A handbook on mainstreaming disability

This handbook aims to give practical guidance to support development organisations to mainstream disability into their work. It is primarily intended for VSO programmes, but could be useful to other development actors interested in mainstreaming disability, such as NGOs, government and donors. The handbook is drawn from the experience of VSO DREAM-IT (Disability Rights, Empowerment, Awareness & Mobilisation – Indonesia & Thailand), a five-year disability programme carried out jointly by VSO Indonesia and VSO Thailand. Mainstreaming has been a key theme of this programme from the beginning. A team from DREAM-IT and VSO International reviewed the lessons from DREAM-IT for this handbook. We interviewed VSO programme staff, volunteers and partner organisations, including disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) from around the world, to gather their experiences of mainstreaming. We also consulted disabled people and activists to ensure that the handbook is informed by the perspectives and experiences of disabled people – a principle at the heart of VSO’s approach to mainstreaming.