Issues & Trends from the Executive Director
I want to recognize that April 16th was the 30th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. For 30 years the charter has been a beacon for the right to inclusion of all people in Canadian society, including people with disabilities.
As a result of the crisis in community living, the provincial government announced a $40 million increase in funding to Community Living BC in January. The new funding was announced as a result of a backlash from families and individuals and the support of the media who kept the issue in the forefront.
As the end of the school year approaches, we know many families will count on funding and supports after high school. 600 youths are estimated to become eligible for CLBC funding this year, in addition to those who were already waiting.
As well, approximately 300 new people who are living with their parents and who over the age of 19 will apply for funding for the first time. There continues to be considerable pressure on CLBC. Our provincial advocacy organization – BCACL – and others are keeping a close watch
Our relationship with CLBC regionally continues to be very good and CLBC is responsive to our concerns. As the people whom we support are aging, we face challenges around increased funding needs and the accessibility of some of our homes that are no longer suitable. Our priority is to replace the Maplewood home with a rancher and we are actively pursuing this.
CLV’s Host Agency continues to grow – we now support 53 home share situations and manage 30 direct (1:1) supports. We will be hosting a second InclusionWorks! group for young adults beginning in September.
The Victoria Opportunities for Community Youth Leadership (VOCYL) has continued to thrive. They have facilitated many presentations about true inclusion and anti bullying to numerous middle schools. They have been away on leadership retreats, and are planning for their next talent show. They continue to receive funding support to carry on their great work, the latest being a $5,000 grant from TELUS and previously a grant from United Way and Queen Alexandra Foundation.
Teen Community Connections (TCC) continues to be an active, lively and loud group! This community based afterschool program can be seen everywhere in our community: volunteering, accessing recreation facilities and learning new skills every day. Plans are underway now for the transition into all day summer camps which are always full of fun and adventure. We were delighted to hear that the funding from VIHA and Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health (QACCH) has been approved for another year.
Our newest program, Autism Supports, is growing in all sorts of wonderful ways and we are now serving over 40 individuals. They come to us for a range of supports including 1:1, day camps and social groups. We were pleased to recently receive a grant from United Way to further the expansion of this program. We will add a family support component in May that will assist families to navigate the system and provide support and advocacy at meetings and planning for their sons and daughters.
Other grants received include $52,000 from BC Gaming for Family Support, and Inclusion Works received an innovation grant of $5000. We are very grateful to them all for their support of our work.
I want to encourage you to frequently check our website for updates about CLV. Our Measurable Outcomes Report 2011 is on the website now. This comprehensive report provides valuable information and is a guiding and decision making tool for management and the Board of Directors for continuous quality improvement and satisfaction.
At our General meeting in April we presented our community awards. This is always a wonderful meeting which recognizes outstanding commitment by individuals and businesses. Check out our website for the winners!
Finally, our Foundation continues to work raising profile and money for Community Living Victoria. Our breakfast event for sponsors and supporters is being held on May 16th at the Hotel Grand Pacific. The Royal Colwood Golf Club is hosting the Vipond Golf Tournament June 15th and we are the charity of choice to receive proceeds from this event. Watch for more exciting news from the Foundation in the coming months with the launch of the Planned Giving program and the announcement of our concert at the McPherson Playhouse October 25th!