diverse and welcoming communities experience the gifts of all their members, and that such communities have much to teach us about how to live in harmony together. We hold important values when it comes to assisting people with disability to lead dignified lives marked by belonging, freely given relationships, personal growth and richness. This commitment, shared with our partner the Rural India Supporting Trust, led to the launch of Keystone Institute India in 2016, a valuesbased national training institute to facilitate broad-based approaches to elevating the possibilities for people with developmental and psychosocial disability to lead full and rich lives.
What do we do? 99 We develop and prepare emerging leaders to work toward integrated community development instead of segregation. 99 We offer intensive workshops and presentations on promising practices and ideas, consultation, and guidance in implementation strategies. 99 We connect organizations and people throughout India and the world who are doing promising work to assist people with disability to take their place in society. 99 We conceptualize and help design responsive service models based on a model coherency framework and stakeholder collaboration.
How do we do it? We strive to serve as a catalyst for developing a service system in India that better safeguards vulnerable people, respects the voices and perspectives of people with disability and their families, and facilitates India’s movement toward a society where all people can explore their possibilities and reach their potential. From our deep experience, we know that inclusion benefits everyone. We have a vision of an inclusive world where all people belong, and each person can shape their own life according to their personal goals. Choice matters. Dignity of risk makes a difference. We do our job best when we listen to people’s voices and add our voice to the growing movement for inclusion for all people. 99 We offer access to world-class and national experts on inclusive practices and idea sets which support and promote a full community life for all people 99 We seek those across India with passion and know-how to join together towards change 99 We mentor and develop next-generation leadership to take the ideas forward and put them to good use 99 We promote full citizenship and voice for people with disability and their families to experience full, rich, included lives
Our Principles NATIONAL LEADERSHIP REACH WITH LOCAL IMPACT STRENGTH
A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY We have a passionate belief that the institutionalization of people with disabilities in segregated facilities must be resisted, and that communitybased services must be developed in conjunction with public and private organizations which share that commitment. Besides providing consultation and training across India on creating high quality residential service, Keystone has joined with service not only to the women, but to the community that has been enriched by their presence.
FROM IDEAS TO ACTION Keystone makes sure that the ideas are translated into action, on the societal level, the community level, the organizational level and the family/ individual level. After all, we teach powerful idea sets which people need support to interpret and use.
Photo Credit: Sujata Khanna Photography
Keystone has purposefully kept our own staff small, as our strategy has been to build strength and competency across India through the development of Communities of Practice. Mentoring and coaching to develop masterful teachers in idea sets, as well as masterful implementation, has led to both a strong national collaboration of leaders as well as a regional and state collectivity committed to working together and separately for change.
BUILDING SOMETHING THAT LASTS We believe that everything must contribute towards building capacity and effecting lasting change. This goes well beyond just training. Partnerships with government are a part of strengthening the fabric of the support network across India to elevate and safeguard the lives and wellbeing of people with disability. Leadership development is another important strategy to develop lasting change, and we focus a great deal on cultivating leaders and master trainers across the country. As well, strong collaborative relationships have been developed amongst the networks of leaders.
A PRIVILEGE AND A RESPONSIBILITY Keystone Institute India takes the work of developing a more inclusive Indian society as a serious responsibility and holds that responsibility with great care. We share a belief that people with disability have a great deal to teach society about how the world can ‘work’ for everyone.
How Can you Get Involved? Face-to-face events are held across the country, and our complete schedule can be found on our website. Join the national conversation around Social Role Valorization, person-centered support, tools for inclusive practice, customized and supported employment, and best practices in residential support. Virtual on-line events and study groups are another way to connect with our network. See Jhalak, an online compendium of the small but potent changes that people and organizations have put the ideas we promote into practice.
Our In-Country Leadership
Ms. eLizabeth “betsy” NeuviLLe Executive Director eneuville@khs.org
MS. GEETA MONDOL
Project Leader and Program Specialist Community Lives and Unity Uttarakhand GMondol@khs.org
DR. IMRAN ALI Director of Administration mali@khs.org
MS. LEELA RAJ
Project Leader Curriculum Design and Supported Employment lraj@khs.org
Keystone Institute India
B 6/22 Safdarjung Enclave, First Floor, New Delhi, India 110029 +91 (11) 49053452 | Keystoneinstituteindia.org