Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to highlight the important role of the Yellowknife Association of Community Living. This association is a non-profit organization that helps people with intellectual disabilities and their families live meaningful lives in support of communities. The association provides services in a wide variety of areas to people of all ages. Their programs stress important areas of need in Yellowknife and the North.
The Association of Community Living provides a program support to children who may be affected by or diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Their family project works with families from birth on to bring about change so that the relatives with disabilities are welcomed into community life and can participate and contribute to their community in valuable ways.
The association also provides a planned part-time relief service to families supporting people with disabilities. In partnership with Aurora College their Literacy Outreach Program recruits and trains volunteer literacy tutors to provide inclusive literacy instruction and reaches out by targeting specific hard-to-reach groups.
The Association for Community Living offers a Skills Training in Community Inclusion Program and their successful Employability program partners with Yellowknife businesses to create training and job opportunities for people with disabilities. The program promotes disability awareness and encourages diversity in the northern workforce. It also empowers people to live highly productive lives. The Abe Miller summer cafe offers business and work experience to people with intellectual disabilities and has operated successfully for many years. Finally, supportive living services help people who choose to live on their own move towards their full potential as members of society.
All of these programs work towards the goal of allowing people with intellectual disabilities to lead meaningful, self-determined lives to the fullest extent possible. They promote dignity, respect, equality, diversity, human rights, mutual responsibility, inclusion, and moral courage. These are virtues society needs more and more and we can be proud of the resources offered to the Northwest Territories by the Yellowknife Association for Community Living.
I encourage Members of this House and people of the Northwest Territories to join me in applauding the hard work of dedicated staff and volunteers of the Association of Community Living and in supporting their continued efforts.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
