Microboards
Essential Values And Beliefs Underlying Microboards
People and families that choose to invite others together to form a Microboard fundamentally believe that building strong and abiding relationships is central to a person’s security and well-being. They trust that close, reciprocal relationships help to strengthen a persons’ voice and enhance their willingness to be heard. Most importantly, they believe that everyone deserves and wants to have a sense of purpose in their lives.
Families understand that all people have gifts to share with those around them and their wider community. People want to have a meaningful, everyday ordinary life in the community. People and families appreciate how having valued roles in the community are key to their sense of belonging and purpose.
As family members age, they begin to recognize how necessary it is to share power and decision-making with others who are devoted to ensuring that their family member with a disability is heard and understood. By creating a Microboard together, the family sets out to assist their loved one to strengthen and sustain their relationships and decision-making powers for when they as a family are no longer alive or capable to assist.
One of the foundational principles of Microboards is that each person has the capacity to express their will (what they are willing and not willing to do), and their preferences in some way. As a result, each person can be involved in directing their life and taking charge of key decisions with the support of others. Microboards help people to express their hopes and dreams and work with others to design individualized and customized supports that are aligned with their personal vision of the future.
Microboards are also a legally recognized framework that is viewed by families as a worthwhile investment of time and effort because it satisfies their long-term interest in sustainability and security.
Families understand that all people have gifts to share with those around them and their wider community. People want to have a meaningful, everyday ordinary life in the community. People and families appreciate how having valued roles in the community are key to their sense of belonging and purpose.
As family members age, they begin to recognize how necessary it is to share power and decision-making with others who are devoted to ensuring that their family member with a disability is heard and understood. By creating a Microboard together, the family sets out to assist their loved one to strengthen and sustain their relationships and decision-making powers for when they as a family are no longer alive or capable to assist.
One of the foundational principles of Microboards is that each person has the capacity to express their will (what they are willing and not willing to do), and their preferences in some way. As a result, each person can be involved in directing their life and taking charge of key decisions with the support of others. Microboards help people to express their hopes and dreams and work with others to design individualized and customized supports that are aligned with their personal vision of the future.
Microboards are also a legally recognized framework that is viewed by families as a worthwhile investment of time and effort because it satisfies their long-term interest in sustainability and security.
Benefits of a Microboard
In addition to providing peace of mind and supporting a person’s decisions and direction, Microboards have many benefits including:
- Helps to formalize a “Circle of Support/Network”.
- Expands the number of people that are in a person’s life.
- Supports the person to continue to direct their life and make key decisions.
- Offers purpose and intentionality to planning so that people know that they are gathering to assist the person to think about his/her next steps and make decisions.
- Offers a formal context for people to make offers of support and have those offers taken up.
- Helpful in keeping the person’s vision and dreams alive.
- Supports siblings who may feel isolated or that they have been left to do everything themselves.
- Lays out clear consistent roles and responsibilities for Microboard members.
MicroboardTM Principles
Microboards Ontario is indebted to the work of Vela Canada who has had decades of pioneering experience in supporting people and families to create and sustain Microboards. Vela has a clear set of guiding principles that we endorse, shape our direction and must be honoured:
- Microboard members must establish and maintain a personal relationship with the person for whom the board is created.
- All people are assumed to have the capacity for self-determination. This capacity will be acknowledged, respected, and demonstrated in all of the dealings of the Microboard.
- All planning and decisions made by a Microboard will demonstrate regard for the person’s safety, comfort, and dignity, with consistent respect for his/her needs, wishes, interests, and strengths.
- Microboard members will act as sponsors to the community, ensuring the person participates in community activities with Microboard members (e.g. family functions, social events). This is done in ways that are natural for each of the people involved.
- Ensure the person has the opportunity to both receive from and give to his/her community, as well as with other individuals in his/her network.
- All Microboard members will conduct their board business in the spirit of mutual respect, cooperation, and collaboration.
Three Key Functions of a Microboard
Nurture Freely Given Relationships
- Support to foster reciprocal relationships that endure.
- Create opportunities for deepening connection with others and expanding the person’s social network.
- Build understanding and positive regard for one another within the Microboard and within the community
- Focus on strengthening the person’s sense of self and their voice.
- Are attentive and responsive to how the person expresses and/or demonstrates their will and their preferences.
- Support the person to figure out what decision to make and what the implications are of the decision.
- Support the person to “imagine better” and set the pace and direction of change.
- Act as a formal body to receive and administer individualized funding.
- May act as an “employer of record” responsible for engaging employees and contracting with independent contractors and agencies.
- Help to oversee and manage assets, (like a home or other funds) monitor and/or broker supports and services.
Key Roles of Microboard Members
Be Part of Freely Given Relationships
Members of the Microboard are not paid. They are there because they want to be.
Trust In The Person
Microboard members trust that the person is able to express in some way what he/she wants and needs and will support him/her to make decisions and develop next steps. Everyone sets out to consider the person’s wishes, vulnerabilities, well-being, interests, gifts and strengths.
Act as Advisors
Members act as a “think tank”, offering ideas and exploring connections and opportunities with the person. They actively help to find resources and act as an ally to the person when they are needing and wanting support with advocacy.
Deepen Connection
Members of the Microboard spend time with the person with the intention to better understand and get to know what matters most to him/her and to build a deeper connection.
Respectful Collaboration
Members work collaboratively and respectfully with one another and show utmost regard for the person and all those who are in his/her broader social network.
Members of the Microboard are not paid. They are there because they want to be.
Trust In The Person
Microboard members trust that the person is able to express in some way what he/she wants and needs and will support him/her to make decisions and develop next steps. Everyone sets out to consider the person’s wishes, vulnerabilities, well-being, interests, gifts and strengths.
Act as Advisors
Members act as a “think tank”, offering ideas and exploring connections and opportunities with the person. They actively help to find resources and act as an ally to the person when they are needing and wanting support with advocacy.
Deepen Connection
Members of the Microboard spend time with the person with the intention to better understand and get to know what matters most to him/her and to build a deeper connection.
Respectful Collaboration
Members work collaboratively and respectfully with one another and show utmost regard for the person and all those who are in his/her broader social network.
