| Dear B.C. Self Advocacy Community and Supporters,
We hope you are having a good start to the summer!
We are happy to give you the following Community Living BC updates:
- New CLBC Board Chair – starting July 1
- New CLBC Planning Process – starting this fall
- New CLBC website coming this summer
- New CLBC L.I.F.E.-based service (developed through the ANSO project) – coming soon
- New stories on www.selfadvocate.ca
1. Minister announces CLBC’s next board chair
The next Chair of CLBC’s Board of Directors will be Dr. Michael J. Prince from Victoria, BC.
Dr. Prince starts his term on July 1, 2018.
Minister Shane Simpson made the announcement on May 18, 2018, which you can read here.
Dr. Prince is the Lansdowne professor of social policy at the University of Victoria, and a well-known expert in policies for people with disabilities.
CLBC thanks current board chair Tom Christensen for his commitment and guidance over the past 3 years.
2. A new CLBC welcome and planning process for individuals and families
Starting in fall 2018, individuals and families new to CLBC will have more planning options and ways to learn about CLBC and adult life.
One of those ways is through a series of 4 CLBC Welcome Workshops.
The workshops will be held in schools or other community locations, and will cover these topics:
- Getting Started;
- Community Connections,
- Planning Choices, and;
- The Real Deal (or how CLBC works).
The workshops are led by a 3-person team – a CLBC staff person, a family member and a self advocate who will be paid by CLBC for their time as presenters.
If you are a self advocate interested in being part of a team that leads workshops in your area, please contact Jessica.Humphrey@gov.bc.ca to learn how to apply by tomorrow, June 15, 2018.
3. New CLBC website to go live this summer
CLBC will have a new and improved website this summer.
People and their families, as well as CLBC staff, played a big role in designing the new website. People told CLBC that finding the right supports can feel overwhelming.
One of the ways we can help is by making it easier to get the information they need on our website.
You can see the new website later this month at www.communitylivingbc.ca.
4. New name for service being developed through the ANSO project
Over the past 3 years, CLBC has been working with people and their families, self-advocates, CLBC staff and service providers to create a new community inclusion service.
This is called the Advancing New Support Options project, or ANSO.
The new service developed by ANSO now has a name. It is called L.I.F.E.-based. This stands for Learning, Inclusion, Friendships and Employment.
The L.I.F.E-based service will begin this year with 5 different service providers in 5 different CLBC regions. The service will be more widely available starting in fall 2019.
The L.I.F.E-based service will support individuals to find employment, but also to make friends, learn skills that build confidence and independence, and find new opportunities in community.
You can click here to read about one family who helped with the design of the new service.
5. New Stories on Self Advocate Net Website
CLBC is proud to sponsor www.selfadvocate.ca. If you are interested in telling your story on Self Advocate Net, click here.
Check out these awesome new stories recently published on the site:
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Thank you for your leadership and a special acknowledgement to those of you who have helped with CLBC projects this past year.
Have a wonderful summer!
Sincerely,
Seonag Macrae
CEO, Community Living BC
Jessica Humphrey
Self Advocate Advisor, Community Living BC |
