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Book ReviewDiscovering Connections
by Linda Hill and the Cowichan Valley Independent Living Resource Center (CVILRC)
New guide book to the fun of bridging disability differences is an excellent peer support resource:The Cowichan Valley Independent Living Resource Center (CVILRC), Vancouver Island, BC, Canada has helped write a participatory guide book to inclusion that is being reviewed as a valuable resource for everyone interested in disability and other diversity issues. Written as an interactive travel journal, Discovering Connections brings people from different backgrounds together to explore connections with each other and with their community.
Cathy La France, Executive Director of the CVILRC has been involved in the development of Discovering Connections since 1991. "Initially I was skeptical," she writes, but "I found myself truly having fun within a setting that promoted equality, full inclusion, and mutual learning for everyone regardless of their educational background or abilities. I quickly saw the potential for Discovering Connections to form the foundation of our Peer Support program. The ideas that promoted acceptance and understanding of diversity appealed to me most because they appeared to complement the Independent Living philosophy of our Center. . . I would hope that we would eventually see differences, and what we now call disabilities, as learning opportunities rather than barriers. It is really important that we begin to see things from a multicultural perspective where we respect differences and see them as opportunities to learn, and accept each other for who we are rather than trying to fit people into the same kind of mold. . . So please, take the time to explore this travel guide, enjoy the trip, and discover the land of inclusion."
Discovering Connections by Linda Hill with the CVILRC is published in Canada (ISBN 0-9683284-0-7) and is available duty free in the USA by mail order from Building Bridges or through Amazon.com or through any bookstore. Suggested retail price for this beautifully designed and illustrated, 8.5 X 11 inch, 120 page, interactive guidebook is $17.95 USA plus $4.00 shipping charges. This is a book for people to share and there are discounts of up to 60% for bulk orders so that everyone in a group can have a copy or so that disability organizations can raise funds through book sales.
For more information contact
Building Bridges
Box 156
Duncan, BC
Canada, V9L 3X3
Voice phone, MRC, or fax toll free: 1-888-746-1529
TTY: 1-250-746-1539
Email: bridges@island.net