The Saskatchewan Association of Community Living is coming to Yorkton Sunday to inform area people of the programming available through the Association for those with intellectual disabilities.
The Saskatchewan Association for Community Living (SACL) is a grassroots, family based organization that strives to ensure that all people with intellectual disabilities are included, involved and valued citizens.
"We've got some Association information for individuals and families, and what we can do to help them," explained Lynn Schaan, family network coordinator with SACL.
Schaan said the SACL is available to help on several different levels, including advocacy.
While the advocacy includes lobbying government of behalf of those with intellectual disabilities, she added, "we do advocacy on a one-to one basis a lot."
The direct advocacy can mean helping someone with an intellectual disability deal with social services, or it might be providing information to a school for a student.
The Family Network Program brings families together.
"The idea is sharing ... creating that sense of not being alone," said Schaan.
Fusion Inclusion is a similar-themed programs incorporating youth 13 to 19, both those with intellectual disabilities and those without. Schaan said the program is successful in Regina and Saskatoon and they want to expand it to smaller centres.
Other programs focus on employment for those with disabilities, and on education.
Schaan said the SACL's Kids on the Block program uses life-sized puppets giving in-school presentations to show things such as being someone with a disability facing obstacles, or how bullying affects all students.
The information session Sunday will be held at the Gallagher Centre starting at noon. It will run until 3 p.m., followed by swimming and pizza " so the families can be together," said Schaan.
While people can simply show up for the meeting, Schaan said they do encourage pre-registration by calling 306-955-3344, or emailing laurel.chambers@SACL.org
