Building Belonging Together
This June, we opened our doors and filled our hearts as families, people we support, staff, and community partners gathered for our Family Town Hall. We had a full house, lively conversation, and a genuine sense of connection that reminded us why community matters.
We shared updates on different areas of the organization, from inclusion and early learning to employment and some of the exciting new things we’re working on. We also shared our 2024 Annual Report, celebrating the work we’ve accomplished together and the stories that demonstrate the power of people and community.
But the most meaningful part of the evening was the discussion.
Listening, Learning, and Growing Together
We talked about family engagement—how families and advocates want to receive information, what communication works best, and how we can strengthen the ways we stay connected. Our Communication Survey remains open, and we are interested in knowing the types of emails you receive from KW Habilitation. Your voices will continue to guide us as we continue to share clear, open, and accessible communication in ways that work for you.
We also engaged in a conversation about person-directed care, a cornerstone of our inclusion work and our commitment to the Journey to Belonging: Choice and Inclusion in Ontario. Person-directed supports are about building lives in the community, based on each person’s interests, values, and dreams. It’s about moving beyond “for” to “with,” ensuring that each person directs their life, and we walk alongside them in building natural connections.
What Person-Directed Supports Look Like
Person-directed planning differs from person-centred care by placing decision-making power in the hands of the person. While person-centred approaches are important, person-directed supports empower people to actively lead their planning, with their goals and aspirations shaping the path forward.
For example, if someone is interested in yoga, our role is not just to offer an internal class but to help them connect to a community centre or yoga class in the community, supporting them in building natural supports, relationships, and connections. This might mean helping someone find the right class, providing transportation training, or connecting them with others who share similar interests. It’s about creating opportunities for meaningful belonging.
Building community and connection is not just a value; it is a practice that shapes the quality of life for the people we work for. We are committed to ensuring that everyone has opportunities for real belonging with supports that are rooted in dignity, choice, and the building of natural supports.
Together, we are working to shape a future where belonging isn’t conditional—it is the foundation of everything we do.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Your voice is vital to our work. If you haven’t yet, please take a few minutes to complete our Communication Survey to let us know how we can better communicate and stay connected with you.
You can also explore:
- Journey to Belonging: Choice and Inclusion (Government of Ontario)
- Person-Directed Planning (Family Service Toronto)
- Our 2024 Annual Report
Thank you for being part of our community, for sharing your insights, and for building belonging with us.