It is the Ontario Independent Facilitation Network’s mission to support, nurture, and preserve independent facilitation and planning through our efforts as a provincial Community of Practice and by linking with others across Ontario.
What is a Community of Practice?
“A Community of Practice is a group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do, and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly”.
Key elements are:
- Shared Motivation: members are brought together by a shared learning need (members are motivated to learn collaboratively)
- The community: their collective learning becomes a bond among them over time (learning is experienced in various ways)
- The practice: their interactions produce resources that in turn shape and influence their practice (whether they engage in actual practice together or separately)
Source: Wenger-Trayner
Beliefs and Convictions
As a Community of Practice, OIFN operates out of the following beliefs and convictions:
- We all have something to teach and something to learn from each other in the network
- Everyone has gifts and everyone is able to make valuable contributions
- Creating, nurturing and maintaining a safe environment enables all people to offer respect and be respected, while also holding differences of opinion and complexity
- There is value in our differences
- Meaningful and inclusive dialogue about things that matter to vulnerable people helps act as a safeguard
- It is essential for people who use the support of independent facilitation and planning to be in charge of the support they receive to the fullest extent possible
- Mindful and reflective practice leads to better outcomes
Common Agenda
We are committed to providing a variety of ongoing opportunities for independent facilitators, people with developmental disabilities/self-advocates and families to:
- Engage in shared learning regarding the values, knowledge, experience, strategies and resources that contribute to excellence in independent facilitation and planning
- Connect with each other and support one another at local, regional and provincial levels through person to person meetings and various electronic means
- Share information and resources on issues and initiatives that are relevant to independent facilitation and planning in Ontario
- Provide outreach and education to those who have an interest in Independent Facilitation and Planning.
Regional Communities of Practice
There have been a number of regional communities of practice established in different parts of the province including:
- Durham Region
- Thames Valley (London, Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin)
- Perth Huron Region
- Grey Bruce Region
- Waterloo Region
- Wellington-Dufferin
- Toronto and Area
- Windsor and Essex County
Steering Groups
- Belleville, Kingston, Brockville and Area
- Ottawa Carleton and Area
- Huntsville, Nipissing, North Bay and Area
Go to Listings to find details about each of these initiatives.