Author Archive

CBC News – Family fights cuts to persons with disabilities in Waterloo Region

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/waterloo-disabled-funding-cut-ontario-1.4989526?fbclid=IwAR3Jj11fNGlowjHZnQ1kK6doGdpd9A64g7euuBN3qIKCFBOJZnPjfOZy5m0

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Toronto Star Article: Provincial cuts leave adults with disabilities ‘hanging on a ledge’

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/01/18/provincial-cuts-leave-adults-with-disabilities-hanging-on-a-ledge.html

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I could show her what I can do. How I shine.”

Christina is a warm, creative and playful 28 year old living in Cambridge. “I make friends really easily. People are naturally drawn to me,” Christina notes. Her love for travel, cooking, and words is shared by her family. Travel plans keep people coming and going in the house she shares with her mom, two brothers, […]

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MENSA Games, Miso Soup, and International Presentations: Tim’s Story with Independent Facilitation

Tim is a charismatic, positive, friendly man who lives in Waterloo Region. He has two college diplomas, from Seneca & Conestoga College in Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering and is currently working on his third. In late 2015, Tim became involved with Bridges to Belonging, and was paired with Chaitali, his Independent Facilitator, to help […]

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Towards a Scale of Belonging

The APGAR scale is a test administered by doctors and nurses at birth that rates the health of an infant based on five factors: appearance, pulse, grimace, activity and respiration. In this edition of the New Story Group Newsletter, guest editor Isaiah Ritzmann asks: what would an APGAR scale for belonging look like? Here is […]

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Sharing Our Impact: 2016-17 Annual Report

Embracing Possibility, Enriching Community Friends and Supporters, We are pleased to share with you a summary of the impact we have collectively made this past year. It has been a year of learning, of growth, and a year of successes, and none of it would have been possible without the support of the families we […]

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The Business of Curating Dreams

The following story introduces us to Barb, an individual we have the honour of serving. This story was written for the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation, and is included in their 2016/17 Annual Report. You can read their full report here. How Independent Facilitation is Making an Impact, one person at a time Bridges to […]

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“I like doing my job, I’m really proud of the work I do there. But I wasn’t feeling connected to my community. With the help of my facilitator, now I’m doing more things in my community.” Greg is a charming young man who participated in the Independent Facilitation Demonstration Project. Dedicated and hard-working, he has […]

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Weaving a Story of Change

We are now on the other side of the original 2 years of the Independent Facilitation Demonstration Project. What have we learned? David Hasbury with the Ontario Independent Facilitation Network, has published “Weaving a Story of Change,” an in-depth look at the history of Independent Facilitation, the stories and challenges shared by people and families, […]

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Arohas

Our thanks to Elizabeth Bloomfield for joining us on Tuesday evening to teach families and Independent Facilitators about Arohas. We learned about what an Aroha (microboard) is and how it can support people to sustain a good life in the community. Thanks also to our graphic facilitator, Tanya Williams, for this helpful record of what […]

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