This page is dedicated for people to share their stories about the impact of Independent Facilitation. Our hope is that stories will continue to be added so we can be inspired again and again. Enjoy!
Jean Misener is a mother of 4 sons. Her third son Jeff has autism. This year Jeff is turning 60 years old. Jean has been advocating for Jeff his whole life. When Jeff was young he attended Portia School and was in a self contained
Andy is well known around Stratford and has always had a love for music. He developed a desire to be a DJ when he was in the CICE program at Lambton College. He got his first DJ board when he was in college. He now
Leah Akroyd Snider’s journey to finding joy and purpose has been defined by perseverance, passion, and her love for working with children. A graduate of St. Michael’s Catholic Secondary School in Stratford, Leah’s path to success is one marked by determination and a heart for
Facile Futures is excited to team up with the Perth County Family Network to offer an in-person workshop titled Enhance Your Advocacy Skills. This workshop focuses on supporting caregiver and family advocacy. This interactive workshop will focus on supporting parents and caregivers who have a
Facile Futures has teamed up with the Avon Maitland DSB to offer families a unique opportunity to learn about Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). Families who are thinking about life beyond high school or who have children aged 16
Building Bright Futures is an umbrella initiative that supports young people with an intellectual and/or developmental disability (IDD), aged 14-21 and exiting the Ontario education system, to begin planning and building futures firmly rooted in community. This past summer, Facile Futures applied for funding from
Calling all families and caregivers! Researchers at Queen’s University and parents who know the challenges of supporting loved ones with developmental disabilities. We would like to invite the person primarily responsible for managing individualized / direct funding for support services to participate in a survey
Michael’s journey highlights the importance and power of thoughtful planning, family support and community collaboration. Michael, born in 1979, has built a life of independence with the help of his parents and a dedicated support team.
Jacob (left) and Matt (right) pose for a photo. The Perth County Family Network, in partnership with Facile, wants to promote and celebrate professionals who make our communities inclusive spaces for people of all abilities. In this edition, we are featuring Matt Phillips, Kitchen
The summer of 2024 was a busy one for Amiera Black, a grade 12 student at St. Michael’s Catholic Secondary School in Stratford. With the help of Jennifer (Amiera’s mom), Mirjam Schut (Facile Futures), the City of Stratford and the Red Cross, Amiera spent the
In 2023, Facile Futures received $6500 in funding from the Smart and Caring Grant Initiative of the Stratford Community Foundation. The project “Celebrating Stories of Inclusion and Diversity” focused on sharing the stories of people living in Perth County. As part of this grant, Facile
This video shows how social inclusion can lead to a purposeful life for individuals facing significant challenges in daily living. Through creativity and collaboration within the community, strong reciprocal relationships can be built. McKenzie and his independent facilitator worked together with his family and his
While living in a small rural community might have many advantages, it can also bring some barriers. Especially when your passion is not something that is very common it forces people to think creative and out of the box in their search for a meaningful
When Kurtis first became involved with his facilitator, he was nervous about moving to a new town! Kurtis worked with his facilitator to explore his likes, dislikes, dreams, strengths, and goals. With the support of Kurtis’ circle, Kurtis and his facilitator accessed community as a
Steve was new to his community and although he had made himself quickly at home, he had many dreams and wishes for himself! This is a story about believing in yourself and chasing your dreams. When Steve and his facilitator started their exploration one thing
Arthur’s anger was a normal response to his long-term frustration and aloneness: from boyhood he had lived life as an outsider while struggling to cope with his disability, undiagnosed until his early thirties. Eventually, Arthur’s mother discovered independent facilitation through a referral to Facile Independent
A letter from a family member is a story in and of itself. Thank you for the encouragement, Jo Ann!
“One of the goals I had for myself when I first met my facilitator was for me to find employment. This was something that had not gone my way in the past” shares Bridget. By participating in independent facilitation, Bridget was supported in taking a different
When high school ended, Isaac and his family were not sure what the future would hold. With long wait lists for support, the family and Isaac fell into a familiar pattern of making things work while waiting for needed resources. At the onset of independent
