It also needs to have a good root system to fight off any plagues or natural disasters like storms, floods etc. This is much like a person with an intellectual disability. Once the conditions are conducive the person can grow to capacity and bear flowers.

To help grow a community we need to start planting the seeds of understanding. “When you appreciate the unique gifts inside people of all abilities – everyone grows.” - source unknown.

Then also one size does not fit all. Everyone has something special to bring to the table and it is in that uniqueness that we find we can tap into people's potential and harness it for the greater good. When our residents are nurtured, growth can take place and they can withstand outside challenges.

It is a combination of a rights and strength based approach. At Cluny Farm we believe that a person with an intellectual disability has the right to inclusion and not just to integration and that everyone has something unique to give to the community.

We strive to achieve inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities by cultivating a deeper understanding of intellectual disability. When we know more about a topic we are empowered to inform our decisions and actions around inclusion/exclusion and integration firsthand.

Stereotypes are formed based on assumptions - we want to challenge the perceptions and assumptions so that disabilities are understood as a whole. This will break barriers that are faced on a daily basis, helping everyone to be included.