About Us
The Association began in 1982 in response to the lack of knowledge and services available to those who were affected by head injury. At that time, patients were being sent home from hospital with very little after-care support, and family members were left to cope on their own, usually in isolation from other caregivers.
Over the years, support and education have emerged as the two major functions of the Association and its 17 sister associations in Ontario. Our mission and objectives statement, approved in 1995, states:
"We are committed to maximizing the quality of life of individuals with brain injury, their families and friends through:
- peer and community support
- information about available services, resources and programs
- public awareness of the causes, impact and prevention of brain injury
- advocacy on behalf of those affected"
These objectives were further developed into a program and responsibility outline with performance indicators and outcome measures in 2004.
Individual, professional and organizational membership in the Association has grown over the years. The current circulation of our quarterly journal is approximately 1200. Survivors and professionals work together to serve our catchment area which includes the counties of Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, Huron and Perth. Research indicates there may be at least 3,000 people living with the effects of brain injury in this area, of whom about half are in the London area. From a prevention perspective, the total population of 740,000 must be considered as a target audience.
The services which have been developed to date include: public education and awareness, information resource library, The Monarch (quarterly journal), support groups, the Peer mentor program, an annual weekend camp for survivors, a bicycle helmet distribution program, social events and referral to other community services. The Association continually looks for other ways to meet members' needs. Over the past ten years, the Association’s annual June conference has attracted an average attendance of almost 120 professionals and survivors.
On a broader level, we are very active members of the Ontario Brain Injury Association's Community Support Network. We have conducted advocacy at the provincial level. Examples include a presentation to the Cabinet Committee on Social Development at Queen's Park, two briefs to the Health Services Restructuring Commission, a presentation to hearings on the Automobile Insurance Rate Stability Act, a presentation on the Ontarians with Disabilities Act and a legal analysis on mandatory bicycle helmet use. Our objective in these activities is to keep the needs of persons with brain injuries in the minds of the elected officials as they seek ways to meet needs with the resources they have.
We cooperate with other agencies in attempting to ensure an optimum level of service to persons with brain injuries in particular and to disabled persons in general. In London, we are members of the Interagency Coalition for the Disabled. In Southwestern Ontario, we have been members of the Acquired Brain Injury Network of Southwestern Ontario since its inception in 1997. We are also members of organizations relating to fundraising and volunteer management.
We have contacts with several professional schools at The University of Western Ontario: social work, nursing, occupational and physical therapy, medicine, law and communicative disorders. Our role with each school varies. At times we provide internships for students. We are also approached to provide research subjects. These valuable contacts provide students with a first hand opportunity to gain information about our Association and the problems faced by persons living with the effects of brain injury.
Support groups for survivors and their families and friends have existed in London since our inception. In 1995, we established support groups in Huron and Elgin Counties. In 1996, members in Oxford County began to meet in Woodstock. Perth County members began to meet in Stratford the same year. In 1998, the Association received a grant of $40,000 from the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation to provide leadership training to local members so that they could play a more active role in delivering the Association’s programs throughout the area we serve. Following completion of the course in late 1999, several survivors who participated in the course began to assume leadership for their support groups.
While support services to survivors and their families are a major part of our work, prevention and education are also important, and we promote safety wherever we can. In recognition of our work in bicycle helmet promotion, we received a Road Safety Award from the Ministry of Transportation for our role in organizing the largest helmet sale in Canada (according to published reports). We joined with the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association and other community partners to launch the Helmets on Kids program in 2002. This program provides free helmets to needy elementary school children. We have participated with other agencies over the years to promote Safe Kids Week. We have conducted a head protection workshop in an industrial setting (a first for our agency), and continue to offer head protection sessions to groups around the area.
Early in 1999 we received a grant of $4200 from the London Community Foundation which enabled us to update our library resources and computer equipment. A grant of $29,000 from the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation allowed us to go on-line in the fall of 1999 with full Internet access, e-mail capability and a website. Since then, requests for information and help have arrived by e-mail in ever-increasing numbers.
Volunteers are essential to the effective functioning of the Association. They are board and committee members, office and library help, support group leaders, fundraisers, newsletter circulation workers or presenters at public events. About 50 people are currently volunteering for the Association.
The Association, incorporated in 1986 and registered as a charity in 1993, is governed by a board of twelve directors and a number of standing committees. It derives its primary income from fundraising events, an annual conference, donations, advertising and membership fees. It is in good standing with the Canada Revenue Agency. When the Ontario Brain Injury Association developed affiliation standards in 2001, the Association qualified for affiliation status and has maintained this status ever since.
