What We Do
People come to live at Camphill Communities Ontario to build community. Persons with varying abilities live and work together, striving to create a home and a vocation. The land greatly influences our lives. We all work within our community and strive to find our meaningful vocation as land workers, craft people or homemakers. Inspired by the teachings of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, we try to build an environment that supports each person's individual striving.
An adult who has a developmental disability can apply to become a resident at Camphill Communities Ontario, if space becomes available. Please contact the local Developmental Services Ontario office at 1-855-277-2121 to apply for services and to receive information. Local DSO staff in the regional offices will work directly with individuals and families assisting with the application process.
If you are interested in learning more about the community, call us at 705-424-5363 or e-mail us at info@camphill.on.ca.
The nature of the community—its physical layout, our open way of living together, the co-worker/companion ratio—makes some applicants not suitable for our living arrangements. The Village is not suited for people with profound physical disabilities, people with serious, chronic nursing needs or people with a primary diagnosis of mental illness. At the moment, we are not able to meet the needs of people who require one-on-one supervision or total physical care.
Quality Care
At Camphill:
- A strong emphasis is placed on integration with non-disabled people
- People exhibit a sense of purpose and autonomy
- People exercise choice
- People are socially capable beyond what would be expected from their diagnoses
- Home life is truly home-like
- People have fulfilling lives with constant interaction with people of different ages and backgrounds, friendships, artistic activities for self-expression, and opportunities for physical activity
- People participate on equal terms (to the extent of their abilities) in activities that are designed and intended for all
Beginning on July 4th, 2011, access to adult developmental services will be managed by Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), a new service that will be administered by nine designated DSO organizations across the province. Upon designation, in the Central East Region the DSO will be administered by York Support Services Network (YSSN). Recognizing that this will mean changes in the way the adults with developmental disabilities and their families access the supports and services they need, we have prepared this information bulletin to help familiarize you with the upcoming changes and to provide some answers to questions you may have.
What is Developmental Services Ontario?
Development Services Ontario is a network of nine DSO organiztions located across the province (one for each region), who have been designated to provide a single point of contact within each region for adults with developmental disabilities and their families to apply for and receive Ministry of Community and Social Services-funded services and supports. With a shared mandate to develop a system that is simpler to navigate, with a single point of contact and clear and consistent rules for everyone, DSOs will:
- Provide information about available services and supports
- Confirm eligibility for those applying for adult services and supports for the first time
- Complete the new Application Package to determine each indiviidual's services and support needs; and
- Link prioritized people to available services and supports
If you are intersested in accessing residental and/or day supports you are now required to contact DSO directly at http://www.dsontario.ca/ or by calling 1-905-953-0796 or 1-855-277-2121 who will assist you. For questions about Development Services Ontario and to learn more, please click here.
