Friday, May 9th, 2025
11:15am - 12:30pm
Room 608
Concurrent Session:
School to Adult Life Transitions: Building Bright Futures for Youth
School to Adult Life Transitions: Building Bright Futures for Youth
Building Bright Futures is a collaborative initiative of Facile Perth that supports young people aged 14-21 with an intellectual and developmental disability, exiting the Ontario education system, to begin planning and building futures firmly rooted in community. Join us to learn how using the theory of Social Role Valorization (SRV), person-directed planning and also school, family and community relationships, improve access to opportunities for young people. This presentation will explore the most dominant expressions of social devaluation of youth with a disability, the common effects of this, and how reaching for socially- valued options, rooted in individual strengths and interests, results in image and competency enhancement, and how this changes mindsets.
Presenters
Emily Branje​
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Emily Branje is the Managing Director of Facile Perth in Ontario, Canada. Her passion for this work is rooted in her personal relationships to people who have a disability and her desire to see people live meaningful lives firmly rooted in their community. For the past 16 years, Emily has been an active member of the inclusion movement; first as a youth advocate and then as a professional working in Community Development roles at the local, provincial and national levels. Emily has primarily worked with youth, families and survivors of institutions. Emily believes that community connection and reciprocal relationships are the beating heart of a good life and engages with people, families, organizations and community neighborhoods who think creatively to implement strategies that offer people meaningful opportunities, valued participation, respect and belonging.​