Community Engagements – Community Living Victoria

Conversations To Inform More Inclusive, Culturally Safe, Needs-Based Approaches

Every community is unique. So are the children and youth with disabilities and their families. From September 2022 to December 2024, this project built on the existing strengths of community-based models and explored what truly collaborative and connected networks of support can achieve together

The Community-Led Collaboration Project engaged British Columbia communities to design and host community conversations that offered service providers and families of children and youth with disabilities and support needs (up to age 19) an inclusive space to talk about their needs, wants, hopes, and expectations for better services and supports.

The project took place in two phases. In Phase 1, the Provincial Working Group and their partners hosted community conversations in six initial communities. In Phase 2, 17 communities received Community Engagement Grants to host their own engagement and shared findings within their communities. In total, over 130 community organizations connected with over 2,000 people in 23 communities across B.C.

In January 2025, a final report from the project was shared with the Ministry of Children and Family Development to inform how they deliver services through their Children and Youth with Support Needs program. Our expectation is that the personal, local insights shared over the course of the project drive more accessible, inclusive, culturally safe, and needs-based approaches to program delivery.

The result of these community conversations is twofold: a vision for all children and youth to achieve their fullest potential and thrive in their community and 11 calls to action with specific recommendations to make this vision a reality.

With Thanks

The Community-Led Collaboration Project would like to deeply thank everyone who shared their time, ideas, experiences, concerns and hopes with us. Their words have made all the difference as we work together to find ways to best support children and youth, so they can thrive now and into the future.