Dear Friends and Allies of the Self Advocacy Community,
This is a letter to update you on the following CLBC news:
- CLBC strategic plan
- CLBC budget for 2017/18
- Include Me! Quality of life survey
- Designing a new community inclusion service
- Widening our World (WOW) awards
- CLBC – BCGEU Scholarships open for applications
1. CLBC announces its new strategic plan
CLBC has a new strategic plan with four main goals. These goals are:
- Better quality of life outcomes
- Improved individual and family experience
- More efficient operations
- Enhanced service provider partnerships
You can see the plan here. And see our web announcement here.
Thank you to everyone who gave feedback and input on this plan. CLBC will start working on these goals in April 2017.
2. Province approves an increase in funding for CLBC
On February 21, 2017 the provincial government announced an operating budget of $953.8 million for Community Living BC (CLBC) in 2017/18.
This 2017/18 budget for CLBC includes an increase in provincial funding of $58 million over last year.
The new funding will help to provide new services or increases in services to an estimated 3,000 individuals.
3. Include Me! Quality of life update
Since 2012, about 3,000 individuals have completed the Quality of Life survey.
CLBC has recently published information about the survey on its web site here.
This year, CLBC is working to complete approximately 1,500 more surveys.
The include Me! team is continuing to actively survey in the Vancouver Coastal, South Fraser, and Interior regions and is also expanding to new communities in the Kootenays. See related story here.
4. Update on a new community inclusion service
CLBC is working with individuals, families, service providers, and CLBC staff to design a new community inclusion service.
This new service is about finding employment, community belonging, life-long learning and building meaningful relationships.
The next step in the project is to test what has been designed so far with small groups of individuals, families, service providers and CLBC staff in several locations across the province from April – June 2017.
If you know a service provider that would like to help organize this part of the project please contact Zainum Bahadshah (Zainum.Bahadshah@gov.bc.ca).
You can also reach out to Jack Styan (Jack.Styan@gov.bc.ca) if you have questions about this project. Learn more here.
5. Four B.C. residents recognized with CLBC WOW awards
Congratulations to the 2016 winners of the Widening Our World (WOW) award for being leaders in making our communities more inclusive.
Find information and photos here.
This year’s winners are:
- Brian Smith, CEO and founder of Persephone Brewing Company, for his grassroots efforts to build inclusion and create jobs for the people CLBC serves – Gibsons
- Astrid Koenig, volunteer and service provider, for her tireless efforts to ensure self advocates have opportunities for employment, education and community connection – Sooke
- Ronnie Bouvier, executive director of the Kamloops Graffiti Task Force, for creating first time employment opportunities (with the help of BC Hydro) for young adults while raising public awareness of the contributions they can make to their communities – Kamloops
- Chris Morsund, Chatters Pizzeria and Bistro, for their 15-year commitment to hiring inclusively and setting an example for other small businesses to follow – Smithers
6. CLBC – BCGEU Scholarships open for applications
Are you interested in job training or taking a course about something that interests you?
If you are an adult with a developmental disability who lives in BC you can apply for a scholarship that will help pay for the cost of the course or personal development opportunity you want to pursue.
Help spread the word – the deadline for applications is March 31. Find more information here.
Thank you for everything you do to make our communities inclusive for everyone.
Please stay connected via our Start With Hi and Stay Connected Facebook page, CLBC Connect Twitter page, and through our new bi-monthly newsletter – see the January edition here.
Subscribe today in time to receive our next newsletter in the next few weeks.
Sincerely yours,
Seonag Macrae
CEO
Community Living BC
Jessica Humphrey
Self Advocate Advisor
Community Living BC
