Fast Track Inclusion Trust

• Fast Track Inclusion fulfils its social innovation vision by carrying out targeted learning projects that are directly applicable to enriching the quality of everyday life of people and families coping with disability. the concept of inclusion is embraced by the disabled community who justifiably want to claim their place in their communities... but is our society matching this interest by opening its arms to embrace people with disabilities and mental illness? ... well errrrr... not yet. Fast Track Inclusion looked at the art world and asked: is mainstream art open to a diverse and inclusive membership? Quick hint: no. 

• Research has proven that community input is central to marginalised artists being able to contribute. Mainstream art practice options, however, are rarely available to people with communication or social challenges. This is our signal to create an integrative art space to provide this group with knowledge to explore and enter contribute to their communities whilst showcasing their talent. 

• Internationally New Zealand is behind with the lack of inclusion of disabled artists into mainstream creative opportunities. Research has demonstrated that our marginalised artists face significant barriers preventing them from accessing mainstream art opportunities. Currently Hamilton has a number of community art centres where marginalised artists can learn and exhibit together but there are few opportunities for them to access mainstream or able-bodied art activities.

• Supporting disabled artists to access integrated creative environments with mainstream artists will in turn benefit all. This approach supports the New Zealand Disability Strategy Action Plan Objective 9 relating to the rights of disabled people to access mainstream opportunities.

• The membership and supporting organisations of the community collective we belong to includes national organisations operating in the arts and community sectors, local disability and mental health organisations, community and business representatives, the Hamilton City Council, local members and organisations from the arts community. The leadership group that drives this initiative is composed of 40 people from the above organisations as well as local community artists, art therapy practitioners, disabled artists and community representatives.

The Fast Track Inclusion Trust principal mission is to establish a learning organisation and learning community to assist in public and formal education regarding a sustainable future for New Zealand communities.

The collective experiences of our Trust Members includes the collection, analysis and dissemination of peer-knowledge in the form of media resources. Outcomes from our research will form the foundations of learning (such as peer-learning) programmes to establish and coordinate programmes to promote the value of a sustainable future.

One way to strengthen communities is to facilitate the study of the success factors behind social entreprises and their benefits to their members.

Hence, our research will study ways to promote and encourage sound social, cultural and economic policies in New Zealand through the application of social innovation. Our topics of study will include the protection and conservation of our social and natural environments and promote the development and widespread dissemination of knowledge and ideas in these domains.

Our work will be done in respect with our multicultural society such as Maori and Pacific cultural perspectives. For instance, we will encourage emerging leader to share knowledge, collective wisdom, ideas and experience with their communities, in particular via engagement with marginalised New Zealanders.

We have worked on social change project funded by organisations such as MSD, Community Waikato, IHC, Te Pou, the Todd Foundation, and private corporations.

The Trust seeks to educate and empower people that are marginalised with skills to learn how to integrate into society. This new paradigm paves the way to a powerful experience of learning, creative thinking and dynamic reshaping of diversity in any context, including but not limited to gender, ethnicity, sexuality and disability. Built into the dialogue are themes of influence, conflict resolution and vital behaviours for individual and social change. The Trust will achieve its objectives through research and development of storytelling methodologies and educational programmes, and test online delivery models to ensure participation also from people who are geographically isolated. The research will investigate the causes and reasons for social, cultural, environmental and economic problems and suggest and promote tangible, novel paradigms and practical online solutions to these problems that are innovative, desirable and easily accessible to local communities. The Trust was established in 2013 to: (i) be beneficial to the community by relieving charitable need for social inclusion in our communities, and (ii)  advance education for the public benefit.