Through personalized programming, adults with diverse abilities are given the chance to live full, meaningful lives.

One of the many advantages of living in York Region and within the entire GTA is the vast array of social support services and organizations, including Creating Alternatives, in Vaughan. This family- centric community support organization is a little-known gem that has been serving families in the GTA for 25 years. It was founded by its board president, Phyllis Santone, who was looking for opportunities for her daughter Rita but found few suitable options for her or other young people with developmental disabilities after high school. She envisioned a place where they could gain work skills, build relationships, and be recognized as valued community members.

Creating Alternatives is a day program in Woodbridge for adults over the age of 18 with diverse abilities. It is a safe and supportive environment where participants benefit from social, recreational and educational opportunities. It stemmed from a grass- roots, parent-driven initiative that addressed a longtime need for support and programming for individuals with varied capabilities.

“Creating Alternatives is deeply rooted in dignity, inclusion and community and, for me, I believe that every person deserves to live a full life with meaning, regardless of their ability,” says executive director Danielle Dang in a recent interview with City Life. “With that belief, I am able to merge that with my professional drive, looking at leading, innovative, compassionate programs that respond to the needs and gaps in the community while providing solutions. We try to do our part, no matter how small.”

The organization plays a huge role in teaching life skills to its participants. Each support plan is created with the participant, their family and the staff. They probe interests, goals and challenges to develop a personalized road map that guides their program curriculum and growth, and this collaborative process ensures participants feel ownership over their journey and are empowered to take the lead in their own development. The result is an inclusive family feeling that helps to support their personal growth. When Dang walks the halls every day, she knows the names and individual stories of every participant.

“Last year, we celebrated our 25th anniversary, and, for the first time in the history of our organization, we were accredited,” says Dang. “So it speaks to the quality of the services we provide, and through it all we try not to lose that family feel. We are a person-centred service provider.”

More than just a traditional day program, Dang says, Creating Alternatives is a movement grounded in choice, dignity and authentic community inclusion that builds relationships, creates opportunities and challenges the status quo for people with diverse abilities, empowering them to achieve their full potential. The organization does this with diversity, equity and inclusion embedded in hiring practices and staff training, using inclusive language and celebrating cultural diversity. Creating Alternatives is a reflection of its surroundings and is diligent in developing local partnerships.

“We believe in the power of partnerships to drive change,” says Dang. “We actively collaborate with local businesses, service clubs, educators and health professionals to broaden access. Our goal is not just inclusion, but meaningful engagement.”

Among those partnerships is an annual relationship with the CNE, allowing their participants to decorate a sculpture and display it during The Ex. During the recent World Down Syndrome Day, a participant DJed with the Raptors DJ during a game, and, in a partnership with the Hart Centre in Kingston, Creating Alternative participants displayed their artwork at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes.

Vaughan can be proud of Creating Alternatives, a community resource that advocates for people with diverse abilities, guided by the simple belief that everyone deserves a chance.“Whether it’s supporting participants in employment, encouraging leadership roles or facilitating inclusive community outings, we’re proving every day that full inclusion is not only possible but also necessary,” says Dang. “But our truest measure of success lies in the smiles, the milestones and the meaningful progress we witness in each individual’s journey.”

INTERVIEW BY MARC CASTALDO

creatingalternatives.ca
@alternatives_