What Is An Aroha?

What is an Aroha?

• Short for Aroha entity for personal empowerment—the generic name of this kind of support mechanism. 

• An Aroha is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the laws of Ontario. It cannot be a registered charity as it is concerned for a single individual.

• An Aroha has an unencumbered focus on the identity, needs and express wishes of the individual person who is supported. So its purposes can be quite unique and right for the individual.

• An Aroha may be the legal core of a person’s larger circle of friends or personal support network; all circle or network friends can all be members of an Aroha.

• When given the necessary authority, the Aroha supports and acts with the person to have all possible elements of choice and control over her or his life.

• An Aroha is intended and committed to sustain a person’s good whole life, supplementing and succeeding the roles of parents and family.

• Directors of an Aroha (between 5 and 9) are active, diverse and fully engaged community citizens. Above all, they know, respect and spend time with the focus person. Composition of the Aroha board can change over time, to renew its energy and maintain its relevance to the person’s good whole life.

Why should progressive people and organizations be concerned with Aroha?

Aroha values are progressive and generally shared by people who care about family members and fellow citizens who may be vulnerable because of disabilities and differences. These include the values of:
·    upholding human rights of all citizens   
·    finding and keeping friends   
·    building community inclusion   
·    self-determination and supported decision making   
·    choice and control   
·    deep listening   
·    respect for each unique individual   
·    person-directed planning and self-directed funding   
·    sustaining a good life that lasts beyond parents.   

An Aroha is initiated by the person with family and friends; it does not depend on government funds or programs to get going and it gives people allies to find new friends and resources.

Forming an Aroha can be a constructive response to hard times, long waiting lists and budget cuts.

An Aroha entity can help in all times and seasons. It can be part of a set of strategies to support a seamless whole life or it could help on its own in combination with funded services and programs.

A person with an Aroha may need access to government funding, and the Aroha can help to advocate for the resources needed by each unique person.

With its unencumbered focus on the identity, needs and express wishes of the individual, the Aroha can ensure that the interests and rights of the person are upheld and not subordinated to the interests of agencies or governments.

 Why “Aroha”?

Aroha is an Aotearoa/Maori word from New Zealand which means the various qualities and values that are needed in a caring circle of friends--affection, sustaining love, charity, compassion, empathy, concern, trust, pity, understanding, respect, and true friendship—all in active ways, not just ideas or feelings.
In more detail from Maori dictionaries: "Aro" as a noun means mind, seat of feelings, and as a verb
to heed, pay attention to, take notice of, comprehend, understand. "Ha" is defined as breath, essence, taste, sound, tone of voice, tenor of a speech, and in Maori this refers to the breath of life. “Aroha is the creative force that comes from the spirit. Aroha in action is generous. Aroha in group meetings seeks unity and balance. Aroha in practice is intelligent, a unified intelligence of the heart, soul and mind. Aroha is universal, and known by all peoples of all cultures. However, with the distractions of life, people can lose connection with Aroha.”

In functional words, an Aroha is similar to what some US jurisdictions call a ”self-directed support corporation”. David Wetherow first dreamed up what he called a Microboard in the Winnipeg area in 1986. The idea and name were taken up by an organization called Vela in Vancouver which proceeded to patent and trademark the term “microboard”. The legal environment and exact model of incorporation in BC are different from those in Ontario, so we chose Aroha as a generic word that is distinctive and full of meaning for this form of support. We prefer its meanings to “microboard” a word that can suggest computer components and pointy-headed governance.