Update – Statement regarding CLGW Day Services
Dear people we support, your families, and our community,
Community Living Guelph Wellington’s Senior Leadership team and Board of Directors have been reviewing and discussing the feedback we’ve received since releasing our 2020-2023 Strategic Plan. We continue to receive feedback and we’re listening.
What we’re learning is that our communication wasn’t clear that the buildings are going to close, and what planning for that would look like. We regret that our miscommunication and lack of clarity created confusion and anger.
Community Living Guelph Wellington’s mandate has always been to nurture opportunities for people with developmental disabilities through our services. We remain deeply committed to this mandate.
We are also committed to our Strategic Plan, its guiding philosophy, mission, vision and the strategic goals that we plan to accomplish by 2023. That includes: in place of Day Programs, facilitate inclusive opportunities that serve to enhance connection between the people we support within and across their community.
In March, COVID-19 effected many of CLGW’s services. This included closing Day Services to focus our efforts on residential support, which was deemed to be an essential service. Our Day Services have remained closed since then.
We are continuing to have one-to-one conversations with the people we support and their families about their services. Those conversations include planning for the present, while we’re still in a COVID-impacted environment, and planning for the future. Those individualized planning details are personal and unique, and we will continue to plan with respect to each person.
Closing the congregate and segregated Day Services occurring at the Community Living Centres was, and is still a part of our plan. However, we are altering the timing of the closures.
The Community Living Centres in Guelph and Wellington County will be utilized temporarily to provide congregate support. People we support will be able to explore opportunities and new experiences in an effort for them to make choices that will prepare them to participate in inclusive community-based supports.
Our expectation remains, that one day, every person will be supported in their community in our efforts for each person to realize their full citizenship.
Prior to our eventual closure of the congregate and segregated Day Services, we will engage in a community consultation around the use of the Community Living Centres. At that time, we will explore community resources and services that benefit everyone, including the people who raised funds to build these community spaces. Our goal is for these buildings to become an inclusive space for everyone. Revenue generated from these inclusive spaces will be used to enhance the services we provide for adults with disabilities.
We will be distributing an updated work plan to the people we support in Day Services, their families, and our staff in the near future.
Sincerely,
Laura Hanley
Executive Director
Gerry Walsh
President, CLGW Board of Directors
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