Independent Living Centre Kingston: about Independent Living
Site Map Privacy Policy Accessibility Statement

ILCK
HOME PAGE

SUPPORTS FOR
PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES

BUSINESS
SOLUTIONS

PUBLIC
AWARENESS
& EDUCATION

ABOUT
ILCK

CONTACT
ILCK

Independent Living

The term ‘Independent Living’ as defined by people with disabilities does not mean doing things for yourself, or living on your own. It means having choice and control over the assistance and/or equipment/assistive devices needed for daily life and having access to amenities that society has to offer such as housing, transport, health services, employment, as well as entertainment, education and training opportunities.

Independent Living (IL) is a vision, a philosophy and a movement of persons with disabilities. Born on California university campuses in the 1970s, the movement spread to Canada in the 1980s, and has since reached around the globe and changed the way people view and respond to disability.

Independent Living is founded on the rights of people with disabilities to:
  • Live with dignity in their chosen community
  • Participate in all aspects of their life
  • Control and make decisions about their own lives
  • The IL vision and philosophy have been articulated through the Independent Living movement, a network of individuals and community-based resource centres across the country, supported by a national organization, Independent Living Canada
The Independent Living Philosophy recognizes the rights of individuals with disabilities and assists them in developing their individual capacity to exercise their rights and manage personal and community resources. Consumers are encouraged to identify and achieve their own independent living life goals.

This philosophy emphasizes and, more importantly, enables persons with disabilities to have access to resources, which ensure that individuals have the right to examine options, make choices, take responsibility to take risks and have the right to make mistakes.

The IL Mission is to promote and enable the progressive process whereby citizens with disabilities achieve their desired lifestyles by taking responsibility for the development and management of their personal and community resources.

Accredited
Member Of Independent Living Canada logo

Independent Living Centre Kingston Valued Partners

cilt   Ontario kingston Trillium