The Families in Action Room
Skills Society was started in 1981 by Families in Action who wanted more for their sons and daughters - to reduce their sense of isolation by removing them from “institutions” and placing them back into the arms of society.
Their courageous efforts and fighting spirit led to change in Alberta public policy and had a significant impact on the disability service sector as a whole, resulting in more individualized, person-centred approaches. Today, we continue to honor their legacy by keeping our services person-centred and focused on the unique needs of every individual. Our work is complex but our goal is simple: support people with disabilities to live good and meaningful lives in community.
Skills Society remains rooted in a ‘Family Feel’.
Strong relationships are at the centre of our work of supporting people with disabilities to lead good lives and despite growth and times of uncertainty, we remain committed to maintaining a ‘family feel’ within our organization. In keeping with our roots and values, we strive to foster a sense of connectedness and belonging within our Skills community. We recognize that some we serve have families alongside them- helping to advocate. However, we also serve many who don’t have traditional families and need support in building allies that have their backs and support them as a healthy family would.
Below are a few examples of how the Skills Community strives to be rooted in creating a family feel and centres each person served in the creation of their support services.
“It is every human being’s right to have the opportunity to live, learn, and grown [in community]... and we now insist upon these rights for all [people with disabilities]”
MyCompass Planning
MyCompass Planning is a social innovation that emerged from Skills Society, Southern Alberta Community Living Association, Lift Interactive and Ben Weinlick. It is now scaling across North America. In essence the aim is to make system change that ensures case management in social services doesn’t forget the human being at the centre of development, delivery and assessment of support services.
The Vision of MyCompass Planning is to make humanized disability and social services case management so compelling that individuals, organizations and governments instinctively centre their work around the rights, needs, and aspirations of the people they serve.
The Mission is to redesign social service case management interactions alongside people served - resulting in a more humanized, efficient and engaging support system that allows people to truly thrive.
The MyCompass Planning App continues to be used by the people we serve - helping them take the lead in planning and shaping their supports.
MyCompass Planning Labs
Evolving from the Citizen Action Lab, MyCompass Planning Lab is our 1.5 hour think tank process that helps supports, families, and allies break open creative thinking and generate creative ideas and action, to connect people we serve with all the things that make life great. These labs offer a fun and creative experience that encourages participants to explore new ways for a citizen with a disability to become more active and included in community life.
Developed over 10 years into its current form of MyCompass Planning Labs, these labs are like a rapid think tank for discovering innovative ways to connect people with disabilities to meaningful citizenship roles and employment opportunities in community. These Labs are a process that helps unlock creativity in Community Support Workers so they can strengthen their approaches to supporting people with disabilities.
Using disciplined creative processes of social innovation labs such as Human Centered Design Thinking, 8 trained stewards can go into community with their mobile pop up lab kits or use the Action Lab space, to help foster ideas and action that lead to better quality of life for people with disabilities. Through this process Skills Society helps foster a culture of creativity, and helps people we serve strengthen a sense of belonging and find new ways to contribute their unique abilities in community.
Shout Out Wall
At Skills Society we are committed to highlighting the gratitude we share for one another and contributing to more meaningful relationships with those we work with. One way we do this is through the Shout Out Wall where we display and celebrate Shout-Outs for one another.
The Shout Out Wall at the Skills main Office displaying Shout-Outs and tokens of appreciation for others
Brandon and one of his supports, Ziaul, work together to add something to Brandon’s MyCompass page
Gloria Weaver, founder and executive director of Families in Action
A MyCompass Planning Lab taking place in the Action Lab