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

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

Harv Potts is a passionate and eloquent young man.  Along with becoming a motivational speaker, Harv had the dream of continuing his post-secondary education. Through facilitation, Harv applied to a college program, secured financial supports/grants and developed a new network of connections in the Sarnia region.