A report about developmental services came out in August called Nowhere to Turn. This report was written by the Ombudsman of Ontario. The Ombudsman is like a watchdog for Ontario, looking over government funded programs.

Developmental services is a government funded program. When self advocates heard about the report, they said it was really sad. They also felt like it was important for more people labelled with intellectual disabilities to know about this. They wanted to know more about what advocacy can be done by people labelled with intellectual disabilities.

On Wednesday, October 5, there will be a workshop specifically for people labeled with intellectual disabilities to learn about the Ombudsman’s report, and what the Ombudsman’s office is. ARCH lawyers and people from the Ombudsman’s office will be using pictures and role plays to help everyone understand the report. We will also be talking about what we can do to make things better. For more information, contact Sue Hutton at huttons@lao.on.ca or shutton@cltoronto.ca .  For more information on this workshop refer below to Upcoming SAC Events.

The Self Advocates Council Coordinator Sue Hutton is on a temporary part time leave. Sue is still working with the SAC, but is also at ARCH Disability Law Centre two days a week. Sue is doing rights work at ARCH. Some of the self -advocates are having an opportunity to do some work there with Sue also. Some of them have been able to lead a role play about rights at an ARCH workshop in London, Ontario. This is with a group called, Respecting Rights at ARCH, that does rights workshops for people labeled with an intellectual disability around Ontario. For more information about these workshops you can visit this site: http://www.archdisabilitylaw.ca/Respecting_Rights_Committee_Workshops

Upcoming SAC Events

NOWHERE TO TURN
A Plain Language workshop for
People labeled with intellectual disabilities on The Ombudsman’s Report on Developmental Services
Wednesday October 5, 2016
10am – 1pm
ARCH Disability Law Centre
55 University Ave. 15th Floor, Toronto
Hosted by Respecting Rights, a project at ARCH.
Please RSVP to:  Sue Hutton at 647-729-1205 or shutton@cltoronto.ca