from values to action
building a community living movement
for a decade of change
Diversity Includes.
The Canadian Association
for Community Living
We are a national association of over 40,000 members, 400
local, family led Associations for Community Living and 13
provincial/territorial Associations. We are families, people with
intellectual disabilities and our supporters working together to
ensure all people:
The Community Living movement has reached its half-century
mark. In 2008 the Canadian Association for Community Living
(CACL) celebrates 50 years as a national movement and association
— of making a difference in lives of individuals, families and
communities. In celebrating 50 years of accomplishment, we are
aware that the full inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities
is not yet a reality for all. Looking forward to our next 50 years, we
know our actions, collectively as a country and individually, must
be guided by values that anchor our vision of a truly inclusive and
accessible Canada.
This document provides an overview of CACL’s 10-objective, 10-year
agenda and the path and structures CACL and its
Provincial/Territorial federation have adopted to move our core
values into action.
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From Values to Action – Building a Community Living Movement for a Decade of Change
➤
Have the same rights and access to choice, supports
and services as all other people.
➤
Have the same opportunities as others to live in
freedom and dignity, and have the needed support to
do so.
➤
Are able to voice and realize their aspirations and
rights.
Founded in 1958, CACL provides leadership on the issue of
inclusion and human rights of people with intellectual
disabilities. We promote public awareness of our cause and
foster leadership of families in their communities. CACL leads
community change through partnerships with key sectors; and
puts research to work to inform, lead and support efforts for full
inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in Canada and
around the world.
Foundational to all of our work and efforts is CACL’s Statement
of Values and Beliefs. It is the building block upon which our
vision is built.
CACL statement of
values and beliefs
➤
All members of the human family are full persons. Our
human essence cannot be reduced to words, labels,
categories, definitions or genetic patterns. Every person is
unique. No one can be replaced or copied. All persons are
ineffable.
➤
All persons are entitled to respect. Respect requires
recognition of and concern for the dignity of every person.
Dignity is fragile. It must be protected from all harm.
➤
All persons have inherent dignity. Dignity belongs to us
just because we exist. It is not something we earn or
receive.
➤
All persons have inalienable dignity. Dignity cannot
rightfully be ignored, diminished or taken away.
➤
All persons have equal dignity. Dignity does not depend
upon physical, intellectual or other characteristics. Neither
does it depend upon the opinions that other people have
about these characteristics.
➤
All persons have inherent and equal worth. Our value as
persons is neither earned nor accumulated. It is unrelated
to health status or any genetic or other personal
characteristic.
➤
All persons have inherent capacity for growth and
expression. Every person has the right to be nourished
physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally and
spiritually.
➤
All persons are entitled to equal access and opportunity.
Equality demands protection from all forms of
discrimination or harm, and access to the supports
necessary to enable equal participation.
vision to guide a
decade of change
In the past 50 years we have seen significant positive change in
the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and their
families. Far fewer people with intellectual disabilities are
exiled to institutions; more students with intellectual
disabilities are attending school with their peers and as adults
working in their communities; and families receive supports
where once there were none. We see that in many communities
across the country Canadians with intellectual disabilities are
living valued lives and experiencing full inclusion. We see the
development of a strong legal rights based framework where
people with disabilities are recognized as equal citizens,
protected from discrimination.
Most recently we have seen the rights of persons with
disabilities entrenched in the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD is the first legally
binding disability-specific piece of international law. The CRPD
came into force on May 3, 2008. It has been heralded as a new
way of understanding rights, and particularly, understanding
where and how rights of persons with disabilities are being
denied. It provides countries a framework to begin to address
the systemic barriers persons with disabilities continue to face.
The CRPD offers hope for the next era of advancing the full
inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Every action,
statement, policy,
or publication will
honour and
promote the
principles of:
Respect
Diversity
Inclusion
Moral courage
Dignity
Human rights
Self-determination
Equality
Justice
From Values to Action – Building a Community Living Movement for a Decade of Change
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The CRPD offers hope because we know that full inclusion and
valued acceptance is still not a reality for all. Despite all of the
gains in the last 50 years, we continue to see that the common
narrative for the majority of people with intellectual disabilities
and their families is one of exclusion and poverty. Society didn’t
finish the job of closing institutions; too many children with
intellectual disabilities are still denied the supports and
accommodations they need to grow, learn and thrive alongside
their peers. The outcome is predictable, as adults, people with
intellectual disabilities are more likely to be unemployed and
living in poverty.
The accomplishments of the last 50 years have given inclusion
the roots it needs to take hold; yet much work remains to be
done.
To make a substantial difference in the lives of Canadians with
intellectual disabilities and their families and to address the
remaining barriers to full inclusion action is needed on many
fronts. Our values are not enough on their own. To make
inclusion a reality for all, our values must be put into action.
CACL and its Provincial/Territorial Associations for Community
Living have identified the following 10 objectives as part of a
10-year strategy.
1.
Achieve Equality Rights and Recognition
2.
Close Institutions and Assure a Home in the
Community
3.
Secure Child Rights and Needed Supports
4.
Ensure Families have Needed Supports
5.
Achieve Inclusive Education
6.
Secure the Right and Access to Disability Supports
7.
Establish Safe and Inclusive Communities
8.
Eradicate Poverty for people with intellectual
disabilities and their families
9.
Achieve Employment Equality
10. Make a Global Impact on Inclusion
While the full attainment of these objectives cannot be achieved
in 10 years, concerted efforts and collective action, guided by
our values, can have significant impact and contribute to true
and lasting change in the lives of people with intellectual
disabilities and their families.
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From Values to Action – Building a Community Living Movement for a Decade of Change
vision statements
1.
Rights to equality, self-determination, full citizenship, valued recognition and respect from others are
legally recognized and assured for all people with intellectual disabilities.
Each objective has a vision
statement and set of benchmarks.
Each vision statement provides a
values-driven understanding of the
objective and the benchmarks
provide measures to evaluate
progress in attaining the objective.
2.
People with intellectual disabilities are free from confinement. All institutions for people with
intellectual disabilities are closed. People live in homes of their choice, with appropriate supports.
3.
All children with intellectual disabilities have their rights guaranteed and respected, and have the
supports they need to live, grow, and thrive in their families and communities.
4.
Families access the supports and opportunities they need to assure inclusion for family members with
intellectual disabilities through their lifetimes, and to secure family social and economic well-being.
5.
All people with intellectual disabilities are fully included with their peers in regular education, with
appropriate supports from early childhood through to post secondary and adult life-long learning.
6.
All people with intellectual disabilities have access to, and acknowledgement of, the disabilityrelated supports they need to live meaningful lives and contribute as full citizens.
7.
All people with intellectual disabilities are fully included in their communities, have full access to health
care and other public services, and are safe from violence and abuse.
8. Canadians with intellectual disabilities have the income and resources they need to secure a good
quality of life and fully participate in all aspects of their communities.
9.
Working-age adults with intellectual disabilities are employed at the same rate as the general
population.
10. Canada has a major global impact on advancing human rights, enabling inclusion and securing full
citizenship for persons with intellectual disabilities and their families around the world.
From Values to Action – Building a Community Living Movement for a Decade of Change
5
vision to action benchmarks
Achieve Equality Rights and Recognition
1. People with intellectual disabilities have access to
supports to exercise their full legal capacity.
2. Policies and practices that govern the use of genetic
technologies and end of life care respect human diversity
and the fundamental principles of community living.
3. Initiatives to advance equality rights and recognition of
people with intellectual disabilities are inclusive of
diverse populations.
4. Initiatives to advance the equality rights and recognition
of youth, persons with FASD, aboriginal persons and other
diverse ethno-racial-cultural communities are taking
intellectual disability in to account.
Close Institutions and Assure a Home
in the Community
1. Further admissions to large institutions are halted.
2. All large institutions for people with intellectual
disabilities be closed.
3. People with intellectual disabilities are not
inappropriately living in other institutional settings like
nursing homes etc.
4. All supportive living options are based on choice, selfdetermination, and individualized funding.
5. People with intellectual disabilities have equal access to
the range of adequate and affordable housing generally
available in their community.
Secure Child Rights and Access to Supports
1. The rights secured in the UN Convention on the Rights of
Children are realized for children with disabilities on an
equal basis with others.
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From Values to Action – Building a Community Living Movement for a Decade of Change
2. Children with intellectual disabilities have access to
available early learning and childcare options.
3. Children and youth with disabilities have access to ageappropriate, recreation and leisure activities available in
communities.
4. Children with intellectual disabilities are not overrepresented in the child welfare system.
Ensure Families have Needed Supports
1. Families have access to needed supports and services
(i.e. respite, in-home support, and home modifications).
2. Policies are established, and implemented, that ensure
families can play their caring role and at the same time
participate in the paid labour market, advance in their
careers.
3. Families have the option to withdraw from their primary
caregiving role as their family member enters adulthood.
4. Strong incentives are in place for families to: plan for and
invest in the future financial security of family members
with disabilities; and to ensure that any financial benefits
that result do not negatively impact on their family
member’s access to government-funded income support
programs.
5. Governments and communities are investing in a
sustainable local-to-national capacity for family
leadership, empowerment and networking that advances
the citizenship and inclusion of Canadians with
disabilities.
Achieve Inclusive Education
1. Effective inclusive practice is the norm in classrooms,
schools and post secondary educational systems across
the country.
2. Educational policy and programming promotes and
supports inclusive education.
3. Broad public support exists for inclusive education as an
essential aspect of a quality education for all children.
Secure the Rights and Access to
Disability Related Supports
1. Canadians with intellectual disabilities have access to
needed disability-related supports.
2. Disability-related supports are portable, flexible, and
individualized.
3. Entitlement and access to disability-related supports is
not means-tested.
4. Increased investment by governments in disability
supports and capacity of communities.
Establish Safe and Inclusive Communities
1. All community sectors facilitate the full inclusion of people
with intellectual disabilities.
2. Policies and practices for restraint-free and non-violent
supports and interventions are in place in services
accessed by people with disabilities.
3. Communities are designed to be safe and secure assuring
that people with intellectual disabilities are free from
harm, violence, abuse, neglect, and denial of opportunity.
Eradicate Poverty
Achieve Employment Equality
1. Employment rates for people with intellectual disabilities
are equal to that of the national average.
2. People with intellectual disabilities do not face financial
or other disincentives to seek and maintain employment.
3. Employers are taking leadership in advancing the
employment of people with intellectual disabilities.
4. People with intellectual disabilities and employers have
the supports needed to establish and maintain inclusive
workplaces.
5. People with intellectual disabilities are equally
represented in both unionized workplaces and nonunionized workplaces.
Make a Global Impact on Inclusion
1. Canada plays a leadership role as a model citizen
internationally for its approach to disability and
inclusion.
2. Canada’s international policy incorporates a lens on
disability and includes specific measures to advance
inclusion of people with disabilities internationally.
3. Canada has achieved Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) for people with intellectual disabilities in Canada
and been a leader in investing in their achievement
internationally.
4. Canada ratifies and implements the UN Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
1. The poverty rate of children and adults with intellectual
disabilities will not be higher than those of the
corresponding general population.
2. People with intellectual disabilities, families, and other
people who provide support do not incur non-reimbursed
expenses related to disability.
From Values to Action – Building a Community Living Movement for a Decade of Change
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advancing the agenda
CACL statement of purpose
To advance this agenda CACL and its 13 Provincial/Territorial
Associations for Community Living have established a Council
of the Community Living Federation. The Council is comprised
of representatives from each of the 14 organizations. The
Council provides CACL a mechanism and way of working that
reaches across the country and into thousands of communities.
Collectively the Council is tasked with providing leadership,
developing strategies and mobilizing resources to move our
agenda into action.
As reflected in our Statement of Beliefs and Values, CACL
celebrates disability as part of human diversity. By doing so we
demonstrate that inclusion happens most completely when all
of our differences are welcomed, supported and
accommodated, not judged against an arbitrary definition of
normalcy. Our contribution to developing truly diverse and
inclusive communities is to challenge the continued
devaluation of particular differences. For us, Diversity Includes.
The Council coordinates its collective efforts through federation
action planning and National Action Committees (NACs). NACs,
comprised of representatives from a variety of provinces and
territories, work within a shared framework for planning and
developing Federation Action Plans. Federation Action Plans
provide an overview of the issues and actions and activities,
including strategies to raise public awareness, create
community partnerships, undertake needed research and share
information, promote public policy change, and develop family
leadership to guide change, designed to contribute to the
attainment of benchmarks associated with each objective.
To learn more about CACL’s 10-year agenda for change visit www.cacl.ca.
➤
CACL promotes the valued recognition of people with
intellectual disabilities as citizens who have
contributions to make to families, communities and
society.
➤
CACL promotes the valued recognition of families as
gateways to inclusive community life for people with
intellectual disabilities.
➤
CACL promotes the establishment and maintenance of
social and economic supports so that people with
intellectual disabilities are welcomed and valued as full
and self-determining members of the community.
➤
CACL promotes a vision of society that is inclusive,
respectful and supportive of the rights of all persons
regardless of differences in intellectual or other
abilities.
➤
CACL promotes the elimination of discrimination on the
basis of disability, gender, age, culture, race, ancestry,
sexual orientation and other differences.