Dear members and allies of the BC Self Advocacy community.
We hope you are well and are having a great 2015. Here are a few updates on things
CLBC has been working on:
NEW STORIES ON BC SELF ADVOCATE NET
CLBC continues to proudly support BC’s Self Advocate Net website. You can visit the links below for recent articles:
- Advocating with compassion – by Shelley Decoste
- Artist Profile of Riia Talve
- What being a self advocate means to me – by Earl Gregson
CLBC WELCOMES NEW MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL INNOVATION
CLBC warmly welcomes Hon. Michelle Stilwell, MLA for Parksville-Qualicum, as our new Minister.
We also thank MLA Don McRae for his strong support of CLBC over the past two years as Minister. He has stepped away from his position as Minister to support a family member through health challenges. He will still be the MLA for Comox Valley.
Minister Stilwell is a strong advocate for people with disabilities and has held a number of important roles since she was elected to government in 2013. She has also won a gold medal at the Paralympics and been a motivational speaker. To learn more about Minister Stilwell, please click here.
LYNN DAVIES APPOINTED VICE PRESIDENT, REGIONAL OPERATIONS
We are pleased to announce Lynn Davies as CLBC’s new Vice President, Regional Operations replacing Doug Woollard who is retiring. Lynn brings 30 years of social service sector experience and has been with CLBC since 2006 in various management roles, most recently as Director, Regional Operations for the Interior and North Regions. Please join us in congratulating Lynn on joining the CLBC executive team.
Over the month of February, Lynn and Doug Woollard will be working together as she transitions into the role. Postings for the Director of Regional Operations roles in the Vancouver Island, Vancouver Coastal, Southern Interior and Thompson Cariboo / North regions will be posted on the CLBC website in the coming week.
UPDATE ON THE COMMUNITY ACTION EMPLOYMENT PLAN
CLBC’s Community Action Employment Plan was launched in March 2013. The Plan’s goal is to create more job opportunities for people with developmental disabilities in BC.
After almost two years, the Plan has made great progress towards this goal. Three employment pilot projects were started last year in Thompson Cariboo, Central / Upper Island and Simon Fraser regions. These plans have been extended to November 2015.
We will share more information about the Plan in our next update. Thank you to everyone who has supported it so far.
WOW! AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED
We are pleased to announce the winners of CLBC’s 6th annual WOW! Awards. We received over 80 nominations and a committee chose the 4 winners. The winners are employers who support inclusive employment in their businesses.
This year’s winners are:
- Kris Krentz, Manager, RONA, Chilliwack
- Chris Boehm, Owner, Burger 55, Penticton
- Muncie Booth, Owner / Kim Cooper, Manager, McCleery Golf Course, Vancouver
- Al Avila, Manager, Shoppers Drug Mart, Kamloops
Congratulations to all of the winners and the nominees. We will post more info and photos on the WOW! Awards webpage soon.
SPREAD THE WORD: SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED SOON
CLBC will soon be accepting applications for the 2015 Scholarship Fund. This fund is supported with money from CLBC and the BC Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU).
Successful applicants can get up to $2,500 each for post-secondary courses, job skills training or recreation activities.
We will be posting information about how to apply on the Scholarship webpage in the coming weeks.
FAMILY SUPPORT INSTITUTE LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
The Family Support Institute of BC (FSI) has a new website for people with disabilities and their families. The website address is www.findsupportbc.com.
On the site you can find information about supports, services and community activities across all of BC. The site also has a Transition Timeline that CLBC was proud to support. You can click here to see the timeline.
If you know a resource that should be added to the site, you can click here. Please share this information with anyone who would be interested.
As always, please let us know if you have any feedback about the items in this update. You can respond to this email directly.
Yours truly,
Seonag Macrae Jessica Humphrey
CEO Self Advocate Advisor
Community Living BC Community Living BC
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=0e5add160754480806d5e1ab4&id=aa152c4efd&e=3aace84ee6
