The Transformative Effect of Integrated Groups

One of my responsibilities is to be the resource teacher for the Catholic Student Leadership Impact Team (CSLIT). It advises the School Trustee and the Toronto Catholic District School Board about student issues. The CSLIT has adopted inclusion as a major focus. An impetus to this was when Jean Vanier spoke about belonging and inclusion to nearly 2000 grade 11 student leaders from the 31 Catholic Secondary Schools in the TCDSB and from 19 other Ontario Catholic Boards at the 2007 “When Faith Meets Pedagogy” Youth Forum. For this forum, each school selected a student with an intellectual disability to be among its representatives. These students were integrated into the break-out discussion groups. The student group leaders had been trained in inclusion. When students can have even a short-term experience of community in which each person has a place and can contribute, it better helps in their formation as leaders who are attempting to have a positive impact in their school communities.

Since then, a formal partnership has been established between L’Arche and the CSLIT. Many students now attend retreats at the local L’Arche communities and some volunteer. Most importantly, this intentional focus on full inclusion has helped to change the culture around student leadership events so that students of all abilities are welcomed. The Camp Olympia leadership weekends are very popular with student leaders at the TCDSB. These weekends are always made better when students of different intellectual abilities are among the participants.

Greg Rogers, Coordinator of Student Leadership, Staff Development Dept., TCDSB