Contributors to Plan Institute

With the constant hum of 21st century distractions as our backdrop we are distanced from each other. When I am worried about traffic or wondering who is emailing me, when I composing what I want to say or hear the vibrating noise of my Blackberry I am not fully present in the situation. When I am removed from the present, like a disabled transmitter, I am unable to fully give or receive.

The following is a speech presented by Vickie at PLAN's Annual General Meeting in September 2007:

The  potential impacts of a different paradigm of human engagement based on contribution reinforced by new terms of engagement with the non-profit sector could lead to an understanding of how to engage the issue of global climate change and mitigating the ecological footprint of the human species.
 

Our movement of resources between nations as part of a system that exploits the environment for its wealth contradicts our most base relationship with our communities and each other. The destruction of what is naturally available in place for what we create from that wealth has the cascading effect of distancing ourselves from our relationship with the land and its realities and just as importantly reinforcing an increasing isolation of individuals.
 

As a personal way of wishing happy holidays to everyone, I've gone a little out of my way this year to make something special.

These images are of the council chambers in Rotaroura.  The chambers are housed in a beautiful building that incorporates Maori design and the golden woods of New Zealand.  On the screen is a opening shot of  the CBC National documentary on PLAN member David Cohen.  We showed it to a variety of audiences here and there was rarely a dry eye in response to his remarkable story.  This particular sessi

Helping to build a community of support for someoneyou care about.

On Dec. 4th. we had a remarkable evening introducting "Tyze" to PLAN's Community Connectors.  The response to the social networking software was overwhelmingly enthusiastic.

"Tyze" is an online service that makes it easy to reach out to family, friends, neighbours and caregivers. 

Ruth Jones and Gary Nixon are two powerful leaders in the disability community in New Zealand.  They will be married early next year.  They are seen here enjoying some 'Kiwi Kai' (Maroi cuisine).  Ruth is an eloquent and commanding speaker.  She welcomed everyone to our presentation earlier in the day in Maori.  (Maori is frequently spoken here, woven throughout the culture.)  She led everyone in a song whose

The citizenship debate continues on and as part of this discussion, we must consider a vital piece of the belonging puzzle. Where we live and how we live there are battle grounds on many fronts but none more so these days than from an environmental standpoint.  Leading the field of innovation are the United Arab Emerates who with their ultra luxurious and exclusive "The World" residences in the Persian Gulf in Dubai have made a mark in the real estate market.

It is late at night and I have just returned from the screening of a film on human rights by the Canadian documentary filmmaker Peter Raymont. "A Promise to the Dead" follows the Chilean/American Ariel Dorfman on a journey back to Chile after being exiled as a traitor by Augusto Pinochet. Dorfman's story is compelling and having him as well as the director there this evening made the story even more riveting as the evening was enjoyable.

I have been increasingly interested of late in the way that other issues of development or human rights internationally can inform our movement.

British Disabled to get cash to choose care options

You say you want a revolution

Well, you know

We all want to change the world

(The Beatles, 1968)

…”potentially one of the most radical public service reforms for a generation”

(Alan Johnson, Health Minister, UK government Dec. 2007)

Last week Mr. Robert Latimer was granted early parole, overturning an earlier National Parole Board decision. For those unfamiliar with this case, Robert Latimer is the Saskatchewan man who ended the life of his twelve years old daughter Tracy by asphyxiating her with carbon monoxide while his wife and other children were attending church. Because Tracy was given the label of ‘severely disabled” many Canadians, including the President of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, rose to defend Mr. Latimer. Many argued that Mr.

Tomorrow is my 53rd birthday. I was born on April 14, 1955 in Montreal. In 1972, my father had his first of three strokes that would eventually paralyze his right side and leave him without the power of speech. The day my Dad had his first stroke was the day that I found out life was hard and it wasn't about me. It was a turning point. I mean turning to look at life a different way; a way with humility as its starting block. I'm feeling reflective about the directions my life has taken.

Since my earliest years I have memories of trees. Cutting them down, climbing them, breaking their branches, getting their sap in my hair, collecting them for firewood, building forts with them, and as anyone that knows me will attest planting them and growing them. I have had a strange affinity with trees.

No question about it.  The yearning to belong truly is universal.  Today in Brussels, as we shared PLAN stories to representatives from 32 countries, we touched common ground.

Last night I had the pleasure of joining 20 or so Vancouver Community Connectors brainstorm best practices around network development. Drawing on personal experiences, issues and successes this roomful of dynamic community connectors shared, questioned, challenged and networked around building strong and vibrant networks for the individuals and families they serve.

My last blog entry was about my birthday party that included what one dear friend called "those terrifying strips of paper" with philosophical quotes as a springboard for an amusing and enlightening discussion. It worked!

Having one conversation at the table with such a large group required active and wholehearted listening. Listening is something that has been on my mind lately.

About ten years ago, I found by chance a web bulletin board for people with neurological conditions of all sorts. This website had a forum called "child neurology" and over the years, I have become good friends with a wide variety of people I have never actually met. All of the people who regularly log on are either parents of children with disabilities or people with disabilities themselves. One person who has been a constant presence on the board over the years is a woman with cerebral palsy who is middle aged and until recently, was living in a nursing home.

Vickie and I had dinner with John McKnight when he was in Vancouver recently.  He is as engaged and vital as ever.  Listening to him enthusiastically describe the advance of asset based community development concepts to Europe, Australia and other parts of the world reminded me of what a profound impact these ideas have had in my life and in the development of PLAN. 

I have often blogged about technology or ideas that apply to the work that we do at Plan Institute. This post is no different, but extends into the world of effective web-marketing and collective action.

One of the core models used to negotiate change is collective action or collective bargaining. As many will immediately jump to the example of a union as a metaphore, let me elaborate a little more about how groups and their consumption habits shape change and many of the organizations we all interact with.

On our recent trip to Europe I had the privilege of seeing the steely force of love in action - mothers.  In England, Scotland, the Netherlands and Greece mothers are embracing some of our thorniest societal challenges to create social and economic justice for their sons and daughters with disabilities.

Excerpt from a speech presented to the Canadian Caregivers Coalition in Ottawa, June 19 2008. To read the complete speech, please click here.

In New York City, a new initiative has children being paid to achieve good marks at school and their teacher receives a bonus cheque for the excellence of her students' results.
Read all about it!
http://www.nytimes.com/2...

In the UK, an elderly man in a senior's home found he was lonely and missed a companion for a beer at his local pub. His son advertised for a "pub pal" and found his Dad two lovely older gents to job share the position.

http://uk.reuters.com/ar...

Every now and then, there are movies we run into that inspire us to look at our lives differently. It isn't just due to the message contained in the film, but often the characters and people that make up the fabric of the tale that allows us insight into topics otherwise hidden from view.

Recently, I watched a film called "Snowcake" starring my friend, the actor Alan Rickman. Alan told me about his experience filming in northern Ontario, so I decided to rent this small, independent and very Canadian film. The story is about a woman who has autism and lives with her daughter in the town of Wawa, Ontario.

Dinner with John McKnight

From left to right: John McKnight, Al Etmanski, Ann Livingston, Margo Fryer, Malerie Meeker, Barbara Harkins, Maggie Hanson, Vickie Cammack.

Greetings everyone,

It’s been 17 days and a few hours since we said our goodbyes. Looking at the photos brought back many fond memories from the week we shared, the laughter, the tears and the learning. What an astounding group to be part of. It’s been great to hear about your work at home so soon after the event and we look forward to hearing from you all.

The legendary Harold Zlotnik, one of PLAN’s earliest supporters, passed away on May 23rd in his 85th year.  Known as the Arnold Palmer of the insurance industry, Harold was well known as the founder of Zlotnik and Lamb (now ZLC).  Not as well known is the pivotal role he played in PLAN’s growth and development.

THE TIMES (LONDON) REPORTED ON JULY 18, 2008

Britain’s six million carers won a landmark victory today when the European Court of Justice upheld the right of a woman who was denied time off work to look after her disabled son.

Sharon Coleman, who was forced to resign her work as a legal secretary, claims that she suffered “discrimination by association” in breach of EU rules.

While watching a documentary film recently about the film director Werner Herzog, I jumped up and wrote down how he described the subjects of one of his films:

Experiencing the world on a very reduced level, but very richly.

Those words perfectly describe my son, Nicholas.

In 2004, things went terribly wrong in my family. My son Nicholas was having uncontrolled pain due to failed hip surgery and after a total of 64 hospitalizations for a variety of medical complications in his lifetime, we felt persona non grata at our local hospital. Doctors generally prefer patients who get better, not worse.

The federal election is only a couple of days old and already I am feeling nauseous. The demonization and diminishment of people and ideas, the rhetoric, and the disingenuous ‘debate’ pains me.
 

People with disabilities in Canada experience some of the highest levels of poverty of any group.  Nearly half of working age adults relies on government programs as their primary source of income.  This means a standard of living below the poverty line.

www.humanrightsactioncen...

Created by Seth Brau

Produce by Amy Poncher

Music by Rumspringa courtesy Cantora Records

Technology often consists of a tool that enables people to act differently and changes the way we interface with each other. However, not all technologies by their very nature can be used by all people. There is a question of accessibility in system and interface design that is ever present and often a challenge for designers and inventors alike.

Friends of ours recently held a service for their stillborn first child. It was courageous thing to do. And, for those of us in attendance, it was a miraculous to experience . By sharing their sadness and their love for their beautiful daughter they birthed her into the world.

The same year that tanks rolled over protesters in Tianamen Square and the Berlin Wall fell, a group of spry seniors from Vancouver were having coffee and asking themselves, “what will happen to my son or daughter with a disability after I die?  How will their life be any good without me there?”

One of the major disservices I have noticed for those who are trapped by their bodies has been a lack of focus on their inclusion as individuals in public.

     OK, I hardly know where to start, I'm so excited. Here's a great idea!