We Have a New Name!

CAILC Moves Forward with New IdentityIndependent Living Centres (CAILC) is proud to unveil our new name. As of May 1st, 2008, it will be Independent Living Canada. Over the past year CAILC has gone through a branding exercise, which afforded us an opportunity to create a new look and feel for the organization. After over 20 years with the same name, we decided it was definitely time for a makeover.

In the Spring 2007 issue of Abilities, we announced a new logo and slogan: we thought we had completed our work on branding. However, in May of 2007, the CAILC Marketing Committee held a Corporate Think Tank in Quebec City to tap into the minds of corporate representatives, and they raised some thoughtprovoking questions that made us realize that our work was not yet done.

At one point, we were asked why we call ourselves the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres. That’s a good question! It’s no secret that many members of the public, other agencies and businesses come to the conclusion that our name must mean that we are a housing initiative. I don’t know how many times people have said to me that they thought the Centres were places where people live, not realizing that our member organizations are actually resource centres for people with disabilities. Sometimes, after I roll “Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres” off my tongue, someone will say something like, “Oh, yeah – my grandmother lives in one of those places.”

The majority of our corporate guests were not familiar with our organization before attending the Think Tank. When the question of why we have used the name CAILC was discussed, one participant suggested that we simply call ourselves “Independent Living Canada” with the emphasis on Independent Living. As an organization that promotes the Independent Living Movement in Canada and fosters the development of Centres across the country, this name is perfect! Not only is it a great name for the national office, but Centres, if they so choose in the future, can call themselves Independent Living Cowichan or Independent Living Kingston, just to give two examples. This name will also reflect common practice internationally; most of our sister organizations around the globe are known by the term Independent Living and then the country name (e.g., Independent Living Japan).


National Initiatives

Access to Recovery: A Substance Use and Misuse Initiative, now completed, had the goal of increasing community capacity to support people with disabilities who seek assistance for substance use and/or misuse problems. Through this project, service providers identified a need for accessible services and supports. To respond to that need, we have developed a Facilitator’s Guide. It has background information on IL, models of disability, terminology, the harm reduction model of treatment, workshop samples, fact sheets, articles, a poster and more.

Investing in Futures: An Independent Living Approach to Education Savings Incentives, launched in the spring of 2007, is a three-year national initiative with the goals of promoting methods of saving for post-secondary education to parents with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities. Additional goals include raising awareness and facilitating partnerships at the local and national levels. To provide clear and concise information on Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs), Canada Educational Savings Grants, Canada Learning Bonds and other savings options, we have created a series of seven Information Sheets available for download from our website.

To access these new tools, the Access to Recovery (ATR) Facilitator’s Guide and the Investing in Futures Information Sheets, go to www.ilcanada.ca and click on “National Projects.”


Announcing…

Food for Thought: A Pan-Canadian Initiative Addressing the Healthy Eating Goals of Persons with Disabilities is our newest project. Recent research demonstrates that people with disabilities are more likely to experience reduced well-being because they are obese, underweight or malnourished. Nutritionists and other stakeholders often lack information specific to the disability community. With funding provided by the Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Contribution Program – Centre for Health Promotion, Public Health Agency of Canada, we are planning to create accessible tools on healthy eating and explore how food can be used as a vehicle to connect people, encourage physical activity and reduce isolation. Watch for updates!


About Us

Independent Living Canada, formerly Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres, is a national umbrella organization that represents and supports the network of Independent Living Resource Centres at the national level. Our primary activities include:

- promoting the development of ILRCs in Canadian communities;
- articulating and promoting the IL vision, philosophy and work of the ILRCs at the national level;
- providing organizational assistance, training and the implementation of programs to ILRCs; and
- acting as a liaison between the ILRCs, various federal government departments, and Members of Parliament.

For more information, please visit our website, www.ilcanada.ca.