Connections PDF - Reena

Connections
UN Convention Recognizes
Inclusion As A Human Right
History happened at the United Nations (UN)
Headquarters in New York on March 11 for people
with disabilities all across Canada. The Honourable
Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the
Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human
Resources and Skills Development, finally ratified the
United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities.
This Convention is
intended to protect the
rights and dignity of
persons with disabilities
all over the world.
Canada was one of the
first countries to sign the
Convention in 2007.
Countries that sign it are
required to promote,
protect and ensure that
persons with disabilities
experience equal human
rights and full equity
April 2010
Calendar of Events…….2
Bridging Diversity……...3
Central Region ….……...5
Etobicoke Region……....7
North York Region……..9
Scarborough Region…11
Education Committee..13
Self Advocates
Council………………….14
Events/Workshops……15
under the law. Our national partner, the Canadian
Association for Community Living, was a key player
in working with the federal government to sign and
ratify this Convention.
The federal government required the agreement and
commitment of Canada’s provinces and territories
before it could be ratified.
Ratification of the Convention means that new
opportunities for building a more inclusive and
accessible Canada will be created. It means that
inclusion and accessibility will be monitored and
progress will be subject to not only Canadian, but
international scrutiny. But most importantly, it also
means that inclusion is now a right and everyone is
responsible in upholding the Convention and in
making communities welcoming and inclusive.
This UN Convention is also historical. For the first
time in UN history, people affected by a treaty were
actively involved in the development of its text. The
Convention draws on their experiences and the
experience of their families.
1

Volunteer
Leadership
Honourary Patron
The Hon. David C. Onley
Lieutenant Governor of
Ontario
Patron’s Council Chair
Duncan N. R. Jackman
Founding Chair
The Hon. Barbara McDougall
Vice-Chair
Andrea Alexander
Michael Adams
The Hon. Zanana Akande
Patsy Anderson
Mary Pat Armstrong
Brad Badeau
Jalynn Bennett
Chief William Blair
David Crombie
The Hon. William G. Davis
Michael Enright
W. Robert Farquharson
Maureen Forrester
Paul Godfrey
Pooja Handa
Dale Lastman
Dr. Kellie Leitch
Glenn McConnell
Jack Rabinovitch
Meredith Saunderson
John H. Tory
Board of Directors
President
Susan G. Seller
Chris Beesley
Colleen Broadhurst
Pat Coursey
Ann Marie Fierro
Victor Figueiredo
Sherron Grant
Mark G. Johnson
Colette Kent
David Layton
Kathy Lisle
Dawn Lunan
Sam McKhail
Hélène Paulyn Murray
Cay Shedden
Chris Stringer
Rick Strutt
Lee Tarshis
For more Events please visit: www.communitylivingtoronto.ca.
Click on “Region” and choose either
“Central”, “Etobicoke”, “North York” or “Scarborough”
Let us help you!
Would you like assistance filling out any of the forms listed below
Passport, Special Services at Home (SSAH)
Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities (ACSD)
Etobicoke: April 6th
North York: April 20th
Central: May 5th
Scarborough: May 19th
To make an appointment, contact Access and Information
at 647-426-3220 or 647-426-3219.
Save the Date!
RDSP Ontario
Registered Disability Savings Plan
Information Session
Monday June 7, 2010
North York Region
1122 Finch Avenue West
Details to come in upcoming issues!
It’s Coming!
Community Living Toronto
Annual Picnic
Shadow Lake Centre
Stouffville
Saturday June 5th
Look for details in upcoming
newsletters about this exciting
and popular event!
Look for us on these networking sites!
Chief Executive Officer
Bruce Rivers
2

March, 2010
Bridging Diversity
What is Diversity
Diversity is commonly
understood in terms of
dimensions that include but
are not limited to race, age,
place of origin, religion,
ancestry, Aboriginal status,
skin colour, citizenship, sex,
gender, identity, sexual
orientation, ethnic origin,
disability/ability, marital,
parental or family status,
same-sex partnership status,
creed, language, educational
background, literacy level,
geographic location, income
level, cultural tradition and
work experience.
Source: Ontario Healthy
Communities Coalition
Bridging Diversity
Team
Sue Lynch, Sponsor
Bob Ferguson, Lead
Layla Ibrahim
Kelly Kearns
John Balatka
Karen Bell
Anne Sarwan
Shawn Ratnasingam
Fasika Mitiku
Robin Siannas
Linda Carmichael
Shaneen Duffield
Eileen Wan
Nooreen Pirbhai
Sherrill Barnes
Hidden Pride
By John Balatka
In 2009, the Bridging Diversity
Working Group announced it was
expanding its focus, which included
researching and gaining knowledge of
the needs of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ)
community. From that research we will
develop specific goals in working with
this community.
In the Working Group’s workplan
three goals were identified:
Determine the needs of LGBTQ
service recipients at Community
Living Toronto.
Compile a database of LGBTQ
supports and services in Toronto that
are inclusive or exclusive to people
with intellectual disabilities, and
Analyze the results to determine
service gaps for LGBTQ service
recipients at CL Toronto.
Here are some preliminary findings
from our research:
Goal 1 – Service Needs
Based on interviews that were
conducted, it would appear that there
is some resistance to the acceptance
of some individuals’ sexual
orientation.
Plain language LGBTQ information
needs to be available and posted on
sites like ConnectABILITY.ca.
An adult LGBTQ peer/support group
needs to be created, based on the
model of SprOUT, a peer group for
youth.
Goal 2 – Database of Services
There are numerous LGBTQ supports
and services in Toronto. A few,
like the youth support group ‘Compass’
at the Griffin Centre, are specifically
designed for individuals with
developmental disabilities and/or dual
diagnoses. Members of the Diversity
Working Group are still determining the
degree of inclusiveness of these LGBTQ
supports and services. In the future, a
database of the inclusive LGBTQ
supports and services will be available
to staff and individuals in service.
Goal 3 – Identify Service Gaps
A number of service gaps have been
identified:
1. Lack of education for staff and
families in supporting LGBTQ
individuals with developmental
disabilities.
2. Lack of plain language LGBTQ
information that is readily available
to individuals in service.
3. Lack of a adult peer/support group
for individuals with developmental
disabilities in
Toronto.
These findings are preliminary
and more research is required, however,
we are looking at next steps and how
we can better support people.
3

Three Years On, Family Finally Accesses Services
We have become not
a melting pot but a
beautiful mosaic.
Different people,
different beliefs,
different yearnings,
different hopes,
different dreams.
- Jimmy Carter
Check out these
links!
The 519 Church
Community Centre
www.the519.org
Ethiopian Association in
the Greater Toronto Area
and Surrounding Regions
www.ethiocommun.org
Thorncliffe
Neighbourhood Services
www.thorncliffe.org
By Emily Carreiro, Family Support Coordinator
Recently I started working with a
family who have been living in
Canada for only 3 years. The family
unit consisted of mother, who was sole
support to the family, her two
daughters, the eldest with an
intellectual disability. The mother had
met with two other agencies within the
developmental sector before becoming
involved with Community Living
Toronto through the Family Support
Program. I came to learn that because
the mother and her daughters only
spoke Swahili and very limited
English, the family was struggling to
access information about services and
supports available for the family
member with the intellectual disability.
It was the assistance of our
partnership with Midaynta Community
Services, an agency that addresses
settlement issues, that I was able to
secure a Swahili speaking worker who
was open to assisting me with my
initial face to face meeting with the
family. This helped to ensure that the
family not only received information
about services and supports available
to them, but it was the families’
opportunity to tell their story in their
language.
The initial meeting was a success
and many goals were identified and the
family is now scheduled to have a
Person Directed Plan for their sister
and daughter. I have also managed to
secure a Swahili speaking individual
who will be present at the Person
Directed Plan to translate the questions
so that every family member can
participate in the process.
Our partnership with Midaynta has
enabled me to provide support and
information to this family, and connect
them to available resources. Without
continuing to develop partnerships
with agencies like Midaynta, we would
not be able to reach out to various
communities that are in need of our
supports and services.
Canadian Association of Muslims with Disabilities
Canadian Association of
Muslims with Disabilities
http://www.camd.ca
Rexdale Women’s Centre
www.rexdalewomen.org
Immigrant Post
www.immigrantpost.ca
Visit the
Bridging Diversity page
on Sharepoint for
information, resources,
websites and more
about our partners !
CAMD’s vision is to create a global
village that includes full access for
Muslims with disabilities. Their
mission is to work toward an inclusive
society by promoting principles of
accessibility that aims:
To ensure that persons with
disabilities have access to spiritual
and social activities, events and
programs in their places of
worship.
To resource and facilitate physical
accessibility, alternative
communication/Sign Language
interpretation, and alternative print
formats for faith based institutions.
To research and promote
information about and needs of
faith, spirituality and culture
through the lived experiences of
persons with disabilities to leaders,
service providers, governments
and communities.
To facilitate networking
opportunities for persons with
disabilities and their families.
To lead and support the
development of alternative respite
and independent living
opportunities that meets the
requirements of faith and culture.
4

Council Listings
Central Regional Council
Chairperson
Peter Wakayama
Vice Chair
Lee Tarshis
Board Representative
Hélène Paulyn Murray
Alternate
Board Representative
Peter Wakayama
Treasurer
Susan McCloy
Chair of Fundraising Committee
Judy Dawson
Members at Large
Paul Cochrane
Peter Marrese
Nelson Raposo
Peter Wakayama
Alda Zimbalatti
Regional Executive Director
Frances MacNeil
Membership Coordinator
Charles Hackbarth
416.968.0650 ext. 2339
chackbarth@cltoronto.ca
Contact Information
Central Regional Office
20 Spadina Rd.
Toronto, Ontario
M5R 2S7
T: 416.968.0650
F: 416.968.6463
Next Council Meeting:
April 6, 2010
5:45 - 8:00 pm
20 Spadina Rd
The Boardroom
Time To Dust Off Your Dancing Shoes
Spring has, most definitely, sprung.
Here in Central Region that means one
thing; Spring Fling Dinner and Dance.
This year marks the 14th year for the
ever-popular fundraising event, which
started as a Valentines Dance at Tony’s
Ballroom in the north-west end of the
city.
Tickets have been selling at a brisk
pace again this year. For the past few
years, the event has sold out and we
expect it will again this year.
New West End Hub!
Other exciting news in Central; the
Association now has a location for its
West End hub. Community Living
Central Region Council’s
Spring Fling Dinner and Dance
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Blowing up balloons takes a lot longer
than you think.
Toronto took possession of the property
in February. Renovations will take
place over the next few months and
hopes are for a grand opening in the
fall.
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
6 Garamond Court
Tickets are now available from
Judy Dawson at (416) 694-7083 or
Charles Hackbarth (416) 968-0650
$40 for people with special needs
$50 for general admission
5

Central News, Region cont’d... News – Continued
Manson Workers– An Integral Part Of The Planning Process
By Ashley Jones
gives them the opportunity to improve their artistic
skills.
Not only does this work offer the opportunity to
engage in a new and different task for the participants,
the support that the production of these pieces
provides to others within our Association as well as in
the community is invaluable.
Staff participating in this process have also
commented that using the pieces that the workers
themselves have completed for their own life plans
Raymond Rodrigues
We often wonder about the impact of our work;
how what we do touches the people in our lives and
the people that we support.
The participants at Manson Employment Training
Service (ETS) are helping to provide tangible
evidence of the kind of support that we offer here at
Community Living Toronto.
For approximately six months now, the participants
at Manson have been producing and embellishing the
pieces used for Person Directed Life Plans.
Production of these life plan pieces happens under
the watchful guidance of Venus, a Support Worker at
Manson. When other work is completed, creating
these pieces offers a welcome diversion. Many of the
individuals who have worked on them have expressed
that they like making the pieces best of all, because it
Patricia Wong
(and creating them for the plans of others) adds
another layer of meaning and value to the planning
process. It also offers a visual reminder and evidence
of the work that the participants engage in every day.
The participants and staff here at Manson are very
proud of their role in contributing to the planning
process and look forward to further involvement and
contribution.
Central Region’s Wednesday Night Supper Club
Every Wednesday from 4 to 7:30 pm
30 Birch Ave (near the Summerhill and Yonge)
$5.00 for the meal, everything else is free
Hang out with friends, enjoy music, movies, crafts and so much more.
For more information: contact Charles at 416-968-0650 or chackbarth@cltoronto.ca
6

Council Listings
Etobicoke/ York
Etobicoke/ York
Regional Council
Regional Council
Chairperson
Chairperson
Susan King
Joan Karout
Board Representative
Vice Chairperson
Ann Marie Fierro
Susan King
Alternate Board Representative
Board Representative
Laura Parsonson
Ann Marie Fierro
Self Advocate Representative
Alternate Board Representative
TBD
Laura Parsonson
Treasurer
Treasurer
Ruth Nagy
Ruth Nagy
Airi Clifford
Zdenka Bilic
Zdenka Bilic
Mary Byne
Mary Byne
Jan Hajjar
Jan Hajjar
Wally Richards
Wally Richards
Gaston Karout
Joan Karout
Christine LeClair
Gaston Karout
Barbara Tuckwell
Christine LeClair
Stefica Skof
Barbara Tuckwell
Sharon Totafurno
Stefica Skof
Sharon Totafurno
Regional Executive Director
Mike Doto
Regional Executive Director
Mike Doto
Membership Coordinator
Eric Laimer
Membership Coordinator
416.236.7621 ext. 224
Eric Laimer
elaimer@cltoronto.ca
416.236.7621 ext. 224
elaimer@cltoronto.ca
Contact Information
Etobicoke/York
Contact Information
Regional Office
Etobicoke/York
295 The West Mall,
Regional Office
Suite 204
295 The West Mall,
Etobicoke, Ontario
Suite 204
M9C 4Z4
Etobicoke, Ontario
M9C 4Z4
T: 416.236.7621
F: 416.236.7673
T: 416.236.7621
F: 416.236.7673
Regional Next Council Annual Meeting:
Tuesday, Tuesday, April June 13th
7:00 pm
295 Etobicoke/ The West York Mall
Regional Suite 204 Office
Boardroom
Bridging Diversity Through Volunteering
By Adeniyi Gbadebo
My name is Adeniyi Gbadebo. I was
born in 1975 in Ogun State, Nigeria, in
West Africa. I am the third from a family
of five children which consists of three
girls and two boys. I immigrated
to Canada from Nigeria in 2009. As an
immigrant, there were many challenges I
faced due to the new environment and
ways of life.
On arrival to Canada I experienced a
culture shock. One example is that
generally in Africa elderly people find it
difficult to look after themselves and
many factors are responsible for this. The
way of life here and the protection of the
environment was also a shock for me.
This is because it was a very different
culture from the one I was used to. I
noticed how the government here cares
for it citizens. I was privileged to visit a
group home and see how the people
living there were being cared for. In
Nigeria, hospitals not only provide
medical care but also function as nursing
homes, hospices and residential care
homes.
I faced emotional and psychological
challenges. I had no family or friends in
Canada. This was very depressing and
frustrating for me. I had no one to talk to.
As humans, we are social beings that
need to form meaningful relationships in
order to fulfill our social needs. Being
new to Canada, making new friends took
some time and when I did I was able to
share feelings with my new friends.
Furthermore, getting a good job as an
immigrant was challenging as all
potential employers asked for Canadian
experience as a requirement. In addition
to this, I was required to have 50 hours of
volunteer service to complete admission
into college as a social service worker.
This led me to Community Living
Toronto. I contacted the Etobicoke/York
Volunteer Coordinator and was able to
speak at length about my experiences. I
was able to gain insight into how the
developmental services sector works in
Canada.
Currently, I am volunteering with the
Etobicoke/York Friendship club and look
forward to more volunteer opportunities
in the near future.
Although new immigrants face
numerous challenges that are both
emotional and psychological, with strong
social supports and actively contributing
through the positive experience of
volunteering, new immigrants can settle
in smoothly to Canadian culture.
7

News, cont’d...
Etobicoke / York News – Continued
And The Dream Goes On…
By Judith Cummings
Thursday, April 1 will mark the first day of the We
Are The Dream campaign at the Creative Village
Studio. The “Stairway To The Skies” quilt has been
hung and is on display. Everything is in its’ place and
the team looks forward to meeting you at one of the
upcoming campaign events. The quilt will remain on
display at the Creative Village Studio during the
month of April before being relocated to the
Etobicoke/ York Region Office for several weeks in
May.
Throughout the month of April, the team will be
offering four themed Fridays. We welcome you to
these fun-filled events, held from 2 to 5 p.m., on the
following dates:
High Tea - April 9
Pate Time! - April 16
Wineless Cheese Party – April 23
Strawberry Fest – April 30
It is with excitement and pride that the team will
You’re invited to a FUNdraiser for...
Community Living Toronto
Thursday May 6, 6:00pm-9:00pm
CHAPTERS QUEENSWAY
1950 The Queensway
(across from Sherway Gardens)
Chapters Queensway and the volunteers of
Community Living Toronto invite you to enjoy
some shopping while supporting your community.
With every purchase made at Chapters
Queensway on Thursday, May 6, a
percentage will be donated directly back to
Community Living Toronto-Etobicoke/York
Region Council.
For more information and to RSVP, please
contact Eric Laimer 416-236-7621, ext. 224
unveil plans to create a new quilt through the Build-A-
Quilt initiative. We look forward to presenting the
special and unique design of the We Are The Dream
quilt. The design will be on display at the Creative
Village Studio and everyone will have the opportunity
to purchase squares of material to assist in the
creation of this beautiful quilt!
Each square will represent a dream or vision for the
future - yours or a loved one’s - and most importantly,
the creation of the Supported Independent Living
Program Wish Fund. We encourage you to dedicate a
square and play a part in helping others to realize their
dreams….one dream at a time!
For more information about the quilt initiative,
please contact Judith Cummings at the Etobicoke/
York Region office at 416-236-7621 or contact
Creative Village Studio at 647-351-4362. Creative
Village Studio is located at 4895 Dundas Street West.
Fourth Annual
Easy Roller Bowlathonn
Saturday April 24, 2010
5:00 to 8:00 pm
Bowlerama West– 5429 Dundas Street West
Balloon Raffle, Silent Auction, Prizes and More!
Enjoy a fun evening of bowling for $20 or collect
$25 in sponsored pledges and bowl for free! You
must register by Friday April 16 to enter. To
register, get info and to obtain your pledge sheet
contact:
Eric Laimer 416-236-7621, ext. 224 or
elaimer@cltoronto.ca
All proceeds go towards Etobicoke/York Region council
and membership.
8

Council Listings
North York Regional Council
Chairperson
Nancy Ceci
Board Representative
Colleen Broadhurst
Alternate Board Representative
Morris Jesion
Treasurer
Dr. Norbert Kereyni
Self Advocate Representative
Sam McKhail
Members at Large
Teresa Bhandal
Shirley Germuska
Eva Lipa
Mary Stewart
Regional Executive Director
Sue Lynch
Membership Coordinator
Wendy Dyke
416.225.7166 ext. 249
wdyke@cltoronto.ca
Contact Information
North York Regional Office
1122 Finch Ave. W.,
Unit 18
Toronto, Ontario
M3J 3J5
T: 416.225.7166
F: 416.225.8623
Next Council Meeting
North York Region
Tues. April 6, 2010
1:00 - 3:00 pm
1122 Finch Ave. W.
Unit 18
Boardroom
North York Council Meeting Highlights
By Nancy Ceci, North York Council Chair
Employment Training Services (ETS)
requested funding to support Daninah, to
attend the New York premiere of the
short film “Tying Your Own Shoes” at
the Sprout Film Festival. Daninah is one
of the stars of the film. ETS is
fundraising to help offset the costs.
Council is continuing to explore future
programs to sponsor. The current roster
of programs includes Cooking Classes,
Money Readiness, and TTC Readiness.
Council is currently sponsoring the Being
Me sessions which started March 24.
Community Living Ontario will be
holding a Registered Disability Savings
Plan session in North York Region on
June 7 th . Please save the date to attend
this informative presentation. Details will
be available closer to the date.
The Membership Services Group
(MSG) received Board approval of their
recommended membership structure
changes. The MSG is looking at
Membership Engagement and council
provided suggestions on how to engage
Dilz Convenience
700 Markham Road
Unit 7
Scarborough
Telephone: 416-431-4399
young families, and Self-Advocates.
Please watch for more information on this
later in the year.
Sue Lynch, Regional Executive
Director, provided a PowerPoint
presentation on the innovative housing
initiative LIGHTS (Living in Gifted
Homes Through Support) which was
brought forward by a Community Living
Toronto Patron’s Council member in
partnership with our Association.
Colleen Broadhurst, Board
Representative, reported that the
Education Committee work plan was
approved by the Board. The plan
includes a new piece looking at the need
to explore post secondary opportunities.
Sam McKhail, Self-Advocate,
provided a report on Self-Advocate
Council activities. Sam will be the
recipient of the Sam Samler award this
year at the Volunteer Dinner on April
21st.
North York Fundraiser
NEVADA TICKET LOCATIONS
International News
250 The East Mall
Unit 294
Etobicoke
Telephone: 416-231-7548
Please pass on this information to your family and friends! Thank You!
Proceeds from tickets sales come back to North York to support
Council and regional initiatives.
9

News, cont’d...
We Are The Face Of Toronto: A Mosaic Of The World
By Renske Connell and Wendy Dyke
As we began talking about diversity at
Community Living Toronto for this issue of our
newsletter, we started by counting the different
countries that the individuals in our services and our
staff were born or their parents immigrated from. The
more we researched, the more proud we became of
how well we reflect the face of Toronto and the
mosaic of the world. The count is well over twenty
countries and to our knowledge, the only part of the
world not represented by continent is Australia. The
smorgasbord includes: Iceland, India, Punjab,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, China, Philippines,
Cyprus, Tibet, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia,
Rwanda, Lebanon, Poland, Korea, Jamaica, Israel,
Italy, Greece, United Kingdom, Holland, Czech
Republic, Russia and the West Indies. We are sure that
we are missing some countries.
With this enormous diversity naturally come many
different religious beliefs and cultural practices which
we endeavor to treat with the utmost respect and
consider a window of opportunity to learn about and
incorporate in our daily lives. Some of the best
conversations have occurred among staff helping each
other understand our various backgrounds and those of
the individuals in service. We encourage families to
share their cultural traditions and customs by inviting
them to participate in the residential celebrations. We
support the individuals in our services to learn about
their own religions, cultures and backgrounds and if
desired to practice. Examples of these supports are
staff accompanying residents to their place of worship
and specific cultural celebrations. At times even gifts
have been exchanged at Eid al Fitr, Hanukah, or
Christmas. During holiday parties at the residential
homes, decorations of various religions are equally
displayed and foods of many different countries are
shared. The North American traditional turkey goes
really well with curried goat, West Indies’ sweet
potato, Polish sausages, German potato salad, chow
mien, latkes, prutas, and baklava.
This mosaic of culture not only has opened us to
new experiences but also has enriched our lives and
created an atmosphere of respect, caring and
inclusion.
Short Film Documentary ‘Tying Your Own Shoes’
Featured On International Down Syndrome Day
On Sunday March 21, International Down Syndrome Day, the National Film Board’s
Mediatheque on John Street held a screening of the award winning short film ‘Tying Your
Own Shoes’. The day included hands on workshops, enabling those in attendance to
participate in the artistic techniques used in the making of the film.
In attendance for the event were all four artists and director, Shira Avni. One of the feature
artists, Daninah, is a participant of the North York Employment Training Services’ Big
Dreams Arts Company. She worked at the National Film Board for two and a half months
during the making of the film. Daninah paints and makes jewellery. Her dream is to be an
actress with the Famous People Players Theatre.
At the end of April, Daninah and a support staff will be traveling to New York for the
Sprout Film Festival where ‘Tying Your Own Shoes’ will be shown again. We will be
featuring an article in a upcoming newsletter about Daninah’s adventures in New York.
The film uses animated art work done by the four participating artists, who have Down Syndrome, to explore
their lives and provide a glimpse into how they feel. To learn more about the film go to their website:
http://films.nfb.ca/tying-your-own-shoes.
10

Council Listings
Scarborough Regional Council
Scarborough Regional Council
Chairperson
Heather Chairperson McCormack
Heather McCormack
Board Representative
Board Donna Representative Britten
Kathy Lisle
Alternate Board Representative
Alternate Board TBD Representative
Ellen Armstrong
Treasurer
Alison Treasurer Thomas
Alison Thomas
Membership Chair
Membership Pat Sparks Chair
Pat Sparks
Self Advocate Representative
Self Advocate Robert Representative
Shaddock
Robert Shaddock
Members at Large
Members Judith Andrenacci at Large
Judith Ellen Andrenacci Armstrong
Donna Bonnie Britten Heath
Bonnie Kathy Heath Lisle
Judy Patterson
Deborah Pat Sparks White
Helen Tremble
Regional Executive Director
Regional Garry Executive Pruden Director
Garry Pruden
Membership Coordinator
Membership Ann-Marie Coordinator
Binetti
416.438.6099 Karla Galvez ext, 229
abinetti@cltoronto.ca
416.438.6099 ext, 229
kgalvez@cltoronto.ca
Contact Information
Scarborough Contact Regional Information Office
Scarborough 1712 Ellesmere Regional Rd. Office
Scarborough, 1712 Ellesmere Ontario Rd.
Scarborough, M1H 2V5 Ontario
M1H 2V5
T: 416.438.6099
F: T: 416.438.6144
416.438.6099
F: 416.438.6144
Regional Next Council Annual Meeting: Meeting
Monday, Monday, April June 12, 2010 1
6:30 6:30 pm—9:30 pm
1645 1712 Warden Ellesmere Ave.—The Rd.
Salvation Conference Army Room Building
[Warden Ave. & 401]
The Rain Didn’t Stop The Fun For The
Achilles, St. Patrick’s Day Walk/ Run!
By Stacey Bateman
Despite the cold, rainy weather, Gail Richards, Patti
Hewlett and Susan Knights were all smiles.
Five years ago, I completed a student
placement at Gooderham in
Scarborough. I primarily supported a
gentleman who’s name is Tony. I soon
learned that Tony’s favourite thing to
do is walk.
One day during my placement, I
heard about Achilles Canada; a not-forprofit
organization that encourages the
participation of athletes who have a
disability to be involved with running.
Each year, Achilles Canada hosts the
Achilles St. Patrick’s Day 5km Walk/
Run. I thought that Tony would love to
do something like this, so I looked into
it.
I learned that not-for-profit
organizations can
participate in the walk/run
and raise money for their
own organization.
For the last six years, with
the support of Scarborough
Council and the Membership
Coordinator, we have
organized a team from
Community Living Toronto
to take part in this great
event!
On March 14 2010,
Community Living Toronto’s
team braved the rain and wind to walk
or run the 5k’s that ended at the Steam
Whistle Brewery by the Rogers Centre.
We are so thrilled that this year our
team raised over $1000.00 in pledges
that will be directed to various
Community Living Toronto programs.
All together, the walk had almost 1,700
people from different organizations and
companies to support people who have
a disability.
No matter what the weather may be,
the St. Patrick’s Day Walk / Run is
always a fantastic day enjoyed by all!
See the following page for another
photo from this fabulous event.
To view upcoming
events/workshops/monthly activities, visit:
http://www.cltoronto.ca/misc/regions/scarborough/index.html
11

News, cont’d...
Scarborough News – Continued
Toronto Is One Of The Most Culturally Diverse
Cities In The World
By Bonnie Heath
Toronto is one of the most culturally diverse cities
in the world. It is home to peoples from many
countries and brings a kaleidoscope of colours,
religions, cultures and food. One can travel the world
by going around Toronto and sampling the food, the
shops and talking to the local people. We take pride in
our diversity and it makes us who we are; a world
unique to the people that populate it.
As we celebrate our differences and our uniqueness
as a society, we also realize how similar we all are.
Families who have children with intellectual
disabilities are bound together by even more
similarities, worries and hardships than the average
family. We are constant advocates for the rights and
needs of our children and this lifelong responsibility
brings us together in a way nothing else can.
Community Living Toronto brings people with
disabilities and their families together from all
cultures. By advocating for the rights of intellectually
disabled people in their communities, Community
Living Toronto makes life easier for individuals and
their families.
The Kiwanis Aktion Club presents
The Famous People Players
Wednesday July 14, 2010 or
Wednesday August 11, 2010
For more information, please contact: Karla Galvez at
kgalvez@cltoronto.ca or 416.968.0650 ext 2214
(L to R) Stacey and Tony are front and centre leading the
way for Community Living Toronto’s team at the
St. Patrick’s Day Walk/Run.
Scarborough Council Annual Fundraiser BBQ, May 15th, 2010
Come out to the Loblaw's Superstore at Scarborough Town Centre and show your support!
The BBQ starts at 11:00am, and for $4.00 you can buy a hot dog with a drink and yummy snacks!
Find out how you can help support the expansion of the Summer Literacy Program and have a
chance to win a one week stay at Calabogie Lodge Resort and many other fabulous prizes!
For more information, please contact: Ann-Marie Binetti at abinetti@cltoronto.ca
or call (416) 438-6099 ext 229
12

Research Results from BC: Inclusion of special
education students doesn't affect classmates’
education
The Centre for Education Research and Policy
(CERP) at Simon Fraser University has released a
compelling research report on the effects of
inclusive education. It demonstrates that having
special needs students in the regular classes does not
affect the learning of other students.
For some time, inclusion has been criticized as
setting conditions where teachers are spending all
their time with students with special needs and
neglecting other students. It has been suggested that
inclusion holds other children back. The research
shows this is not accurate.
CERP at Simon Fraser University analyzed
data from British Columbia to contribute credible
new evidence. Researchers compared the
performance of successive cohorts within every
public elementary school in B.C. (as measured by
the change in individual test scores between grades
4-7), to see if the proportion of peers with
disabilities makes any difference to the achievement
of non-disabled students.
They found that “Attending school with a
higher percentage of students with disabilities is
found to have only extremely small and statistically
insignificant effects on the reading and numeracy
achievement of non-disabled students.”
Under current conditions, the placement of
students with special learning needs and disabilities
into regular classrooms does not compromise the
education of their average non-disabled classmates.
The study does not evaluate the helpfulness of
the inclusion policy for disabled students
themselves, or measure any non-educational effects.
Jane Friesen, Ross Hickey and Brian Krauth of
Simon Fraser University conducted the research.
We recommend the full report to readers. To
view, print and share the report with others visit:
www.sfu.ca/cerp/research/d_p_a_a.pdf
To view the press release on the report go to:
www.sfu.ca/cerp/research/briefings.html#peers2
Reprinted with permission from the Spring edition of
“Education watch: an update on inclusive education”
(a publication of Canadian Association for
Community Living and inclusive education Canada.
(www.inclusiveeducation.ca)
Mark your calendars
May 6, 2010
Effective Communication
7:00pm at Bloorview Kids Rehab
To register for this workshop, please contact
June Chiu at 416-425-6220 ex. 3318
Limited childcare spaces are available for
children over the age of 2 1/2
For further information please contact the Education
Liaison, Sharon Ross at 416-438-1165 ext. 222
13

Self-Advocates
Council Listings
Chairperson
Nelson Raposo
Board Representative
Sam McKhail
Treasurer
Peter Marrese
Secretary
Robert Shaddock
Members
Paul Cochrane
Candice Doherty
Nick Lappis
Donna McCormick
Astra Milberg
Mark Miller
Mike Murray
Rhea Park
Jim Slaven
Volunteers
Robbie Cowdrey
Paul Cohen
Jose Escobar
Community Living Ontario
Representative
Peter Marrese
What’s New With Self-Advocates Council
Self-Advocates Council (SAC) is
happy to welcome back Sue Hutton
from her education leave this month.
Sue was greatly missed for the three
months that she was away. Although
the SAC continued to meet, a number of
projects were put on hold. Now that Sue
is back, everyone on Council is raring
to go.
SAC’s Health and Safety group
started up again in February with a new
group of nursing students. Donna and
Rhea have been meeting weekly with
nursing students, Julie and Maurice, and
Kim, who is Rhea’s support staff. This
time around, they have been developing
a presentation about the impact that
relationships have on health. If you’re
interested in attending, check out the
notice at bottom of the page.
Self-Advocates Council has also been
working on the next steps for the Bill of
Rights. A fan page was created on
Facebook and friends of Self-Advocates
Connect were invited to become fans.
So far, over 150 people have become
fans of the Bill of Rights page. Also,
part of the next steps is for SAC to
collect stories that illustrate each of the
ten rights. Stories will be written in
plain language and recorded as sound
files to be used on the ConnectAbility
website, Facebook and in other media.
At the end of March, SAC said
goodbye to Amanda Amorim, a B.S.W.
student, who has been providing
support to the SAC since September. As
part of her placement, Amanda created
a communication workshop. A number
of Self-Advocates attended the weekly
sessions at Foster Clubhouse along with
individuals who frequent the Fosters’
drop-in.
At the March SAC meeting, United
Way were in attendance to film Sam
McKhail presenting his report from the
Board. The film will be used as part of
the United Way's Speaker's Bureau.
Community Support
Coordinator
Sue Hutton
416-968-0650, ext. 2218
shutton@cltoronto.ca
Self-Advocates Council’s Health Committee presents
Relationships: What Do They Mean To Us
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
10 am and 12:30 pm
Room 2B at 20 Spadina Rd.
Next Council Meetings:
Wednesday, April 21
2 - 4 p.m.
20 Spadina Road
What is a relationship 6 steps to dating
What makes a good relationship
Self esteem: How good you feel How to communicate well
14

April 2010
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
Good Friday
3
Etobicoke
Tri-Hards Bowling
4 5
Easter Monday
6 Scarborough
Residential Alternatives
Etobicoke Forms Day
NY Council Meeting
Central Council Mtg.
7
Central Region's
Dinner Club
NY Being Me Class
8
NY Planning Meeting
9
Lawson Dance
10
11 12
Scarborough
Council meeting
Etobicoke
Social Club
13
Etobicoke
Council Meeting
14
Central Dinner Club
NY Being Me Class
15 16 17
Spring Fling
Etobicoke
Tri-Hards Bowling
18 19 Etobicoke
Conversations and
Recreation Social
Club
20
NY Forms Day
21 Etobicoke’s
Dancing Friends
Central’s Dinner Club
NY Being Me Class
22 23
Scarborough
Bingo
24
Easy Roller Bowlathon
25 26 27 28
Central Dinner Club
NY Being Me Class
29 30
Scarborough
Connection Dance
May 2010
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Central Region:
Charles Hackbarth
416.968.0650 ext. 2339
Etobicoke/ York
Region:
Eric Laimer
416.236.7621 ext. 224
North York Region:
Wendy Dyke
416.225.7166 ext. 249
Scarborough
Region:
Ann-Marie Binetti
416.438.6099 ext, 229
1
Etobicoke
Tri-Hards Bowling
2 3 Scarborough
Council meeting
NY Council meeting
Etobicoke Social Club
4
Scarborough
Residential Alternatives
5
NY Being Me Class
Central’s Dinner Club
6
Chapters Fundraiser
7
Lawson Dance
8
Tri-Hards Banquet
9 10
Etobicoke
Conversations and
Recreation Social
11
Etobicoke
Council Meeting
12
NY Being Me Class
Central’s Dinner Club
13 14 15
Scarborough BBQ-
Loblaws @ Town
Centre
16 17
Etobicoke
Conversations and
Recreation Social
18
Central Region
Council Meeting
19
NY Being Me Class
Etob Dancing Friends
Central’s Dinner Club
20 21
Scarborough
Bingo
22
23/30 24/31
Victoria Day
25 26
NY Being Me Class
Central’s Dinner Club
27 28
Scarborough
Connection Dance
29
15

Our Vision:
Community Living Toronto is a recognized
leader offering a full range of personalized
supports and services to people with an
intellectual disability and their families. We
set the benchmark for excellence,
innovation and accountability in the
developmental services sector. Our vision for
society is one where everyone belongs and
we help each other reach for our dreams.
www.communitylivingtoronto.ca
16