About Our Centre
The Richmond Centre for Disability (RCD)
The Richmond Centre for Disability (RCD) is a community-based non-profit, providing program and support services to individuals and their families with a disability.
Our Charitable Organization Number is 88832 8432 RR0001.
The RCD is a resilient organization within a challenging funding environment. We are people focused and committed to empowering our diverse, cross-disability clients and participants. We do this by remaining approachable and responsive to member and stakeholder needs. Our flexible and resourceful Centre staff work collaboratively, and it is with this teamwork, through our many activities and services, we regularly witness our members moving forward with perseverance in self-determination and growth toward independence.
Vision
A community where every person, regardless of their ability, has the opportunity to maximize independence and self-determination with confidence and dignity.
Mission
RCD supports people with diverse abilities to thrive by providing information, training and resources, while increasing public awareness and promoting universal accessibility.
Values and Guiding Principles
Dignity: We honour the inherent worth of all people treating everyone equally, fairly, respectfully and compassionately regardless of background or circumstance.
Diversity: We celebrate and accept our differences regardless of ability, different lived experiences, backgrounds, and beliefs.
Knowledge: We commit to learning and growth and providing our community with information related to their rights and opportunities.
Self-Determination: We believe in every individual’s right to self-determination and support our clients and participants in defining and pursuing their own paths.
Goals
The need for specialized centralized information and resources in this area for people with disabilities was first identified by RCD in the late 1980’s. RCD developed the Centre in a manner that has avoided duplication of already existing services in the region; we worked to provide the services that were needed but not available. Working in partnership with people with disabilities and community organizations, RCD has ensured the “vision” of Independent Living is the guiding factor in all decision making.
- To improve the independence and quality of life of people with disabilities in the community by
- Increasing awareness through education, by providing educational sessions, workshops and seminars for the public and people with disabilities
- Being a source of information on matters related to people with disabilities
- Identifying the needs of people with disabilities and the issues that impact them in the community
- To act as a voice for people with disabilities in Richmond
- To facilitate or undertake projects, such as an information and resource centre, programs or services as may be required to achieve the charitable purposes of the Society.
Independent Living
The RCD is an accredited member of the Independent Living Canada (IL Canada), formerly the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres.
RCD has been offering an Independent Living Program (IL Program) that provides specialized services to people with disabilities, since its inception of the program in September 2000. The concept of the IL Program is anchored on Independent Living which is a vision, a philosophy, and a movement of persons, with disabilities and is founded on the right of people with disabilities to live with dignity in their chosen community; to participate in all aspects of their life; and to control and make decisions about their own lives. The IL approach differs from a traditional service providing model by emphasizing peer support, self-direction, self-determination and community integration by and for people with disabilities themselves.
The mainstay of RCD’s IL Program consists of four Core Pillars of Service: Information and Networking, Skills Development, Recreation & Peer Support, and Community Engagement. It forms the infrastructure of our program delivery, whereas appropriate services and activities are researched, sought after and/or formulated based on client, participant, and community needs, opportunities that arise as well as the connectivity to our organization and its members.
RCD’s overarching goal and philosophy for the IL Program is for inclusion and involvement for all people with a disability who can participate to the best of their ability. While clients and participants with a physical disability are who founded RCD, we have expanded our programs and services significantly over the past several years to also include individuals with a neuro-divergent diagnosis, those on the autism spectrum, and individuals with invisible disabilities seeking support in addition to many who are non-verbal or have difficulty communicating and expressing themselves. Whether it be for information & referral purposes, employment assistance or learning important life skills, we have had to make necessary changes and adjustments along the way to meet the needs of all our clients and participants. The program is ever evolving depending on the community and individual needs.
