Our Vision

People with disabilities tell us that they want to be treated like everyone else.

Our goal is to ensure 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.

To accomplish this, our vision encompasses five social concepts.

Social Justice	Inclusion	Caring Community
Self Direction	Strategic Planning 2006 click here for results of our Strategic Planning 2006	Support

Social Justice

Every human being is deserving of the full benefit of law, rights, and opportunities of citizenship. Most people need support and assistance to participate fully in society.

Yet people with disabilities continue to face many barriers to being included, without support. Barriers to accessibility not only occur in the design and construction of buildings but in areas of daily living such as opportunities for gainful employment.

Rights, minimum accommodations and compliance remedies must be articulated in law and enforced. Governments must set the examples; leadership at the legislative level can shape societal attitudes.

Link to Accessibility Ontario web page.

Inclusion

Inclusion is a desired state of full membership, participation and acceptance in the community. Inclusion means people are valued as individuals. Inclusion means that people are recognized for the unique and important contributions they make in the life of other people and in their community. Inclusion means that people receive supports they need to participate and be successful. Inclusion has the best results when it is practiced from an early age, but it is never too late to include someone.

Caring Community

A caring community values, promotes and takes responsibility for ensuring the inclusion of all people regardless of their abilities or differences. A caring community works in partnership with individuals, families and various levels of government to help people and enrich and ensure a quality of life for everyone in the community. Together people develop their community’s capacity to care.

Support

Support is the assistance that people need to attain and maintain equity in opportunities and citizenship in the community. Support covers a wide range of assistance such as: financial, medical, personal, social and many other areas of life in the community.