The Trent-Fleming School of Nursing was presented today with a donation to establish the Community Living Peterborough Grant, which will provide tuition and housing to two nursing students per year in return for serving as “intentional neighbours” to people who live with an intellectual disability in supportive, independent-living duplexes at 736 Jane Street.
“The partnership between Community Living and the Trent-Fleming School of Nursing is an innovative way to support the development of nursing students while helping Peterborough citizens with a developmental disability to live more independently,” said the Honourable Ted McMeekin, minister of Community and Social Services.
"My family has had a long association with Community Living Peterborough, and I understand the integral role it plays in improving the lives of those with intellectual disabilities. This partnership with Trent University will further strengthen the organization here in Peterborough riding, and it is an example of two great organizations coming together for the benefit of students and residents alike," said Jeff Leal, minister of Rural Affairs and MPP for Peterborough.
Dean of the Trent-Fleming School of Nursing, Dr. Kirsten Woodend said, “Students will benefit a great deal from having tuition and housing provided to allow them to focus on success in their studies, while getting hands-on experience outside of the clinical practice setting.”
“This collaboration is an amazing opportunity for both Community Living Peterborough and Trent University”, said Jack Gillan, chief executive officer for Community Living Peterborough. “The people who live at Jane Street will live in an inclusive living environment and be able to experience new opportunities because of their new friends [Ashley and Carolyn]. For Ashley and Carolyn, and future grant students, they will receive a one-of-a-kind educational experience – very hands on. We are pleased to award this grant to Trent University; they have always been supportive of Community Living Peterborough and we truly believe in supporting our community, just as the Peterborough community has supported us for the past 60 years.
The first successful recipients, Ashley LaFlamme and Carolyn Bell, will each receive a grant for their annual domestic tuition, along with housing for the length of their residency, contingent on maintaining their academic standing in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The Trent-Fleming nursing students will act as “intentional neighbours” to people who live with an intellectual disability in newly created, supportive, independent-living duplexes. In conjunction with a broader support team, the students’ roles will include building friendships with tenants through social interactions and liaising with the support team when necessary.
"I'm so grateful to Community Living Peterborough for this opportunity to practice my communication skills in the context of my Nursing degree," said Ashley LaFlamme, second-year Trent-Fleming Nursing student. "We have just moved in and begun the process of being social and being a good neighbour is a lot like making new friends."
"I'm honoured to be one of the first students chosen for this exciting new program," said third-year Compressed Nursing student Carolyn Bell. "Studying nursing at Trent has given me a lot of confidence to contribute to the community, while communicating with professionals and volunteers at Community Living. It feels great to be helping people already."
Trent University has partnered with Community Living Peterborough for a number of years to provide an inclusive campus environment, with volunteer opportunities for community members supported by Community Living. Since the summer of 2007, Trent’s Sustainability Office has been working with Community Living’s Blueboxing@Trent program, building on the framework established at Fleming College. Since 2009, the group has been sterilizing and filling the stainless steel water bottles for all of the graduates at Convocation - approximately 1400 bottles each year. Volunteers have supported activities such as recycling/composting education in cafeterias; printer cartridge collection and shipping; making second-life note books; clearing outdated posts from bulletin boards; and litter collections.
About Community Living Peterborough
Building Inclusive Communities since 1953, Community Living Peterborough is a not-for-profit organization that brings people living with intellectual disabilities and the Peterborough community together. The agency supports people to live, work, play and participate in all aspects of their community. Community Living Peterborough supports 466 children, youth and adults living with intellectual disabilities and their families in the city and county of Peterborough, employing 200 staff.
Posted on Wednesday, July 3, 2013.