Traci's Online Journal - Archive 1
17:54:49 8/20/2007
From the desk of Traci
Hi there!
Years ago, the summer months provided a bit of relief and down time for all of the CAILC staff. We were able to spend time sorting out paper work and do filing busier times didn’t allow for. Every year now I find that summer months don’t provide as much relief from the usual hectic schedule. We find ourselves facing deadlines, filling out reports and facing summer time calls for proposals. There are a number of proposals that have summer deadlines right now so we continue to fundraise all year long. Fundraising is a never ending task for non-profits. It can be frustrating at times because a lot of efforts and energy gets tied up in chasing dollars when at the end of the day, all you want to do is stick to your mission and provide services and supports to our member ILRCs and people with disabilities.
CAILC’s National Information and Data Collection System
Christine Malone, the IL Impact Project Manager, and Gilbert Brunette, CAILC’s Office Manager/Francophone Liaison Officer, have been working diligently for months with the organization that is developing our new fully accessible online information and data collection system. The system has been well over a year in the making. We worked very closely with the IL Impact Advisory Committee and member ILRCs to identify and agree upon indicators and with the National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) to create our new system.
It definitely took a great deal of time, energy and patience within our network. It is now finally operational and it desperately needed a nick name. Saying “CAILC’s National Information and Data Collection System” repeatedly was a tongue twister. By the time you finish saying it you need to take a big breath because you have no oxygen left in your lungs.
In June, at the National Executive Director’s (EDs) Forum we held a “Name that Data Base Contest” and asked the participants to spend time over the 2 day forum and come up with some suggestions. There were some hilarious suggestions and some that are not meant for the public consumption. We selected the top three and the name that won out is the “The VAULT”.
Member ILRCs can also use the “VAULT” for their own local projects and adjust the fields according to local project indications. Once we all get used to inputting data we will be able to better assess the impact of Independent Living in Canada.
End Exclusion Event – November 22, 2007
The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) and the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (CAILC) have partnered this year to bring you the End Exclusion Event 2007. The event will be held on November 22nd at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and we will end the day with CAILC’s 6th Annual United Nation’s International Day of Disabled Persons national kick off event.
We would like to invite everyone to join us that day to design and build a national action plan for an inclusive and accessible Canada. The outcomes will enable the disability community to have a vision and a common message for moving forward with a national disability agenda, and to ensure a common message for the upcoming and looming federal election. The evening event to mark the UN Day will include an early evening reception for the disability community, Members of Parliament, other dignitaries, government representatives, and many others.
We will have a number of activities throughout the day. Don’t miss out! CAILC will be hosting its Annual General Meeting that weekend so all of the CAILC Board of Director’s and ILRC representatives will be in town to join the activities. Both CCD and CACL will be holding national meetings at that time as well.
Please think about holding a meeting in town that week or just join us for the day. We will keep you posted at www.endexclusion.ca
Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) World Assembly
About a month from now, persons with disabilities from around the world will start arriving in Seoul, Korea to attend the 7th Disabled Peoples’ International World Assembly from September 5 – 8. This event only happens every 4 years. The venue for the world assembly is KINTEX, a 224,800 square meter building with exhibition and convention facilities, where a new stage and meeting rooms will be built from scratch to maximize accessibility of people with disabilities. It is expected that around 3,000 persons with disabilities from more than 100 countries will attend the world assembly.
Organized by DPI and DPI-Korea in close collaboration with 44 disability organizations in South Korea, the 7th World Assembly follows the success of the 6th World Assembly in 2002 in Sapporo, Japan, where over 3,500 persons with disabilities from around the world gathered to establish priorities for DPI’s work over the last 4 years. During the Sapporo meeting DPI committed to supporting the process to draft a new international convention on the human rights of persons with disabilities.
Dr. Lee Ick-seop, Chairperson of the Korean Organizing Committee declares, “this year’s world assembly with its central theme ‘Our Rights, Our Convention, But For All’ will be an historical event not only for South Korea as the largest and most inclusive gathering of persons with all types of disabilities but also for the world as it is the first international gathering of persons with disabilities to celebrate the UN’s adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).” The significance of the 7th World Assembly in close relation to the UN is underscored as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has agreed to join the celebration through a video message to be shown during the opening ceremony.
CAILC’s National Chairperson, Paul-Claude Bérubé, Meenu Sikand, CAILC’s 1st Vice-Chairperson, Jean Paul Normandin, CAILC Board Member-at-large, Kier Martin, VILRC Project Manager and I will be attending the event. All together, 4 of our abstracts were accepted and we will be conducting workshops on transportation in Canada, Virtual Peer Support, Impact of Independent Living in Canada and Employment with an Independent Living Lens. We have financed this trip through personal finances, DPI sponsorship and corporate support.
We are really excited to share the Canadian perspective on Independent Living but more importantly we want to learn what’s happening in the rest of the world. Kier is determining ways in which we can provide daily updates on the CAILC website in order for us to post daily journal entries and pictures on the conference so stay tuned. We will start posting our experiences on the conference from September 4th until the 9th.
Awards
Every year we call for nominations for CAILC’s John Lord Award which recognizes excellence in research that reflects an accurate analysis of the social realities facing persons with disabilities. Eligible research would include the insights and experiences of persons with disabilities, would promote a research philosophy that reflects the values of the Independent Living movement, and would reflect the principles that guide participatory action research.
The award values qualitative and quantitative research, academic and community research, research that reflects the cross-disability community, and places a high value on work that incorporates the full and active participation of persons with disabilities throughout the research process. It is a non-monetary award, but recipients will receive a trip to CAILC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) where the award is presented.
If you or someone you know has conducted disability research with a participatory action approach, please consider applying for this award through the John Lord Award section on our website. We love to recognize individuals or groups for their work in this area. This award ceremony will take place in Ottawa on November 23rd and we will fly the winner to Ottawa to attend our National Conference. Don’t forget the End Exclusion Event will be held that weekend and the award recipient will be able to attend.
Please submit nominations by September 15, 2007. For more information on the criteria please go to the awards section of the CAILC website.
Below you will find some pictures from our board meeting in Quebec City and our June Executive Director’s meeting.
Picture: Paul-Claude Bérubé and Jean-Paul Normandin
(Quebec City)
Picture: Rick Goodfellow, Kier Martin, and Christine Malone
(Quebec City)
Picture: Jim Harnden and Francine Leduc
(Quebec)
Picture: Traci and Executive Directors spelling out CAILC in the Pool (Ottawa)
Picture: Executive Directors spell out ILC in the pool
I also want to share some amazing photos with you. Monique Ness, Board Member of the South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre is an amazing photographer. Below are two examples of her photographs.
I’m writing this now from my backyard garden. I’m with my dogs and taking in some sun. Until the next time, have a great summer!
Traci Walters
National Director
13:33:156/29/2007
From the desk of Traci
Picture: CAILC Board of Directors above sporting Ottawa Senators T-Shirts during the Stanley Cup Play Offs. Please note Paul-Claude, the National Chairperson supporting the Anaheim Ducks!!!
It has been a while since I have written. I'm sorry. It has been very busy, as you will read. On May 30th, the CAILC Board of Directors, the CAILC staff, representatives from the Francophone Network, and the CAILC Marketing Committee traveled to Quebec City for our annual spring face-to-face Board of Directors meeting. On March 31st, representatives from the Francophone Network met and created an action plan which will circulate once translated.
Picture: Representatives from the Francophone Network of ILRCs
Also on March 31st, the Marketing Committee hosted a Corporate Think Tank. The CAILC Marketing Committee consists of Rick Goodfellow (Whitehorse), Vince Miele (Richmond), Wendy Savoy (Thunder Bay), Mike Murphy (Ottawa), Tracy Knutson (Regina), Kelly Nadeau (Calgary), Linda Anne Thompson (Parry Sound), Linda McGreevy, Traci Walters, and Jen Newman (CAILC staff). Four representatives from the corporate sector, John Bouza (Bouza and Associates Fundraising Specialists), Richard Clayman (Retired, Regional Vice President, Manulife), Paul Mitten (Vice-President, Compusult), and Barbara Muncey (Regional Sales Manager Eastern Canada, Choice Hotels), spent a day with the committee. The principle goals for the Think Tank were to find out what goes on in the minds of corporations and what type of partnerships they value. We also wanted to find out what they think of the IL Movement and the work that the network does. Do they understand our movement? Do our materials and message get through to them? What types of partnerships and relationships have their corporations / businesses appreciated and respected? What turns them on? Do they know of partnerships that failed between the private and not-for-profit sectors, and if so, why did they fail?
Picture: Bernie Gauthier, Delta Media and 4 Corporate Think Tank representatives strategizing
We spent the good part of the day discussing the current state of the nation. We provided a power point presentation on our history, the work of CAILC and the ILRCs, and a vision for the future. Near the end of the day we asked our corporate friends to role play (which is often dreaded by many) with all of the CAILC Marketing Committee members and participating staff observing quietly for 45 minutes& a task which isn't always easy for any of us. Bernie Gauthier from Delta Media, our facilitator for the day asked the corporate participants to sit at the table facing each other, forgetting that everyone else was in the room. They pretended to be a marketing and public relations firm that had been approached by CAILC to work together.
First, they needed to decide, based on what they heard, whether they wanted the job. Their pretend firm accepted the job and had a brilliant brain storming team session to discuss the strategy and their advice for us. One of their first suggestions was to change our name from CAILC to Independent Living - Canada (ILC). Then other Centres may call themselves Independent Living Kinston, Independent Living Niagara, Independent Living Calgary and so on.
The Corporate Representatives thought that the name the Canadian Association of Independent Living was a mouthful and it really doesn't appeal to them nor does it send a strong message. (Many people often think that we are a place where people live and the national office coordinates all of the homes across Canada.)
Another suggestion, after hearing that we receive about 50,000 55,000 visitors per month on our website, was to charge for advertising. These numbers mean a lot to companies that are trying to reach an online audience.
They had many great ideas and strategies and we are definitely running with most of them. Many thanks to our Corporate Guests for taking the time to share their knowledge and expertise with us.
The CAILC Board met over Friday, June 1st and Saturday, June 2nd. We had many items on the agenda including the accreditation of 8 ILRCs over the past year. In accordance with our bylaws, CAILC asks its member ILRCs to re-apply for membership every three years. The accreditation process is the actual membership application process. The CAILC Board is very committed to ensuring that the Independent Living philosophy and lens are applied to the governance, operations, programming, projects, and community development, that is promoting and enabling choice, flexibility, dignity of risk and most importantly consumer control!!! We also selected the next 8 ILRCs to ask to reapply for next year.
Picture: Some of the Board members strutting their stuff in the Quebec Legislature
During the meetings, we initiated the discussion of a branding checklist for the national office and for our members across Canada. Together with the Marketing Committee, the Marketing, Awareness and Fund Development Initiative Task Force (Ad Hoc ILRC Committee), and member ILRCs we are developing a checklist to ensure consistent branding and recognition as much as possible. Overall, as mentioned in a previous entry, the more people who see the logo and hear the slogan, the more our branding will have an accumulative impact in Canada. It's like the branding of Nike, MacDonald's or the Bay. You basically know what to expect and the feeling you will get when you shop at, eat at or wear one of these products.
On the last afternoon of the board meeting Tracy Knutson and Pam Gleeson created a PATH for CAILC. Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) is a highly effective individual, group, and organizational planning tool proven for building commitment and strengthening community. The Path was for one year and the priorities were identified with and for the CAILC staff and board. Through the graphic facilitation process we identified the following priorities for 2007 -2008 for the national office:
- CAILC has developed a different governance structure to both provide support to ILRCs as well as have a Policy, Research and Marketing Arm
- Increased funding by $1 million from foundations and corporate Canada, especially from banks
- Framework for awareness and education training
- Have 6 members on the CAILC Honorary Council
- Adopted IL Canada
- CAILC has created momentum and influenced disability as a significant item on the agenda for the next federal election
- Completed our resource scan and gap analysis of CAILC
- Hired a consultant and evaluated the networks feedback on the effectiveness of CAILC
- Submitted proposals for core funding for the provinces of BC, AB, ON, QC, NB
Executive Forum June 18, 19th 2007
PATH and MAP Training June 20, 21, 22, 2007
Picture: PATH and MAPS Trainer Lynda Khan working with ILRC representatives
The ILRC Executive Director's traveled to Ottawa in order to attend CAILC's annual Executive Director Forum. We see each other at various meetings throughout the year but the annual ED Forum is a special time to get together, provide peer support, learn about new national office and ILRC initiatives, share fund raising experiences (the good, the bad and the ugly), strategize on operational and program issues and much, much more. Executive Director's bring in new ideas and information and we share everything, including how to avoid burn out issues. We all love our work as Executive Directors, but they are positions that require a great deal of energy, consensus building, creativity, and hard work. Trying to raise money all the time to keep programs going for consumers, individuals employed, and the bills paid is not easiest job out there (also taking into account that many of us live with disabilities).
Picture: The ILRC representatives and CAILC staff practice their new skills
The Executive Directors stayed for June 18th and 19th and some remained to join other IL staff PATH and MAP Training conducted by the best Jack Pearpoint and Lynda Khan, Inclusion Press. Wow, what fabulous people! In fact, Jack Pearpoint is one of the original founders of Inclusion Press.
This course introduces people to basic values of inclusion, and teaches two of the Person Centered Planning approaches - MAPS and PATH. This begins by introducing (re-introducing) people to their innate capacity to be graphic facilitators. Using these skills, in 'hands on' learning, we build a foundation of values. New and more experienced facilitators will spend a substantial portion of the two days practicing the planning approaches on each other, before putting the future of other people in their hands.
Participants will not be 'MAPS or PATH' masters, but rather, emerge with a basic familiarity so they can 'practice, practice, practice' and develop their own skill set.
Jack and Lynda are truly amazing and I can proudly say that they are new friends of the IL Movement. Maps and Paths will definitely be useful tools for the network. I have absolutely no doubt about this.
I will create a PATH and MAPS network for those who were trained so we can practice more and provide a brokerage service to other ILRCs. PATHS can be used for organizations, strategic planning, program development, crisis management, IL skills development and much more. If any IL Network person is interested in the training we can find out more from Jack and Lynda on when and where the next training session is taking place.
One evening I mentioned to some other Executive Directors that I was going to the pool and other colleagues decided to join in. We actually had fun, laughed a lot and created our own aqua fit program. We all live with different types of disabilities and everyone could go at their own pace. We also tried to see how many EDs we could fit into a small hot tub and I think we had about 9 or 10 of us in there.
All joking set aside Kelly Nadeau, a CAILC Board member from Calgary, suggested that we could incorporate healthy lifestyles and physical activities at the network meetings. We work hard, and play hard and on average we work about 12 14 hours per day when you consider the committee meetings and networking that takes place in the evenings.
We were all kidding around when we ended up in the pool but we came to the same conclusion. By swimming and relaxing at the end in the evening we actually felt a bit better! We all felt that it gave us energy the next day, so many EDs and myself can now see the importance of Kelly's suggestion (which some of us snickered at the time, including myself, when he mentioned it).
Kelly full apology and great idea! We will see you in the pool next time we meet!!!
In between the Board and the Executive Director's meetings, I met with folks from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) and the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL).
I would like to take this opportunity to announce the END EXCLUSION event which will be hosted in partnership by CCD, CACL and CAILC. It will be held Thursday, November 22, 2007 at the National Art Gallery in Ottawa. We will also tie in the 6th Annual Kick Off of the United Nations' International Day of Disabled Persons event late that afternoon.
CAILC, CCD and CACL will be hosting their Annual General Meetings and/or board meetings during that weekend. Hundreds of people with disabilities and their allies will descend on the city of Ottawa, create awareness and launch our action plan to End Exclusion. We are inviting others to join us in Ottawa at that time so mark your calendars now.
Check out www.endexclusion.ca web site for the announcement and updates.
That's all for today folks. It's Monday night at 10:30 p.m. and I am just landing in Thunder Bay to attend the Thunder Bay Independent Living Centre's Annual General Meeting. Wendy Savoy, the Centre's Executive Director is a high energy lady who has many great ideas for sharing information, utilizing the virtual world, and building spirit across Canada.
As I fly in tonight at approximately 10:30 pm, I am always amazed that this far north the sun is just setting and it is still light out. I will be attending their AGM tomorrow.
Picture: ILRC Exective Directors attending CAILC's annual Executive Director Forum
I'll write soon. I have a bit more time on my hands now.
Traci Walters
16:25:06 5/25/2007
From the desk of Traci
Hi there!
On May 15th I had the honour of attending the 15th anniversary of the South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre. The Centre was filled with many consumers, representatives from community agencies, past and present board members, politicians and lots of others who have been touched by the Centre in some way or another. While in Regina I spent some time with Monique Ness, SSILC's Vice-Chairperson. What a lovely lady! Monique is a valued volunteer and lives and breathes IL to the fullest. She is very thoughtful, insightful and takes time to reflect on interpretations of the IL model and philosophy.
She asked me a very interesting question during our time together - Traci, what lights your fire? I told her that traveling out to local Centres light my fire! Working as the National Director of CAILC I tend to spend a great deal of time on paperwork writing proposals, preparing funding and board reports, managing staff and talking on the telephone with individuals who work at local member Centres. It's when I travel to the communities and meet with ILRC board, staff and consumers that I am always reminded of the importance of the Independent Living Philosophy and the important role of IL Programs in communities. Basically, the visits ground me!
At the SSILC Open House I met with many consumers of the Centre and heard first hand about their dreams and aspirations and how the programs and services have helped or are currently helping them to achieve these dreams. I was particularly impressed with two consumers who proudly showed me their personal PATHS that were developed by staff members of the Centre. For those of you who don't know, PATHS are a creative planning tool which starts in the future and works backwards to an outcome of first (beginning) steps that are possible and positive. They are very colourful and graphic visual strategic plans that can be used for individual or group planning, program planning and even conflict resolution.
These two individuals carried their PATHS with great respect and pride. Both of their colourful PATHS included a map of where they are now in their lives and where they want to be and who can help them get there. If you look at my first entry below you will see a colourful PATH behind the group of people in the picture that was taken when Kier visited the SSILC. This type of personal interaction inspires me and everyone at CAILC to work hard at promoting the importance of the IL programs and the work of ILRCs.
Speaking of PATHS, CAILC is holding an Executive Directors' Forum in Ottawa from June 18 22/07. For three days, from June 20 22, we are all being trained on how to create PATHS by two of the best trainers Jack Pearpoint and Lynda Khan from Inclusion Press in Toronto. They travel all over North America teaching this process and we are opening up the training for a reasonable fee to any other individuals or groups that are interested in learning the process. For more information please contact me at the CAILC office.
Access To Recovery Project - We have been working with the Canadian Abilities Foundation developing a poster to help educate addiction/harm reduction service providers and people with disabilities about substance use/misuse issues. Ray Cohen, the publisher of Abilities Magazine found an artist for us who designed a poster. Like CAILC's logo development, it isn't always easy to create a visual image that depicts the message and the feeling that goes with the message. In this case, I do think the artist did an excellent job.
What do you think? Access to Recovery Poster
The summer issue of Abilities will feature this artwork as a centerfold poster and on the back of the poster you will find information on substance use/misuse and where to call for support if you need it. Readers will be able to pull it out of the magazine and hang it up on their walls. Our thanks to Ray Cohen at Abilities and the artist for doing such a great job!
Branding - Speaking of the logo, I am currently writing from a hotel room in Miramichi and just returned from the Grand Opening of the Miramichi ILRC. Émilie Haché, the Executive Director of the Shippagan ILRC in New Brunswick gave me a ride over to the Centre and as we were driving down the street looking for the new location we saw the new IL logo and knew immediately where we were. Although, we adopted a cooperative branding model, which means that member Centres can decide for themselves whether they continue to use their current logo or adopt the new CAILC logo as their own. I personally believe that consistent and integrated branding could offer the most accumulative impact. If ILRCs choose to keep their own, they still need to display the national logo prominently on their website and materials. We support both models; however, I do have to admit seeing the colourful people in the logo helped us to immediately identify the location. I tend to lean towards having one common image because I do think it will be easier for consumers and the general public to eventually automatically recognize the IL brand and know immediately what that means no matter where they are in Canada. To that end, I would like to thank the Regina and Miramichi staff and boards for making me feel at home while visiting.
Strategic Planning While spending time at the Miramichi Open House, Émilie Haché showed me a very interesting strategic planning tool model. She and the Shippagan Centre Chairperson, Mr. Losier have been researching various models of strategic planning and they combined a number of concepts together and are finalizing a model that works for them. I was really impressed with its layout, format and a checklist for each and every activity. What a great idea! Many strategic plans are full of text and they aren't often working documents. The Shippagan Model will be a living document that is user friendly, results orientated and will create a sense of accomplishment as activities are checked off. I asked Émilie if they could share it with the network and she is delighted to do so. Once it is completed, I will have it translated and sent to all member organizations.
Literacy Project Announcement - CAILC has received word that HRSDC has just approved a literacy and Independent Living initiative. The project Making the Connection - Literacy, Disability and Quality of Life: Participatory Action Research Initiative, is a three-year, national initiative that will enable CAILC to undertake groundbreaking and innovative participatory action research that will identify, measure, and document the link between the attainment of literacy skills and improved quality of life for persons with disabilities. CAILC will work with a diverse group of stakeholders at the national and community levels that will include representatives from literacy providers, researchers, and Independent Living Resource Centres (ILRCs). This team will design and implement an innovative participatory action research initiative that will track individuals with disabilities who will be acquiring literacy skills over a three year period.
In addition, CAILC will examine the link between the attainment of literacy skills and the improvements to quality of life. CAILC will work with a national research team, led by a principal researcher at Brock University to design, provide ongoing support and document quantifiable results from the research process.
CAILC will establish ongoing communication and ensure dissemination of results, tools (including a practical guide for stakeholders based on lessons learned), and resources that will evolve out of this unique learner-driven and collaborative model. Our objectives will be learner-driven, flexible, individualized (i.e. appropriate disability supports for individualized needs) and adaptable. Central to this process will be the ability to create and maintain a feedback loop that involves all partners (i.e. consumers, ILRCs, local literacy providers, and the national research team). This initiative will begin to unfold later in June.
National Board Meeting - Most of the CAILC staff and board are heading off to Quebec City next week for a national face-to-face board meeting. We will also host a Francophone IL Network Meeting on May 30th, a Marketing Think Tank Meeting on May 31st, and on June 2nd we will create a PATH for the national office with CAILC board and staff. Until the next journal entry, take care and make a point of getting outside of the office or your home to soak up some nice weather.
Traci
9:06:48 4/24/2007
From the desk of Traci
Over the past two weeks we have been busy sorting out the new website. There are still a few glitches here and there, and some areas that need to be completed but we are relieved to at least have it live. We are committed to having a fully accessible site and many of our previous documents still need to be converted into accessible formats. We are nearing the end of this task and look forward to providing access to all!
The CAILC staff will all be trained next week on how to update the website on site rather than being dependant on a third party, which was the previous case. Once we have the training we will be able to regularly update the website with pertinent up-to-date information. Long overdue!!
New Project
We have just been approved for a new HRDSC project entitled "Investing in Futures: An Independent Living Approach to Educational Savings Initiatives." This is a comprehensive national initiative that will create greater awareness of the benefits and incentive (subsidies) of Registered Educational Savings Plans, Canada Educational Savings Grants, Canada Learning Bonds and the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plans for people living in the low income bracket. Through this initiative, CAILC will enhance the capacity of its member Independent Living Resource Centres (ILRCs) to support parents with disabilities and parents who have children with disabilities in accessing education and savings information, as well as incentives that enhance participation in post-secondary education. We have formed our National Advisory Committee for the project and the members so far are Vince Miele (Richmond, BC), Braude B. (Victoria, BC), Patricia Simone (Kapuskasing, ON), Dianne Wood (Duncan, BC) and CAILC staff members Jihan Abbas, Irene Lind, Susan Forster and I. In the next two months we will be designing the training for the upcoming Executive Director's Forum in June. We will also have one or two committee members from a financial institution.
Independent Living Impact Project
We are currently in our third year of the IL Impact project. One of the activities within the project is the writing and publishing a book that chronicles the history of Independent Living in Canada and its impact on individuals, communities and on government policies. Christine Malone is the IL Impact Project Manager. She and Jihan Abbas, CAILC's Director of Policy and Research, have been working with the book's author John Lord over the past two years.
The IL Impact book will reflect the history and impact of the Independent Living Movement in Canada. Born out of the Civil Rights Movement and specific to disability, the Independent Living Movement is a global social movement challenging medical paradigms and shifting control to individuals. Highlighting the evolution of this movement in Canada, the book incorporates many different perspectives, speaks of the struggles and achievements of disabled persons over the last century, and the impacts and growth of our grassroots movement.
One of the challenges we face in the development of this important piece is in the area of publishing and marketing. Being new to the world of publishing, there has been much to learn, this has therefore been a lengthier and more time consuming process then first anticipated. We have already researched various publishing houses as their interests are often specific to certain subject matter. Once we identify who is best to target we must create proposals for submission. Again, the criteria and the process vary for each publisher so we must tailor the proposals accordingly. We are also getting a better sense of the timeline and the work required to get a finished manuscript published. We are looking at a possible eighteen month time frame, again longer then expected.
In addition to working on relationships with traditional publishers, we have also explored areas of the marketing/publishing firms. The timelines are much shorter and more inline with the timing of the IL Impact Project however, services received and the expectations on CAILC would also be different. This has been an extensive leaning process for all the staff; fortunately we have made contact with individuals who are more familiar with this field to provide us with information and support. Overall our goal is to find a publisher that meets our needs, allowing us to share the history and impact of our movement with the intended audience.
CAILC Accreditation Process
The CAILC National Board of Directors' meeting will be held at the end of May in Quebec City. At this upcoming face-to-face meeting the Board will review accreditation reports of nine ILRCs that were selected for the 2006/07 fiscal year. According to the CAILC Bylaws all member Centres must reapply for membership every three years. The membership application process involves being accredited. Susan Forster, CAILC's Services and Accreditation Consultant, supervises the accreditation process and works with the Accreditation Committee. Susan is meticulous in her work and keeping track of the mountains of paperwork that is compiled and sent in from applicants.
Susan reviews all application materials and prepares reports for the committee. The committee then reviews the reports to ensure that the ILRC is operating based on the CAILC membership eligibility. For example, we look for evidence that the ILRC is serving the cross-disability population in their communities, providing core programs, operating projects within an IL framework, integrating the IL Philosophy of providing options to consumers that enable them to have choices, control and flexibility, and most of all operating as a sound and viable consumer based organization. The CAILC Board will be reviewing nine accreditation reports at the end of May and the applicants will get feedback following the meetings.
Substance Use/Misuse Project
We have been implementing a national substance use/misuse project Access to Recovery (ATR) and are now ready to share our recently developed tools and resources with everyone through the ATR section on our website.
A couple of months ago I sent in an abstract to the planning committee of the Issues of Substance Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse National Conference 2007. I was recently advised that we have been invited to have a poster presentation at the event. They expect over 800 people to attend who are involved in the substance abuse sector. I'm very exited about attending this event in November and sharing our consumer and service provider resources and final needs assessment report with this particular audience. For more information on the conference visit http://www.issuesofsubstance.ca
See our Access to Recovery tools at www.cailc.ca and click on the ATR logo.
People in the IL Network
Another part of my job is staying in contact with CAILC Board members and ILRC staff and board on a regular basis, especially Executive Directors of ILRCs. Last week I received a message from Judith Caissie, the Executive Director of a new ILRC in Miramichi, New Brunswick. She was really excited about a recent event that transpired. I met Judith face-to-face last year just after she was hired. I was visiting the Shippagan ILRC. Judith had driven up from Miramichi to join us and we shared a wonderful little cottage for a couple of days. During our time together we got to know each other. She opened up to me and informed me that she had just found out that one of her kidneys wasn't working anymore and that she would have to start dialysis. Her calmness about her circumstance was quite remarkable and she remained upbeat despite this incredible life change. Judith appeared to be the type of woman that had overcome some major challenges in her life and was prepared to take on another challenge with hope and optimism.
Before I received her phone message, Judith was trying to locate the nearest hospital where she could access dialysis treatments while attending our upcoming Executive Director's meeting in Ottawa. So when she called I assumed it had something to do with the dialysis or another matter of business.
Judith was so excited that I could barely understand her. She had recently been at an extended family dinner and after coffee and dessert a thirty something 4th cousin had announced that she was donating her kidney to her. She was a match. Judith had no idea that anyone in the family was considering this option. Judith was overwhelmed but told her cousin to really think it through and that she didn't have to do it, but the cousin was adamant about her decision. Her mind was made up and there was nothing else to discuss with regards to her decision. What exciting news for Judith!! Everyone at CAILC wishes her success with her future operation.
On that happy note I will end this latest entry of my online journal and until the next entry enjoy life to the fullest like Judith Caissie.
Traci Walters
National Director
Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres
15:24:51 4/4/2007
Hello everyone!
I decided to start a blog to update the community on what we do here at the national office in Ottawa. People often wonder what takes place within the national office and my blog can help make our work real in the lives of consumers, the IL Network and the general public.
First of all, I would like to welcome you to the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centre's new fully accessible website. As you will see, the new site features our new branding and our new slogan "Promoting a New Perspective on Disability". The development of our new branding and identity took place through a very inclusive and consultative process with people inside and outside the Independent Living Movement. In total, it took about 8 months to accomplish this task, but it was well worth it.
Our slogan says it all. Within the Independent Living Movement we believe that the Independent Living Model is the new perspective. Many of us contribute to society in different ways, but more of our community could do so if given access and opportunity. With more participation from people with disabilities our social and fiscal economy would be much stronger; let alone Canada's identity and culture. Let's not dwell on the past problems and barriers....let's move forward with solutions and new ways of doing business. We want to get people excited about being involved! You can read more about the meaning and development of the slogan on the front page of our latest newsletter.
The Perspective:The National Independent News Bulletin
Over the past two weeks we were involved with two incredible historic legal decisions. On March 22, the final Supreme Court decision regarding the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) vs. Via Rail was released. CAILC provided support to this cause by being granted intervener status and preparing a written submission. We have always supported CCD in their work and whenever there is high profile work that needs to be done in Ottawa, we work closely with CCD, the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL), and other disability organizations.
We all arrived at 8:30 am for the release of the decision. The community was prepared for either a negative or a positive decision. David Baker, CCD's lawyer, Paul Claude Bérubé, CAILC National Chairperson, Pat Danforth (CCD Transportation Chairperson), a few other local consumers showed up, and myself to face the incredible media crowd. It is generally so difficult to attract media for disability issues so we were delighted that so many camera people and journalists were on hand. But what if the decision didn't go in our favour? What would we say - Another major disappointment after years of watching and experiencing an eroding air, rail and bus system throughout Canada.
Canadians with disabilities were watching this as a landmark decision which will either affirm our full and equal citizenship or exclude us from equal benefit and protection of the law.
Eagerly David Baker purchased two of the decision papers and we quickly huddled in a back room to prepare ourselves for the media. Pat Danforth spent 7 years fighting this battle and I could see how devastating a negative decision would have been for her, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, Dave Baker, the other intervening groups and all Canadians with disabilities. She was carrying all that weight on her shoulders for years. David quickly let us know that it was a victory slim but we won. Pat had tears of joy in her eyes. What a relief!
The media coverage (in English and French) was fantastic and the story was covered coast to coast, and in rural and urban regions. This was a major victory to get so much media coverage as well.
On behalf of everyone at CAILC, we would like to congratulate the Council of Canadians with Disabilities for fighting this battle for 7 years! There were many times I am sure that they really didn't know how they could continue to fight this financially expensive, not to mention emotionally draining, battle. Thanks goodness they did. CCD was also awarded costs! I like to think we live in a country where at the end of the day human rights prevail, and they did in this case.
On the international front, over the past couple of weeks and behind the scenes, we were working with CCD, CACL and Amnesty International to raise awareness that the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities was ready for signing. At that time Canada was nowhere on the list of countries who were ready to sign and attend the ceremony on March 30th, 2007. We quickly pulled together and wrote a letter for the Prime Minister urging him to continue with Canada's leadership role on this issue and to attend the ceremony to sign this historical landmark treaty! A positive letter was prepared and within a matter of days, over 45 civil society organizations signed on, including the Canadian Bar Association, Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians, ARCH Disability Law Centre, Canadian Arab Federation, Canadian AIDS Society, Canadian Labour Congress, Oxfam Canada, UNICEF Canada, and many others.
We didn't know until about 30 hours before the signing ceremony that Canada was going to take part! The Honourable Peter MacKay's office informed us and an emergency press conference was called, and both Paul Claude and I were invited to attend. Although this was another nail biting experience until the last minute, we applaud the Government of Canada for taking this initiative, and affirming that it has a strong commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities enjoy full participation in society and can contribute to the community to their full potential. During his press conference Minister MacKay stated that, By signing the Convention, we are demonstrating our leadership and the importance we attach to the rights of persons with disabilities. Minister MacKay also publicly thanked Dave Shannon (CAILC's Chairperson of the Social Policy Committee/Board member) for working closely with him on this issue.
We also need to thank the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party, the Bloc Quebecois and the Green Party. The political parties worked together until the ink hit the paper. And you know what? That's the way it should because disability is not a partisan issue. We should all be in our line of work to make sure the right things get done politicians, disability organizations, civil society groups and governments. This kind of event doesn't happen very often, so let's celebrate. Something tells me it is going to be a good year.
On the lighter side, Kier Martin, CAILC's Virtual ILRC Project Manager just returned from visiting our three pilot Virtual ILRC sites Kingston, Regina and Victoria. These sites are about to embark on consumer testing of on-line employment tools for people with disabilities. See pictures below.
Kier on the Road
ILRC Regina, SK
ILRC Victoria, BC with Kier
The rest of the staff and I are busy with year end matters, planning and coordinating our upcoming national board meeting in Quebec City at the end of May and the upcoming Executive Director's Forum from June 18 22, 2007 in Ottawa.
Linda McGreevy, the Marketing Committee and I are planning an exciting Think Tank Meeting prior to the board meeting with very senior corporate VIPs from various business sectors to spend a day together developing high level marketing, fundraising and promotional strategy to help propel CAILC into a whole new level of partnerships with the corporate community. Gibert Brunette is busy planning the face-to-face Francophone Network Meeting that will be held in Quebec City on May 31st, 2007.
I often travel and visit different local ILRCs: each one is so unique that I really need to share my experiences with others. The Independent Living philosophy has changed so many lives and communities across our country that it truly is a shame if I don't begin to share what I have seen and learned with others. Every week or so I will write about different activities that various CAILC staff and/or board members are working on, or my travels, or our hopes and dreams and maybe even some challenges that we face once in a while.
I'll be in touch soon.
Traci Walters
National Director
Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres
