Creative Housing
It all started with an email from Anne Manley. "I have a little story for you that I think would be excellent," she said in the message, and then went on to tell me about Ryan and his family.
"In the past year the Ministry has given much attention to innovative housing options for individuals [with intellectual challenges]. They even offered minimal funding to people to start this practice up. What it requires is that people who need housing support look at other options instead of group home for their family members."
Anne continued, "In the midst of all this we had one family from Lindsay go forward and purchase a triplex. The family was totally unaware of this [Ministry] project. By purchasing the triplex they have made Ryan (supported by Foundations) an owner of property while also offering living space to some of his peers. Currently Ryan has another young man supported by Foundations living in this triplex and an individual supported by Independent Living is considering moving in as well.
This is a wonderful story, Ryan and his family should be so proud of their accomplishment. This [arrangement] enables those with a disability to not only be a landlord but live within his community with his peers supported in a very secure and safe environment. Look what can be done with a little forward thinking and imagination," Anne concludes.
Ryan at Home
Anne sure hit the nail on the head as they say. In response to receiving her email, I contacted Ryan and met with him and his Foundations worker, Tanya. Ryan explained his new living arrangement to me and talked about what it is like to be a part owner and superintendent of an apartment building.
Ryan explained that he had been saving money for his own place since high school (he graduated three years ago). He earned the money working at McDonalds, where he took a co-op placement as a student, was then hired, and continues to work today. (Ryan works two days each week and is responsible for keeping the lobby clean.)
Ryan and his parents bought the house (which has three apartments in it) last summer but much work needed to be done before anyone could move in. Ryan, along with his parents and a few friends, worked hard to fix up the place. Their 'to do' list was long and included refinishing the hardwood floors, putting in new doors and windows, adding fixtures, building new walls and doing a LOT of painting.
Ryan enjoyed getting the house ready - and moving in last fall hasn't meant that the work has stopped. Said Tanya, his Foundations worker, "Whenever he is not at work or at Foundations, Ryan is busy doing yard work, repairs around the house, cutting the grass, trimming the trees - any time you drive by he is fixing and maintaining the house." Ryan said that he enjoys the work, "It's kinda cool, I like it."
The biggest apartment in the house is a four-bedroom, and each bedroom has its own living room area. The apartment was designed this way so that roommates living there could have their own space (other than their bedrooms) to relax and visit with company. The first tenant to move into this four-bedroom apartment was Dave, who arrived this spring. Dave is also supported by Foundations and works at Jobs'R'Us.
A second tenant, supported by Community Living's Independent Living program may move in with Dave in the near future. A new tenant is also lined up for the third apartment in the triplex - so there will soon be a full house at Ryan's place!
Learning from Foundations
Ryan explained to me that he had lived on his own before moving into the triplex. With the help of Community Living Kawartha Lakes and our Foundations program, Ryan was ready to move out on his own upon graduating from high school. (The Foundations Program assists youth 21 and 28 years of age in the transition from high school to independent living.)
Ryan's first move was to a Community Living Kawartha Lakes transitional apartment. There, Foundations helped Ryan to learn skills in money management, math and budgeting, grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation, community awareness and safety, home maintenance, recreational and leisure activities and self awareness.
"There was 24-hour support available at the apartment," said Foundations worker Tanya. "But I didn't need it," commented Ryan, sporting a big smile.
Ryan's parents live in a small community outside of Lindsay, but Ryan likes living in town. He can come and go as he pleases, and can catch the bus just down the street. "I like my place. I can go to Community Living, the grocery store, the bus and sometimes I even walk to work," said Ryan of living so close to the downtown.
Keeping Busy in the Community
Besides working and taking care of the house and tenants, Ryan loves being a part of the Durham Steel Hawks sledge hockey team. Currently, he is playing Left Wing. "I might be Centre next year," Ryan informed me proudly. (To read more about Ryan's medal-winning sledge hockey career, click here.)
Ryan also speaks on behalf of the Foundations program. He goes to IE Weldon Secondary School and talks about how Foundations helped him to learn to live independently. "I go there and talk about Foundations, about how it runs and what it's like being done school," Ryan told me.
Having been very successful in Foundations, Ryan is now a mentor to younger people with intellectual challenges who will soon graduate and want to make plans for the future. "I like doing that," Ryan told me.
Ryan shared the story of one young man he mentors through the Foundations program. The young man attends LCVI and Ryan is teaching him the skills he needs to living independently after graduation. "He's trying to do what I do [living on his own]," said Ryan, "And I help him with that. I help him learn the buses. He is graduating in two years and he wants to be independent."
With all of his commitments at work and home, with Foundations and on the ice, it is no wonder that Ryan keeps his agenda book close at hand to make sure he gets where he needs to go when he needs to go there! "I like it," he said.
Check out our photos of Ryan's place by clicking on the images below.
Ryan at Home - click group to view larger images
Ryan's Home - click group to view larger images
Thank you to Ryan, Tanya and Anne for helping with this story and to Ryan for posing for the camera.
