Welcome to CHKC
The Canadian Helen Keller Centre (CHKC) is the only residential
training centre in Canada for people who have become Deaf-Blind.
Our services help people develop alternate ways to care for
oneself, one's family and one's home, plus we facilitate connections
to peers and the community through the development of alternative
forms of communication, computing and through self-advocacy
and peer support.
CHKC provides training in skills of daily living and advocacy.
CHKC also works to raise awareness and advocates with the Deaf-Blind
Community for increased services.
There are at least 15,500 Canadians who are Deaf-Blind.
The organizations serving people who are Deaf-Blind only know
of a few Deaf-Blind people – therefore part of CHKC’s work is
finding people currently living in isolation.
CHKC is without permanent funding and relies on fundraising
and volunteers. If you'd like to
make
a donation online, please click here or call CHKC at (416)
225-8989. We also rely on organizations working in the field
of Deaf-Blindness, for their expertise and other gifts in kind.
Thank you to everyone who helps CHKC.
JuneFest Returns!
 |
JuneFest 2008
Wednesday, June 18th,
2008
12pm-6pm
@ Mel Lastman Square |
The Canadian Helen Keller Centre (CHKC) and
Rotary Cheshire
Homes
(RCH)
are hosting the 6th Annual JuneFest on June 18, 2008 from
12pm to 6pm, rain or shine in Mel Lastman Square. JuneFest
is an awareness festival with a charity bbq, fun activities,
great music, a raffle, silent auction, a buyers market – all
mixed in with some awareness booths and product sampling.
JuneFest is a great opportunity to learn about
Deaf-Blindness and also to support people who are less
fortunate. All proceeds from food/pop sales and silent
auction/games go to providing services to people with the
dual disability of Deaf-Blindness.
Please understand that JuneFest is the best tool
we’ve got to raise awareness about Deaf-Blindness - so we
hope you can attend! If you need more information, please
email CHKC
or visit the JuneFest website at
www.junefest.ca. To
download a flyer to email to your friends or to print for
advertising at work, at the gym and in the community, please
click here.
See you on June 18!
Microsoft Canada Receives Award
The Canadian Helen Keller Centre is pleased to announce that
Microsoft Canada has been selected as the recipient of the 2008
Canadian Helen Keller Centre Award for their outstanding
contribution in support of people who are disabled. Microsoft is a
leader in designing accessible computer technology and in funding
programs that enable people with disabilities to access computers
and information. Computer technology has become essential in the
lives of people with disabilities. Specific to people with combined
vision and hearing loss, it reduces the extreme isolation often
experienced as it provides easy and unlimited access to people and
information. Computer technology also provides people with access to
employment.
Microsoft Canada will receive the Canadian Helen Keller
Centre Award at a special tribute luncheon to be held on Monday,
April 28, 2008 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. The
Canadian Helen Keller Centre (CHKC) invites you to attend this very
important event that recognizes the work of dedicated individuals
and organizations who are making a difference in the lives of people
who are Deaf-Blind. Equally important, this luncheon is a key
fundraising event for CHKC’s many programs that help people who are
Deaf-Blind.
For more information, please email
CHKC
Intervenors & Intervenor Services
At the heart of everything we do is Intervenor Services.
Intervenors provide access by working as interpreters and sighted
guides to assist people who have become Deaf-Blind with connecting
to their communities. Intervenors help people who have become
Deaf-Blind to regain, maintain and increase their independence.
They help to reduce the isolation of living without sufficient
sight or sound.
The different types of Intervenor Services
or related
supports available include:
-
Assessment
and Referrals for people who have become Deaf-Blind
-
Emergency
Intervenor Services
-
Employer-Provided
Intervenor Services (supporting communication in meetings
and other situations)
-
Friendly
Visiting, Volunteer Intervenors
-
Housing
that includes Intervenor Services
-
Learning
how to use an Intervenor and Understanding the Role of the
Intervenor
-
Outreach
Intervenors Services (for consumers)
-
Professional
Organizations of Intervenors
-
Public
Access Intervenor Services (to make weddings and other social
events accessible)
-
Training
to become an Intervenor (in-house and academic)
-
Workplace
awareness training in basic American Sign Language, 2-Hand
Manual, Deaf-Blind culture and accessibility issues
If
you are interested in learning more about Intervenors, Intervenor
Services, or Deaf-Blindness, please contact deafblindinfo@onramp.ca.
You can also browse our website for more information.
Workshops for Advocacy and Community
Building
Workshops style instruction - Up to
4 times a year, CHKC provides workshops for up to 20 consumers each
as a way to develop self advocacy and strengthen the community. Each
workshop is developed and delivered by Deaf-Blind facilitators who
divide over 65 hours of paid labour among themselves. Facilitators
are supported to develop the skills needed to produce and provide
workshops. Through the workshop development process, facilitators
also develop skills to work effectively in a team, online and in
person, and they expand their ability to provide individualized
access to CHKC's diverse consumer base.
Workshop
attendees are also from Deaf-Blind Community. Attendees learn about
various topics and they get a chance to help each other and be part
of a community, an experience that is seldom experienced by many
people who are Deaf-Blind.
Since December 2006, CHKC has
provided these workshops:
-
Community
Services, How to Use Them
-
Deaf-Blind
Culture
-
Internet
Online Security
-
Self
Advocating in the Community
-
Team
Building to Tackle Mutual Problems
The next workshop, titled How the
Eye Works and Sight Loss is scheduled for June 7, 2008. To
register for this upcoming workshop, please contact
deafblindinfo@onramp.ca.
Seniors Support Services - CHKC's New Service for Seniors
There are an estimated 50,000 seniors living with combined vision and hearing loss in Canada. Thousands go undiagnosed and therefore do not get the support they need to live as safely, independently and happily as possible at home or in supported environments. Of the individuals diagnosed, quality of life may still be diminished because of society's reaction to aging.
CHKC's new service provides support directly to seniors with vision and hearing loss, and workshops to people working with seniors. Through these services, we increase awareness about Deaf-Blindness; teach coping skills; develop an understanding of various eye and ear conditions; improve communication and make environments and activities more accessible.
To learn more, please click on the following link to download our pamphlet:
CHKC’s Seniors Support Services are
funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services
.
Become a member of CHKC and help determine
our future
 CHKC
implemented a paid membership in order to provide
our community with an opportunity to help plan CHKC's
future.
CHKC also needs to expand
its network in order
to grow and gain support needed to create a strong
impact for advocacy, for fund and awareness raising
and to recruit more volunteers.
Please
consider becoming a member. The application form
can be downloaded
here.
Membership runs from April 1 to March 31. Membership
starts at $15.00.
For
more information on membership, please email
CHKC
or use one of the contact numbers at the foot of this
page (TTY, Voice, Fax).
Read the Latest Issue
of "Bridging Hands" Newsletter Online
CHKC's
newsletter,
Bridging
Hands, Volume 15 is available online. It is full of
information on events, services and CHKC updates.
Past
issues of Bridging Hands are available online as well.
To become a subscriber, please contact
CHKC.
Return
to the top.
|
all
donations to CHKC are tax deductible |
The Canadian
Helen Keller Centre is the first skills training centre
in Canada where individuals who are Deaf-Blind can upgrade or
gain independent living and technical skills.
Through our web site, our goal is to inform persons
who are deaf-blind, their families, service providers, volunteers,
supporters, and the general public about the needs, concerns
and challenges of persons living with both vision and hearing
loss.
|
