That all people enjoy a full and meaningful life within the community.
Find out more about usThe staff and families at Durham Family Resources are becoming more conscious of the anti-Black, Indigenous and other forms of systemic racism in Durham Region and beyond. This notice is meant to let interested readers and community members know how we are thinking of these issues and what we might begin to do about them.
We would like to genuinely develop a meaningful response to our community on these issues of racism and lack of inclusion or recognition.
First, we understand that achieving a thoughtful stance on these issues cannot be done quickly or simply by posting a message on our website. We believe that a meaningful response can only happen if we take the time to reflect deeply on truth, equity, and justice so that our responses are rooted and genuine. We need to find ways to come to see and understand our own parts in developing and sustaining such past and current injustices. Only then might we begin to be a part of moving toward a more just community.
The team and families at Durham Family Resources have worked hard for many years to understand and take thoughtful, powerful action to ensure that people with disability are seen and valued within our society. As an organization, we have not, however, thoughtfully, and intentionally also considered the impacts of racism on our dream of a real and fully inclusive community. We have not specifically thought about anti-Black and Indigenous forms of racism or our own part in this.
We have gotten started, however. We are already more mindful of our words and deeds, and we are beginning to understand what we do not yet know and how we need to listen in new ways. We understand that we have a lot left to learn. When this work is at a different stage, we will share our learning, plans and actions with our community. In the meantime, we do not want our families, allies, and others to take our silence for uncaring.
Black lives do matter. Indigenous people and history are essential to our identity. “It is not black against white – it is everyone against racism” (adapted quote by Patrick Hutchinson)
While this notice has been shaped and written by many, please direct any comments or questions to me, Janet Klees at jklees@dafrs.com
Dear Family Members, Community Members, and other Allies,
Due to our determination to take part in slowing the spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19, how we support and connect with families will change significantly for the near future.
Our physical office at 850 King St. W in Oshawa is limited in use until further notice. We sincerely appreciate your understanding.
We would like to emphasize that our team, through family and administrative supports, is still working and available to families. Facilitators and other staff members will be working from home, responding to email, making and receiving phone calls, and finding the most supportive ways to be with families during this time.
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Vision
We all enjoy full and meaningful life within our communities;
we are all stronger when each member belongs
Interested?
Mission
Durham Family Resources works in partnership with a person with a disability, their family and allies to imagine, plan, implement, and work toward a good life in family, neighbourhood and community.
Because our community is best when everyone contributes, our partnership aims to enhance the capacity of the whole family to care for one another and to sustain or enhance their valued social roles as family members and as members of the community.
We support our Vision by working with the whole family, together choosing resources, supports and pathways anchored in practices that take place in ordinary community life, one person at a time, and use a Social Role Valorization (SRV) framework.
Durham Family Resources believes:
• In the essential importance of a good life in family, neighbourhood and community
• Freely given, committed personal relationships with people will best safeguard the lives and wellbeing of family members with disabilities
• Communities have the capacity and a fundamental responsibility to welcome and support people with disabilities, and that our communities will be stronger and better when we all belong
• That, when provided with adequate support, families provide the safest, most consistent and loving environment for family members and have the capacity to imagine, plan and build good lives for and with their family members in community
• That there is great value in family-to-family learning, family leadership and connection, and on the ability of families and allies to build and influence their communities to grow strong together
We do all this by:
- respecting the primary decision-making role of families.
- supporting people with disabilities to have valued and typical choices and significant and supported control over the direction of their lives.
- promoting the importance of valued social roles for people with disabilities.
- encouraging and supporting the capacity of the community to be responsive to people with disabilities
- seeking to provide paid support that is of excellent quality and of sufficient intensity to maintain or enhance family functioning
- engaging in ongoing reflection and evaluation to ensure that our work continues to take into account existing pressures and trends within the community and province and is true to our principles
- replacing existing services and service practices only when an equal or better alternative can be provided
