Since OIFN’s early days (2008), the network has regularly held Provincial Forums. The Forums bring together people with disabilities, their families/loved ones, independent facilitators, and other supporters and allies from supportive service agencies who are interested in learning together about how to support people to build an everyday, ordinary life in their neighbourhoods and communities. This co-learning has significantly contributed to discovering how people can re-imagine their lives alongside others and make real changes where they are supported to set the pace and direction of those changes.

Previous Forums and Gatherings:

May 2023
Building a Bigger WE: Building & Sharing Power

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – May 17, 2023

February 2023
Building a Bigger WE: Beginning with Kindness as a Sturdy Foundation

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – February 15, 2023

November 2022
Re-engaging in Community with Confidence

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – November 16, 2022

September 2022
People, Places, & Presence: Reflecting on Life in Neighbourhood & Community

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – September 14, 2022

June 2022
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – “Celebrate Inclusion Film Festival”

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – June 15, 2022

February 2022
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – “Cultivating Courageous Connections: Understanding Power Dynamics and Sharing Vulnerability”

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – February 9, 2022

November 2021
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – “Foraging Our Heart’s Work: A Virtual Road Trip”

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – November 10, 2021

August 2021
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – “Tending to Our Roots: Growing Together in a Grassroots Movement – PART 2”

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – August 11, 2021

May 2021
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – “Tending to Our Roots: Growing Together in a Grassroots Movement”

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – May 5, 2021

February 2021
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – “Exploring the Role of Facilitating Change”

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – February 10, 2021

November 2020
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – “Staying Brave Stories: Creating an Ordinary, Everyday Life”

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – November 18, 2020

August 2020
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – “Claiming Hope, Staying Brave”

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – August 15, 2020 – FINAL

June 2020
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation

Online through Zoom Video Conferencing

Read about this OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation here:
OIFN Reflective Practice Conversation – Our Conversation Story – June 13 2020 – FINAL

December 2018
OIFN Working Forum – Collaboration, Vision, and Action!

Paris, ON

February 2017
Always Learning – Recognizing and Using a Variety of Approaches to Grow in Facilitation Skills

Cambridge, ON

June 2016
Shared Journeys Over Time – Moving Forward Together on Independent Facilitation in the North

Thunder Bay, ON

April 2016
Hospitality – A Doorway to Belonging

Cambridge, ON

November 2015
Learning from One Another – Different Branches of the Same Tree

Oshawa, ON

October 2015
The Journeys of Facilitation – Supporting Each Other Along the Way

North Bay, ON

May 2015
From Deep Roots to New Shoots – Sharing Our Learning from Each Other

Oshawa, ON

November 2014
From Promises to Possibilities – Staying the Course

Oshawa, ON

May 2014
Ever-expanding circles: North and South – Building Bridges Together

North Bay, ON

November 2013
Unpacking the Gifts of Facilitation: the Value of Knowing Who I Am, Who You Are and Who We Become Together

Pickering, ON

May 2013
Celebrating a Blossoming Community of Practice

Cambridge, ON

November 2012
Ready or Not: A Day to Discuss the Development of the Network & Craft a Response to MCSS Draft PDP Guide

Pickering, ON

November 2011
Finding Our Ways Through a Changing Landscape

Cambridge, ON

April 2011
Nurturing and Protecting the Sacred: What We Hold Dear

Kingston, ON

October 2010
Rooted in Relationships

Cambridge, ON

April 2010
Building a Community of Practice

Cambridge, ON

*Supported by the Modeling Community Change & Innovation Project

October 2009
Driving the Work

Cambridge, ON

*Supported by the Modeling Community Change & Innovation Project

March 2009
Growing the Work

Cambridge, ON

*Supported by the Modeling Community Change & Innovation Project

2005/2006
Laying the Groundwork – A Series of Three Forums

Thornhill, ON

To learn more about upcoming Forums, please visit our Events Calendar page.