Successful conference in early November connects like-minded families Friday January 27, 2012 -- Kristian Partington
When the Newmarket Family Support Network (FSN) hosted its first day-long conference back in November, the biggest problem faced was typical of any conference: some people couldn’t take in all the sessions.
More than 80 people attended the event and Sal Amenta, who helped establish the network five years ago, was extremely pleased with the turnout for the well-rounded event, which featured seminars on topics such as managing finances and planning for the future, or planning for circles of support in the community.
“There was a great satisfaction in seeing that number of people come out and they enjoyed very much what they did there for the day,” Amenta says.
He points out that the success can be attributed to the efforts of many network supporters, notably Susan Popper, who he says “is an amazing source of energy.”
For Amenta and the other founding members of the network, the conference was a successful affirmation of the need for a place where families can connect and share their common experiences.
This was a need he and his wife, Kathy, discovered five years ago when their son, John Paul, who Amenta says has “mild intellectual disabilities,” graduated from high school with little plan in place for social supports or continuing education.
As parents, they were caught somewhat offguard as their son reached a new stage in his life, and they soon discovered Community Living Newmarket/Aurora District.
Before long they saw need of a forum where they could share their experience and learn from those of others and with no such forum in place, they created one with the support of their new contacts at Community Living.
Five years later, the FSN is a vibrant addition to the inclusion movement in the region and Amenta is working to expand its reach.
In the future he would like to see a multi-day conference targeting families, though he understands the challenges busy families face in finding the time to attend such an event.
Among the families the network has connected, however, Amenta sees a continual thirst for knowledge and shared experiences, so whether through formal conferences or in seminars during regular meetings, he and the network will work to satiate that thirst.
The reward, he adds, is the bonds they build among like-minded people, and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of their loved ones.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on family contributions to the inclusion movement. If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact kristian(at)axiomnews.ca.