The short documentary mini-series:
Circumventing systemic issues of discrimination and inaccessibility, characters with intellectual and developmental disabilities have taken matters into their own hands, and designed a life that has brought them great personal success.
Organizations, groups, and people like yourself are organizing screenings across Canada right now. Do you want to see these films and leverage them into a community building event? Contact us to request a screening!
Episode One: Kirby’s House
With helpful neighbours and a unique support network, Kirby, who has an intellectual disability, lives on his own and is thriving in his quaint small-town home.
Episode Two: Advantage Gained
Elliot, dedicated rugby player and coach, finds a community that sees him for who he is and supports his personal and athletic growth. Elliot has autism, and his personal success inspires him to become an advocate for disability awareness.
Episode Three: Power of the Walk
A determined 15-year-old, guided by her supportive mother, challenges the fashion industry’s norms and confronts ableism as she breaks barriers on the runway, helping to redefine beauty and advocate for inclusivity.
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(Virtual or in-person)
We will make it easy for you to host a screening in your community either at a public event or privately within your group or organization, in person, or virtually. Films are available for screening as a series or individually, and the producers are available for Q&A’s, and/or to help organize panel and group discussions. Contact us for more information.
Comments From Viewers:
It's eye opening! [Kirby's House]
Susan Popper
Family Support Network, Newmarket/Aurora
I could never have imagined [my own child] would live alone before seeing this movie.
Kirby's House Virtual Screening Attendee
Upcoming Events:
A New Story - What is it?
This project seeks to change inaccurate perceptions of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through storytelling, we show what is possible when people challenge the common idea that disability is something to fix. This is an independent project that showcases successes, achieved with vital support, as people design lives that bring them great personal fulfillment, in the face of discrimination and obstacles.
Written stories:
Chris pursues his passion for making art
By Linda Viscardis Chris Pierce, a 31-year-old artist from Huntsville, Ontario, is unwavering in his pursuit of art. Despite the…
Daniel and Laura enjoy married life
By Linda Viscardis Daniel and Laura Lombardi’s cozy home is filled with warmth and laughter. On a typical evening, the…
Inspiration
"When it comes to building community, focus first on what's strong, not what's wrong."
– Cormac Russell
Our Motivation:
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) frequently require support from others. Some may require a lot of support and others only a little. The mentality of individuals fulfilling supportive roles can greatly impact the quality of life of people with IDD.
With the goal of a better quality of life, many people with disabilities are creating their own necessary support networks with their families that follow a philosophy that is often called an “asset-based” approach. By receiving support from people with an asset-based mentality including paid workers and simply everyone in their lives, people with IDD are empowered to discover where and with whom their talents and passions may be shared and welcomed. This contributes to their personal growth in meaningful roles, increases their confidence and pride, and helps them find purpose and meaning in a community. These positive outcomes may not result in them suddenly reaching major milestones or receiving many awards and achievements (although in some cases they absolutely do), but more so that they are simply enjoying their life, like anyone else would, free to be who they truly are, by their own design.
The small support networks they create can be formal or informal, and can be very meticulously constructed, or happily fall into place. They can be made up of an assortment of family, friends, community members, and paid support workers. The key element is a shared mentality and vision among everyone involved. This approach and philosophy is not complicated and does not require formal education or training to understand. These families are not connected in any way other than simply trying to execute a similar vision for the person with the disability to find personal success.
Many agencies and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can end up making things harder for them instead of helping. They often focus on what people can’t do, rather than what they can. This can make people feel like they’re not in control of their own lives, and even make them feel like they’re not seen as real people. It can result in ableist perceptions of people with disabilities, with many families adopting a needs-based mindset regarding what may be possible for their loved ones.
On the other hand, an asset-based approach considers what people are good at and what they can do. But sadly, this is an approach that isn’t used as much.
When services focus too much on people’s needs, they can make them feel like they’re always dependent on others, like children. Instead of helping them grow and achieve their goals, these services can just fill up the person’s time without really making their lives better or helping them connect with others. This way of thinking comes from a long history of seeing people with disabilities as less valuable. We’ve made progress since the 1800s, but there are many old ideas still stuck in our systems. Even though there are efforts to make things better, discrimination still happens in subtle ways.
While some agencies, organizations, and schools are trying to change their ways, it’s not happening fast enough. The people being trained to work with those with disabilities often learn outdated ways of thinking. Despite the talk of progress, the reality is that not much is changing, leaving many feeling disappointed. Because of this, many families are taking matters into their own hands, trying to find better ways forward for their loved ones.