Safe and Secure Book Club

Planning for the Future

Hosted by Citizen Advocacy Ottawa, Lifetime Networks, and Walking In My Shoes

A monthly meeting for parents and caregivers of a person with a disability to meet, review, discuss and learn together with the help of a knowledgeable facilitator.
The Safe and Secure book is packed with information and resources to help you ensure your hopes and plans are met for your child. The resources will help you develop a positive future, built on strong relations and real opportunity.

1^st Tuesday of the month          

6:00pm – 8:00pm

 October 3 –  Clarifying Your Vision

Learn about creating a vision for the desired future for your relative with a disability. A clear vision reflects your values, your traditions and your family history. We will look at addressing hopes and dreams as well as fears and worries to clarify and share your vision of a desired future.

November 7 – Nurturing Friendship

The best way to ensure a safe and secure future for your family member with a disability is the number of caring and committed friends, family members, and supporters actively involved in their life. This chapter will focus on developing and sustaining these relationships to create a personal support network.

December 5 – Creating a Home

Creating a home is about looking not only at the type of physical structure that best suits your family member, but making sure that they have control over the environment where they live – ensuring it reflects their personality and their choices, and with people they would like to live with. This chapter will look at making a house a home.

February 6 – Making Sound Decisions

In this step, you will look at the ways in which you and your family member can create your own balance between safety and choice. The concept of supported decision-making will be introduced and you will also learn about the types of powers of attorney available to you.

Mar 6 & Apr 3– Achieving Financial Security – Wills, Trusts and the RDSP

This chapter will provide you with an overview of how to plan for and protect the financial well-being of your family member with a disability both now and in the future. This chapter highlights the key tools at your disposal including will and estate planning, discretionary trusts (Henson Trusts) and the RDSP.

May 1 – Securing Your Plan

Achieving a good life and secure future for your relative requires careful attention to many key elements. This chapter will look at bringing together these details to create a vivid plan for the future. It will also discuss how to put this plan into action, including who will execute and monitor the plan when you are no longer around.

SPACE IS LIMITED – RESERVE YOUR SPOT

info@citizenadvocacy.org

613-761-9522 

*Open to members of Lifetime Networks, Walking In My Shoes and Independent Facilitation and Person-Directed Planning*

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BOOK CLUB FLYER

Art of Resilience

ART OF RESILIENCE presents a diverse group of speakers, sharing their unique perspectives on the theme of resilience. Why resilience? Because the individuals, families, advocates and organizations who continue to strive, day after day, year after year, to create good lives and inclusive communities for all people, are nothing if not resilient!

We will also webcast this special event live so that families and communities across the province can share, enjoy and explore the Art of Resilience right alongside those attending the live event in Toronto. Near or far, however you choose to participate, we are thrilled to know you will be joining us for what is sure to be a very inspiring evening!

TIME: 7pm to 8:30 pm, followed by on-site reception with live music complimentary snacks, non-alcoholic beverages & cash bar

COST:  $20.00

PRESENTERS:

HOST: TED KUNTZ 

Ted is a psychotherapist, critically acclaimed author, community activist, and father of a son with disabilities. Much of the wisdom Ted shares in his counselling, workshops, and consultations didn’t come from his formal training, but arose from parenting his son Joshua, who taught Ted how to take full advantage of the gifts and opportunities life offers. Learn more about Ted and his journey toward finding peace and developing his resiliency here: Peace Begins with Me.

JANICE BARTLEY  

Janice Bartley is a woman whose life has been driven by the word “No”. When told she can’t do something, she does it anyway. When presented with an opportunity, she will never say no. Janice Bartley lives resilience every minute of every day. Janice is a graduate of the The MothSHOP Community Education Program and A speaker for the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State.

VALERIE TIH  

Valerie Tih has over 20 years experience as a speaker, presenter and facilitator of spiritual retreats and educational workshops. She conducts parenting courses on Positive Discipline and the Enneagram. She teaches Junior Kindergarten at a private school in Toronto and, as a Parent Coach, assists families seeking to create peaceful homes. Valerie is an active advocate in the Down syndrome community and is passionate about building connections, spreading kindness and choosing joy. joyfullcoaching.ca

HELEN RIES & PAUL KNOLL

Helen Ries and her brother Paul Knoll live in Ottawa. When their parents passed, Helen and Paul found themselves in the role of supporting each other. Paul is recently retired from the Government of Canada; Helen is a consultant, co-leader of a national siblings movement, and is a strong advocate for and has successfully impacted policy change in Ontario.

PAUL ROBITAILLE 

 Paul Robitaille lives in Northern Ontario and is a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario. Paul has a profound belief in the power of community building – a belief fueled by his experiences working with Métis, Inuit and First Nation Youth from across Canada. Each day, Paul witnesses the transformative effects of (re)connecting with family, friends, culture and the land. The pattern is clear: healthy, resilient

individuals build healthy, resilient communities; healthy, resilient communities raise healthy, resilient individuals. Each of us has an important role to play in creating this ‘snowball of resilience’. Each of us has the power to create transformative change in our own lives and in the lives of others.

JEROME BOUVIER 

 Jerome Bouvier lives in Langley, B.C. He is currently the executive director of an award-winning not-for- profit ACCESS Youth Outreach Services, author, activist, public speaker, facilitator, race horse trainer and husband. The insights he shares through his presentations, trainings, program development and public speaking come from his lived experiences and overcoming a tragic, life altering accident that left him a paraplegic. Jerome viewed this accident as a “gift” that guided him to a “purpose” that has served him for over 28 years, and assisted him with inviting people to embrace the power of the human spirit. Learn more about Jerome’s unbreakable spirit, and what it means to be resilient here: www.jeromeinspires.com 

REGISTRATION:

ATTEND THE LIVE EVENT IN TORONTO
WATCH THE LIVE WEBCAST FROM HOME
HOST A LOCAL EVENT THROUGH YOUR ORGANIZATION