L'Arche Avalon » Accessibility and Inclusion

Nothing about me without me. Nothing about us without us.

The L’Arche Canada Leading Change project contributed to shifting the narrative about the leadership capacities of youth with intellectual disabilities. At the same time, L’Arche and partners in the disability inclusion movement began to develop guidelines and resources for inclusive participation to welcome the contributions of persons with disabilities as co-creators in building a more inclusive society.

Culture of Belonging

To create a truly inclusive society, we must strengthen a culture of belonging. A culture of belonging is a learning culture.

Voice and Choice

Nothing about me without me. Nothing about us without us.

Inclusive participation

Co-learning and co-leading

A smiling dark haired young woman with down syndrome wearing glasses and a yellow flower headband.

Inclusive Participation

L’Arche Canada’s youth leaders’ group engaged in a values-based, inclusive leadership development program that built their capacity as co-learners and co-leaders in L’Arche Canada’s national structure and in their home communities. Putting theory into action, L’Arche Canada has created leadership roles for persons with disabilities on its Communications team, Mission-in-Action Plan team, Accessibility and Inclusion Committee, and Inclusive Housing Solutions Lab team. We also continued to work with partners like the Pan-Canadian Disability Coalition, the Inclusive Design Research Centre and Listen-Include-Respect to make our processes more accessible.

“Leading Change has helped me feel like I belong. … Together, we all learn to lead in our own ways because we care and are supported.”

– Tiana Kirkegaard, youth leader from L’Arche Greater Vancouver

A diverse group of 9 people of various ages and ethnicities, with & without disabilities, posing for a photo at the 2022 in-person Youth Leadership training course.

A white man with short greying hair and a young man with dark hair engaging in conversation and writing notes at the in-person Youth Leaders training.

Voice and Choice

L’Arche Canada has engaged with L’Arche stakeholders with and without intellectual disabilities to learn more about their hopes and concerns for creating inclusive housing, inclusive neighbourhoods, and inclusive communities. We have been listening to the diverse voices of neighbours and partners as we share experiences and learnings. We believe that the way we work together, welcoming the contribution of each person, is just as important as the solutions we develop in our effort to create a world where everyone is valued and belongs.

Enriched Listening
Strategic planning – Impact Listening and Learning Conversations as part of Mission-in-Action-Plan Process
Accessibility and Inclusion Team
Youth Leaders group
Contributing to the Pan-Canadian Disability Impact project in both steering committees and gatherings