Some people think that our name, "Community Living," has little meaning. It's different, we admit. But after you read about what we do, we think you'll agree that our name tells exactly what we're about. And we hope you'll agree that our name, the work that we do and the goals that we have make perfect sense.
What would you like to know?
To read more about our community living initiatives, please be sure to also visit our services, stories and news.
What is Community Living?
Community Living is something most of us experience naturally, as part of our daily lives. We live in communities, our children go to neighbourhood schools and we have the opportunity to work at real jobs for real pay and to contribute as productive citizens.
But, for many people who have intellectual (or developmental) challenges, community living is a dream, an objective yet to be realized. Some still live in institutions. Others may live at home but with little connection to the community around them - as children, they may be in segregated classrooms in schools far away from their neighbourhood peers; as adults, they are largely excluded from the workforce. At all ages, many people with intellectual challenges face physical and social barriers that keep them from participating in the social, recreational and economic world around them.
For 50 years, Community Living associations across Canada have worked to bring people and their communities together:
- We support individuals as they develop their capacity to live, learn, work and participate in all aspects of living in the community; and
- We help the community to develop its capacity to welcome and support people who have not always had the same opportunities as the rest of us to participate in community life in meaningful, productive ways.
The direct service and support that we provide is essential for many individuals and their families. Others simply need social or attitudinal barriers dismantled to enable them to make their way in the community. In both direct and indirect ways, supporting people to contribute and participate makes good economic sense, and produces communities that are vibrant and strong. It is also the right thing to do.
Our name, Community Living Kawartha Lakes, makes sense. Rather than name ourselves after the labels that are used to categorize and therefore separate people from their dreams, we take a different approach - declaring in our name the vision of the people we support and the goals that we strive to achieve. We believe that this is a vision and goal that you would share for your community.
Source: Community Living Ontario
May is Community Living Month
Community Living Month is a time set aside to highlight the contributions to our communities that are made by individuals with intellectual challenges and their families. Community Living Month also offers an opportunity for us to tell stories about inclusiveness and to help communities looking for ways to become more inclusive.
For more information about this year's Community Living Month celebrations, watch the Coming Events section, send us an email or call (705) 328-0464.
Some Facts about Community Living
- There are over 200 known causes of intellectual challenges, most originating at birth or in the early stages of development.
- One to three per cent of the Canadian population has an intellectual challenge.
- Just over 1/3 of young people with intellectual challenges who live with their families were enrolled in school in the 1990s.
- Fewer than 40% of these students were fully included in regular classes (compared with 85% of other students with disabilities).
- Almost 2/3 of young people with intellectual challenges need assistance with everyday activities (compared with just over 15% of other young people with disabilities).
- Almost 50% of children, youth, and adults with intellectual disabilities want to be more involved in community activities, but can't get the community support that they need.
- People with intellectual challenges are four times more likely to be excluded from community activities than other people with other disabilities, just because they cannot access people to assist them.
- People with intellectual challenges are more likely than any other group to be unemployed or out of the labour market.
- Family members are the only - or the main - source of support for almost 70% of people with intellectual disabilities. The figure is almost 80% once children reach adult age.
- Half of family members providing support indicate that they are not receiving the back-up assistance and in-home support that they need from their communities.
Sources: The Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) and Community Living Ontario (CLO).
A Word About Terminology!
There are many different words, phrases and definitions used to talk about the people we support. Indeed, terminology has often been a sticking point in our field and we can get hung up on language.
When we become preoccupied with terminology, we have to take a step back and remind ourselves that our work is about people, not labels. This is why we use the phrase 'people we support' as often as possible on this website. (To read more about our philosophy, check out the article What is Community Living?).
Although this approach to language addresses our concerns, it might not help to clarify matters for you. So here is a short - but not necessarily exhaustive - list some of the terms that are used to describe or label the people we support:
- Person who is mentally retarded (this term is the most outdated)
- Person with a developmental disability, delay, handicap, challenge
- Person with an intellectual disability, delay, handicap, challenge
But What Does it Mean?
A person with an intellectual challenge is someone who, from childhood, develops at a below average rate. As a consequence, the person experiences unusual difficulty in learning and can have trouble applying whatever (s)he has learned to the problems of ordinary living - which in turn can affect self-help, living and social skills. There are many conditions that fall under this definition, including Down Syndrome, Pervasive Development Disorder, Prader-Willi Syndrome and Autism.
For more information on terminology and the definition of intellectual challenges, please visit these AAMR pages.
But Who is Really Disabled?
On their website, the Disabled Women's Network (DAWN) of Ontario takes a different swing on things. They point out that:
A disability is defined as a restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered 'normal' for a human being.
A handicap refers to "the loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in the life of the community on an equal level with others." According to this definition, disability has less to do with the individual and more to do with the "shortcomings in the environment and in many organized activities in society - for example, information, communication and education - which prevent persons with disabilities from participating on equal terms."
In other words, a handicap is caused by an environment that does not meet the needs of all of its citizens, regardless of their abilities. Indeed, it is the relationship between the person and the environment that is the focus of our work and the reason that our mission talks about individuals, families and the communities in which they live.
A Different Slant on Things
If the issues of language, terminology and labelling are a particular passion of yours - or if you'd just like to read more on the subject - consider checking out these articles by this unique website.
Be sure to also read this list of Words with Dignity volunteers for use when referring to a person with a disability.
Regarding the links on these pages, please read our disclaimer.
Trouble with any of the links on this page? Please let us know.
Help with Acronyms
In the field of developmental services, we are often guilty of using too many acronyms in our day-to-day language. We have done our best on this website to define the acronyms that we use. But just in case we slip up, following is Community Living Kawartha Lake's primer on commonly used acronyms.
AAMR -- American Association on Mental Retardation
ABI -- Acquired Brain Injury
ACSD -- Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities
ADD -- Attention Deficit Disorder
ADP -- Assistive Devices Program
ADHD -- Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
AGM -- Annual General Meeting
APS, APSW -- Adult Protective Services, Adult Protective Services Worker
ASD -- Autism Spectrum Disorder
BB -- Building Bridges
CACL -- Canadian Association for Community Living
CAS -- Children's Aid Society
CCRW -- Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work
CD -- Conduct Disorder
CEC -- Council for Exceptional Children
CHANGES -- Children and Adults for Normalization, Growth, Equality and Socialization
CLKL -- Community Living Kawartha Lakes
CLO -- Community Living Ontario (previously the Ontario Association for Community Living or OACL)
CLSS -- Community Living Support Services
CMHA -- Canadian Mental Health Association
CSC -- Children's Services Council
DC -- Developmentally Challenged / Developmental Challenge
DD -- Developmental Delay / Developmentally Delayed
DH -- Developmentally Handicapped / Developmental
Handicap
DS -- Day Supports
ECRC -- Early Childhood Resource Consultants (of the Preschool Resource Program)
ES -- Employment Supports
FCCC -- Five Counties Children's Centre
FH, TCFH -- Family Home, Tri-County Family Home
ID -- Intellectual Disability / Intellectually Disabled
IEP -- Individual Education Plan
IL -- Independent Living
IPRC -- Identification Placement Review Committee
HKPR -- Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge (Health Unit)
K.U.R.E. -- Kids Understanding Respect Everywherebr>
HRDC -- Human Resources Development Canada, now known as Human Resources and Skills Development Canada or HRSDC
HRSDC -- Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, once known as Human Resources Development Canada or HRDC
MCSS -- Ministry of Community and Social Services (Ontario)
MID -- Mild Intellectual Disability
MP -- Member of Parliament (federal)
MPP -- Member of Provincial Parliament
OACL -- Ontario Association for Community Living (now known as Community Living Ontario or CLO)
OADD -- Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities
OASIS -- Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs
OCD -- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
ODA -- Ontarians with Disabilities Act
ODD -- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
ODSP -- Ontario Disability Support Program
OSO -- Ontario Special Olympics
PAL -- Practical Academics Life Skills program
PDD -- Pervasive Developmental Disorder
PWS -- Prader Willi Syndrome
Ref Funding -- Enhanced Respite Funding through the Access Centre
SSAH -- Special Services at Home
TAY -- Transitional Age(d) Youth
TCBS -- Tri-County Behavioural Services
TCFH -- Tri-County Family Home
TP -- Transition Plan
TLDSB -- Trillium Lakelands District School Board
VCACL -- Victoria County Association for Community Living (now known as Community Living Kawartha Lakes)
Are we missing anything? Send us an email, and let us know!
Community Living Ontario (CLO)
Community Living Ontario's goal is that all persons live in a state of dignity, share in all elements of living in the community and have the opportunity to participate effectively.
Local associations, like Community Living Kawartha Lakes, provide direct services and support to individuals and their families so that people may plan their future as productive, fully participating citizens in the community.
Community Living Ontario (previously known as the Ontario Association for Community Living) supports this activity by linking local associations and their members with the resources and information they need, and by offering training and consultation in the areas of family support, education, employment, human rights, community participation, advocacy and self-planning.
Community Living Ontario also works to shape public policy by developing position papers on current issues, by analyzing and responding to legislation and by advocating for change through public education and awareness campaigns.
In addition, Community Living Ontario undertakes pilot projects that demonstrate Community Living at work. These range from 'Building Inclusive Schools' - a three-year project to help school districts adopt inclusive education - to 'Opening New Doors' - an initiative designed to help communities to welcome people out of institutions.
Community Living Ontario is a member of the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL), which in turn is an active participant in the international movement in support of people with intellectual disabilities.
There are over 100 Community Living associations in Ontario, with a combined membership of over 12,000 people.
More Information
For more information about Community Living Ontario, visit their website.
Source: Community Living Ontario (CLO)
Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL)
The Canadian Association for Community Living is a Canada-wide association of family members and others working for the benefit of persons of all ages who have an intellectual challenge.
Founded in 1958 by parents who wanted supports and services within the community instead of institutions, CACL has become one of Canada's ten largest charitable organizations, and has grown into a federation of 10 provincial and three territorial associations comprising of 420 local associations and over 40,000 members.
Guiding Principles
CACL is guided in all of its actions by principles that are consistent with its values and beliefs. Every action, statement, policy or publication honours and promotes the principles of:
- Respect
- Dignity
- Equality
- Diversity
- Human rights
- Justice
- Self-determination
- Mutual responsibility
- Inclusion
- Moral courage
Source: Canadian Association for Community Living Kawartha Lakes
CACL Fact Sheets
The following CACL fact sheets are also available on our website:
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these documents.
More Information
For more information about the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL), visit their website.
