Pre-Conference Event #2: Family Advocacy: Towards More Positive Futures for Family Members Who Have Disabilities

Family Advocacy: Towards More Positive Futures for Family Members Who Have Disabilities

During the workshop we will share our experiences and facilitate discussion regarding the role of families in promoting positive futures for family members with intellectual disabilities. All of us who are presenting this one day workshop have had many years of direct experience providing support that has enabled a family member to acquire valued social roles within the family and in the community. We know that in order for people with disabilities to have the opportunity to access the good things in life, we need to be working to promote change at all levels, with other families and with supportive organizations. We know that change does not happen easily, that there will always be challenges along the way, but that we can always make a positive difference. We all want better lives for the people we care about!

The goals of the event are:

1. To promote an understanding of how an SRV framework is essential to creating a vision for a meaningful and inclusive life for our family members

2. To share personal stories that may provide inspiration to workshop participants and encourage them to keep going even when things are tough

3. To impart the importance and impact of family-to-family networking

4. To enable participants to acquire knowledge and ideas that enhance or renew their ability to continue to work for positive change

Presenters

Donna Marcaccio

Donna Marcaccio is a member of the Southern Ontario Training Group and believes that the SRV framework is necessary for understanding and supporting an individual who lives with an intellectual disability to live a good life. Donna has applied SRV concepts in her support to her sister Marcia who lived with Down Syndrome and in her professional leadership role.

Donna is a member of Community Living Ontario's Family Engagement Steering Committee whose vision and commitment drives its work of bringing families together and supporting them in developing of vision of a full life in community for their family member who lives with a disability.

Barb Horner

Barb Horner is, first and foremost a parent to Mallory and Josh. It was Mallory who introduced her to the world of disability 38 years ago.

Barb earned her BSW at Dalhousie University as a way to study and gain insight about the systemic issues that impact the lives of persons with disabilities; and has worked within the disability, non-profit sector for over 30 years with personal, professional and volunteer experience—at a local, provincial, national & international level.

She worked for both HACL as a Family Support Facilitator and NSACL as the provincial Community Inclusion Coordinator and is a founding member of the Kendrick Report Coalition, now the Disability Rights Coalition. Barb is a past Board member of CACL, now Inclusion Canada and has Chaired various committees in this role, along with co-facilitating the “Values, Vision and Action Workshops”--a Family Leadership series in five provinces.

For the last 19 years she has been the Resource Centre Director of NS/PEI for the Huntington Society of Canada; and is currently providing very, part-time support as Interim ED for INS. She is passionate about the power and strength within families, when they are empowered and supported to change the world for their kid.