Mission & Philosophy
Our Mission
The purpose of CO-OP is to support people with disabilities to become valued members of their communities, with opportunities for meaningful participation in areas of personal pursuit.
To carry out this mission, CO-OP provides or facilitates services that:
- Acknowledge and build upon an individual’s strengths, interests, and cultural experiences;
- Assist in the development of skills that promote community presence and participation;
- Provide meaningful opportunities for education, employment, recreation, volunteerism and other enrichment activities;
- Support diverse and valued social relationships among people of all ages and abilities
- Encourage collaboration with other organizations and individuals in support of these values.
Our Philosphy
People Working With People
The phrase "people working with people" is at the heart of CO-OP’s values and service philosophy. It simply means affording the people we support – no matter the extent or nature of their challenges – the same level of respect and courtesy we offer to friends and families. Equally important, it’s about embracing our similarities, not the perceived differences.
In support of this philosophy:
• All the members of our organization are treated equally with dignity and respect, regardless of our differences and unique challenges.
• We respect and support the decisions of people receiving our services.
• We maintain a high level of expectations for everyone in the agency and share the belief we will all respond in a positive manner.
• We understand the power of words… what we say and how we say it speaks volumes about the members of our organization.
• We all work together to enhance community services for people with disabilities by educating the public with positive examples of our work.
• No matter what our job titles may be, everyone at CO-OP is considered support staff. We are all responsible for supporting the visions and dreams of individuals receiving our services.
