The BC Association for Community Living and its counterpart organizations in other provinces and territories of Canada belong to a national organization called the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL). CACL works at the national level to raise public awareness and influence government policy to increase the participation and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. For more information, see the CACL website.
The Encampment is a large-scale public participatory art installation that incorporates seventy 19th century expeditionary tents erected in a geometric grid on Major's Hill Park in Ottawa, from October 2-4, 2008. The encampment is presented by CACL as part of its 50th anniversary cultural initiative to bring national awareness to the inclusion of people with an intellectual disability. In partnership with the National Capital Commission (NCC). CACL is looking for creative collaborators to participate. Click here to read the flyer.
The Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL), in collaboration with the Association pour l'intégration sociale d"Ottawa (AISO) and the Ottawa School of Art (OSA) is launching a call for submissions of works of art. A Pancanadian art exhibition will be held during the 50th Anniversary Conference of the Canadian Association for Community Living, November 18-21, 2008 in Ottawa. The opening of the exhibition will be held on November 20, 2008, to present the works of art to the conference participants and to the public.
CACL is looking for Canadian citizens for whom this may be their first public appearance at such a cultural event. Artists from any school and technique are invited to submit proposals. Provincial and territorial CACL members may also submit collective works. Click here to download the flyer.
The Canadian Transportation Agency released a landmark decision concerning the right of individuals with disabilities to travel by air without having to pay for a second seat, for an attendant or other use, to accommodate their disability. In a historic decision in the "One Person, One Fare” case, the agency has recognized the right of these individuals to have access to a second seat when traveling by air in Canada without having to pay a second fare. Click here to read the Press Release about this from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities.
After discussion with CACL's provincial/territorial ACL members, and the national Board and others, CACL has developed a new tagline to go with its logo.
'Diversity Includes.' is the new tagline and message that will be part of CACL's marketing and communications strategies as they head into their 50th Anniversary year. It is meant to communicate a commitment to the idea that disability is another sign of the breadth of human diversity. It will challenge Canadians to think bigger when they think diversity, and to be true to an inclusive version of this cherished Canadian value.
No Place Like Home - A Report on the Housing Needs of People with Intellectual Disabilities
This report looks at housing issues for people with intellectual disabilities. It provides a working definition of the population and looks at the nature and extent of their need for housing. The focus of the report is on non-institutional housing options beyond the family (e.g., parental) home. Researched and written by Cameron Crawford, Director of Research and Knowledge Management, CACL - March 2008. Click here to download the PDF.
National Action Plan on Disability
The End Exclusion initiative partners finalized a National Action Plan focusing on Building an Inclusive and Accessible Canada. read the plan here - From Vision to Action: Building An Inclusive and Accessible Canada A National Action Plan on Disability. Down the PDF version by clicking here.
Info@ Newsletter from CACL
A very special edition of INFO@ is now available at www.cacl.ca/infoat
INFO@ is a newsletter published by the Canadian Association for Community Living to provide current information on relevant topics and issues to the Association, its members & affiliates, and the communities involved. Submissions for consideration for the next INFO@ can be emailed to inform@CACL.ca.
National Report Card
CACL prepared the first National Report Card on their 10-year Agenda - to tell Canadians and our governments about how well we're doing as a society on advancing the full inclusion and human rights of people with intellectual disabilities. Click here to download the Report Card. There will be a public release of the Report Card to launch CACL's 50th Year in January 2008.
Declaration of Support for Community Living
CACL and People First of Canada have come together for the many thousands of Canadians with intellectual disabilities who remain isolated in large segregated institutions.
Show your support to help get people out of institutions and live full lives in their communities by signing the national Declaration of Support for Community Living. Visit http://www.institutionwatch.ca/petition-app to read and sign it.
BC is a leader - one of only 2 provinces in Canada to have completely closed their large institutions. It is now time to demonstrate that same leadership by supporting people with developmental disabilities across Canada return to their communities by signing this Declaration.
BCACL has set 760 as the goal for the number of signatures we'd like to see from BC on the Declaration. Why 760? This is the number of adults with developmental disabilities in BC who are still living in mini-institutions housing between 5 and 19 people.
Spread the word - 760 from BC. Download this flyer about the Declaration, put it in your newsletter and on your bulletin board.
End Exclusion 2007
A national initiative was created in celebration of the 25th anniversary of both the International Year of Disabled Persons and the first Parliamentary report on disability, "Obstacles", as well as the 10th anniversary of the Scott Task Force Report - "Equal Citizenship for Canadians with Disabilites: The Will to Act". The Canadian Association for Community Living and the Council of Canadians with Disabilites led the initiative. Go to End Exclusion.
Community Inclusion Initiative
With a goal of building the capacity that communities require to successfully include people with intellectual disabilities in ways that promote their roles as full citizens in society, the Community Inclusion (CI) Initiative was originally launched in 1998.Representing a collaborative arrangement and funding agreement between the Canadian Association for Community Living, People First of Canada, and Human Resources and Social Development Canada, the Initiative also enabled further collaboration with a diversity of community and government organizations at the national, provincial/territorial and local levels. Click here to read the 2007 CII Report from different provinces.
2007 Respite Guide
As one of eleven projects of the Care Renewal Initiative of the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, CACL produced a guide, Real Respite for the Whole Family - An Advocacy Resource Guide for Individuals with an intellectual disability and their families. This guide offers information, strategies, checklists, contacts, resources, and questions for family members who are providing unpaid care to children, youth and adults with disabilities. This resource outlines a guide for conducting a workshop for family members, providing information that will help them plan towards getting the type of flexible and individualized respite supports that they need, by negotiating and working with community-based support systems.