The Wellington, one of Saint John’s newest apartment buildings, is a shining example of housing inclusivity not only for Saint John, but for the rest of our province.
So, what is housing inclusivity? Our minds generally go to accessibility when we think of optimizing spaces for those with a disability.
Housing inclusivity is equally important, but distinct.
It’s housing that is affordable, accessible, safe, and dispersed. It’s above all, a home of choice.
Many adults supported by Inclusion NB want to live in a home of their own, to be as independent as possible.
This happens when community partners come together with a person-centred approach. Working closely with L’Arche SJ, through our Social Inclusion Program, we worked with four residents of the Wellington to see their vision for their future realized.
Dale Donahee-Brunelle is one of those residents. He is originally from Lawrence Station in Charlotte County and shared the following with fellow inclusion champions at our annual Saint John luncheon held in December 2023.
“When I first started with Inclusion NB, I was introduced to the Independent Facilitation program. I worked to get my disability support program application done. Now this took quite a while, juggling school (Dale was attending NBCC) and meeting with other people etc. However eventually it went through, there was a social worker assigned to me, and it went wonderfully. This allowed me to access better supports and to continue moving forward with my goals.
The next barrier I faced in attaining my goal, was actually moving from my hometown. This took a lot of planning. I was introduced to Nigel Flood at Inclusion NB. He assisted me in finding the beautiful apartment I am in today. I’m very proud to be living on my own, uptown at the Wellington.
Since moving to Saint john, doors have opened. I’m currently working with my employment counselor to get a job, I’m expanding my social network, and empowering myself every day. It is very important to me to have these supports in my life, so that in 5 or 10 years , I’m where I want to be. I want to feel proud of myself. I’m proud of everything I’ve done up to now, and thankful for the supports that helped.”
