Issues & Trends from the Executive Director
On November 18th, 2016, Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Gypsies entertained a sold out audience at the McPherson Playhouse. Our Foundation’s 10th concert was a roaring success and significant funds were raised for our organization. Alan and his band had the entire concert hall up and dancing. A wonderful evening!
On Saturday December 3, CLV along with BeConnected, Lifetime Networks and the Students with Disabilities Society at the University of Victoria hosted a Film Festival, celebrating the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Unique in British Columbia, this event features a series of short films and is produced, programmed and hosted by people with intellectual disabilities. This year’s collection of short films, featuring productions from around the world, provided a unique platform to spark dialogue about the rights and opportunities of people with intellectual disabilities.
In November, we held a second facilitated session with community inclusion staff to continue the process of transforming our larger community inclusion programs. We examined where we were one year ago when the project began and identified our biggest challenges (finding accessible space in the community, accommodation of younger and older individuals with appropriate programming) and next steps. In addition to restructuring our Satellite and Community Access programs to better suit the needs of individuals, finding appropriate space for these programs continues to be a priority.
We were pleased to have been able to purchase and relocate our Nicola Place program to a property in the Reflections building in the WestShore in October. This community inclusion program provides 1:1 day supports to six individuals who have high support needs. We continue to enhance our presence in the Westshore with our CLV office which provides space for our Host Agency and Home Share coordinators and a part- time office assistant. A highlight this past school year was the implementation of a Teen Community Connections pilot program in WestShore. This much needed after school care program for teens 14-19 proved to be highly successful, but to date we have not been able to secure funding to continue it this school year.
CLV’s Annual General meeting held in September provided the opportunity for our Board president, Irene Ives, and myself to present to the membership the many ways in which CLV was able to make a difference in 2015/16. We changed our format for our Annual Report to include a story from each of our main program areas as the focus. Please have a look on the website under Resources. The AGM is also a time when we recognize staff for their years of service. We were pleased to recognize employees for years of service ranging from 15 -35 years and acknowledge our staff who work hard to ensure people have a good life in our community.
Also, in September we completed a project working with Catalyst, a non-profit housing developer, which involved reviewing all CLV properties with an eye to expansion of our affordable housing options. We have continued to work with Community Living BC (CLBC) and BC Housing to replace the McRae home home with a purpose-built home to meet the accessibility needs of the people we support. After months of planning and waiting for permits, the site was finally being excavated at the end of November with a completion date of mid-May, 2017.
We have also been involved with many advocacy issues including the provincial government’s announcement that as of September 1, 2016, the reduced rate $52 monthly transit passes and $66 monthly transportation subsidies would be cancelled for about 55,000 people. They would be replaced by a $77 increase to disability assistance. People using the bus pass or Handydart saw their benefits actually decrease as the cost of the monthly bus pass or Handydart exceeds the increase.
Inclusion BC, along with other provincial disability organizations, mounted the Raise the Rates, Leave Our Bus Pass Alone campaign to focus attention on the cancellation of the annual bus pass, but attention has now shifted to the low PWD rates and the need to increase them. In early December, Finance Minister Mike de Jong said that a projected 2.2 billion surplus will allow government to address the needs of the province’s most vulnerable citizens in the upcoming budget. Inclusion BC and others are advocating for at least $1500 in disability benefits. To expect anyone, especially someone living in the Lower Mainland or Victoria, to live on a monthly income of just over $900 is unrealistic. It puts disadvantaged and vulnerable people under incredible stress.
This year, on behalf of the community inclusion movement, the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) led a campaign to ensure that federal policies for permitting assisted death incorporate the Vulnerable Persons Standard. This advocacy effort was successful. In June 2016, Parliament enacted the Medical Assistance in Dying law. The new law commits to protecting vulnerable people from coercion and incorporates substantial safeguards consistent with that commitment. Many people have contributed to the law reform process. Thousands of Canadians represented by disability and other organizations across the country have expressed their support of the Vulnerable Persons Standard. Read more about this at www.vps-npv.ca
Our 25th annual Reach for the Sun and Reach for the Stars fundraising campaigns and our 50/50 payroll lottery fund have enabled us to distribute over $10,000 in activities and much needed items to the children, youth and adults we support. The success of our current Reach for the Stars campaign will ensure the individuals we support enjoy a good holiday season.
Our 2015 Measurable Outcomes report provides a great deal of information about individuals and our services. It has specific goals for each service area that improve our efficiency and effectiveness, and contains many examples of the difference CLV is making in people’s lives. The full report is available on our website.
Our fourth CARF survey is coming up in the spring of 2017. There are over 1,200 standards we must meet as an accredited agency. Our senior staff and leadership team have been diligently working to ensure that continuous quality improvement is a priority for CLV.
My thanks to our Board members, staff and supporters. You continue to make a difference in the lives of the people we support.
