FMC Housing Partners

Hanging with Room mates

Strategic Directions for Housing Initiatives, 2010

Families Matter Co-operative 's (FMC) Vision:

Improved quality of life for people with developmental disabilities with support from strong and empowered families and circles of support.

Families Matter Co-operative 's (FMC) Mission:

Improved quality of life of people with developmental disabilities in our community by providing a voice for their families, information on supports and services and by connecting families to each other.

FMC values openness, respect, democratic control and agrees to share information and support each other.

FMC respects the right of individuals and families to choose the supports and services that best suit their individual needs.

FMC works through advocacy, provides information through a website, social gatherings, resource fairs, community and provincial networks newsletters and by creating partnerships in the community in housing, employment and other initiatives that empower members.

1. Families Matter Co-operative 's (FMC) Mission Statement for Housing Initiatives

FMC works to improve housing opportunities and choices for people with developmental disabilities in Ottawa through

Advocating with government and agencies for a stronger role for families and individuals
Connecting families and sharing best practices for housing solutions
Providing support to families and individuals
Supporting members in the creation of small residential options.
Partnering with community organizations to create new housing opportunities and choices

2. Families Matter Co-operative 's (FMC) Values for Housing Initiatives:

Allow individuals with developmental disabilities to

live in a residential setting of their choice,
with the supports they need and
to participate fully in their community.

3. Families Matter Co-operative 's (FMC) Plan for Strategic Direction III:

Create housing opportunities to meet needs of membersthrough partnerships

Objectives: (From FMC Sustainability Plan 2009-2011)

Identify new housing partnership/s
Develop plan with partner/s to create new initiative/s for members with developmental disabilities

Planning Steps for an individual housing initiative

needs and current community capacity.

an eligible group within Ontario for rent supplements.

Identify the target population and the ideal type of housing and type of support required based on members’
Work with housing development partners to determine number and type of housing units to be available for persons with developmental disabilities.
Identify a service model e.g. individual supports, group supports, on site or “portable”
Identify a service partner(s) to provide supports to disabled residents.
Identify sources of funding for supports and prepare a resource development plan.
Clarify the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of each partner, of disabled residents and of their
Develop written agreements among Families Matter Co-operative, the housing partner and the service partner documenting the roles and responsibilities.
Develop a governance structure for the initiative.
Develop a start-up budget with partners.
Lobby municipal/provincial government to secure financial support for developmentally disabled citizens by including them as an eligible group for rent geared to income/rent supplement programs

4. ProgramOrientation for Individual Housing Initiative

Describe the program in detail,

Roles, responsibilities and expectations
Description of housing program
Eligibility requirements
Suitability requirements
Screening requirements
Intake
Discharge
A summary of program policies (including written reports, interviews, evaluation

Brenda's Life in her Community

Mar 16, 2011

Brenda is a young woman with a developmental disability, who wants the same quality of life in her community as any other citizen and that i...