Employment
Interested in Employment?
Community Living BC (CLBC) provides support to individuals eligible for its services who are interested in employment.
CLBC’s vision for inclusive employment is “every person with a disability who wants a job is employed”. More and more people with developmental disabilities want to work at jobs they enjoy, earn their own wages and feel valued as employees.
Whether a person is leaving school, in a community inclusion program or other service, or on the request for service list, CLBC wants to help people find and keep employment. People interested in finding employment should contact their facilitator to discuss available options.
Making a Difference
CLBC and employment service providers are committed to working with the government, non-profits, business and other sectors to foster and promote inclusive employment. Since 2007, CLBC and employment service providers have developed projects, programs, policy, and worked to shift attitudes to help create more opportunities for employment for adults with developmental disabilities.
In 2012, CLBC held community consultations with a broad range of people in communities throughout B.C. to identify next steps to increase employment for the adults CLBC supports.
The Community Action Employment Plan is the result of the input of over 700 people, and lays the foundation for the next three years for the sector and community’s work with employers towards the goals of:
Increasing employment opportunities for people who want to work
Providing more support for self-employment
Helping more youth transitioning out of school access employment
Developing better employment opportunities for people who are under-employed or in programs that do not include employment
Click here to learn more about the Community Action Employment Plan.
Stories and Resources
To read success stories of employed individuals across BC, and to access informational resources on employment, please click here.
Be sure to check back often as we will be regularly adding new stories and information.
Employment Timeline
To learn more about ways CLBC has worked develop employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities who want to work, please read the timeline below:
-
2012
The Employment Program of BC is launched across B.C. by the Ministry of Social DevelopmentThe Customized Employment Demonstration Project was completed. Final evaluation and review of the results takes place.Self advocates, families, service providers and CLBC staff agreed it was time to build on the work already done and co-create a three-year “Community Action Employment Plan” to clarify needed actions and coordinate efforts.CLBC and the Ministry of Social Development commit funding to the STEPS Forward program to help more youth with developmental disabilities access post-secondary education.CLBC launches its inquiry process across the province to develop the Community Employment Action Plan.CLBC and the BCGEU agree to establish a scholarship fund to help people eligible for CLBC supports access education to help with finding employment.The Community Action Plan Summit is held in October in Vancouver. -
2011
Discussions begin to take place about next steps for increasing employment opportunities and partnershipsYouth Employment Forum co-hosted by the Ministries of Children and Family Development, Social Development, Education and Advanced Education, and CLBC brought together representatives from all ministries on the Youth Transition Protocol.A steering group was formed to look at next steps for CLBC’s employment initiative.CLBC conducts the literature review Social and Economic Outcomes: Are Supported Employment Services for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities a Good Investment to help guide next steps for employment. -
2010
CLBC’s Employment Policy becomes effective after consultations and discussions. In CLBC’s policy, employment is defined as “paid work that takes place in an integrated community setting, along-side people without disabilities; and where wages, benefits and working conditions comply with industry standards and relevant laws. Employment does not include work experience or volunteering. It may include self-employment.”BC Employment Development Strategy Network, a small group of service providers, developed curricula and began training staff, in collaboration with Douglas College, to increase their competency in supporting people find and keep work -
2009
Service providers, CLBC and government representatives gathered for a provincial forum called “Re-inventing Day Supports”.Service providers, with support from CLBC, hosted six one day events across the province focused on promoting employment -
2008
CLBC establishes a provincial employment advisor position to develop CLBC’s employment strategies, policies and partnershipsCLBC launched its “Employment Initiative” to increase work opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.CLBC and MSD partnered to fund and launch the Customized Employment Demonstration Project. Eight projects were funded to build capacity and evaluate customized employment.BC EmployNet, a network was established to promote leadership among employment practitioners – www.bcemploynet.org -
2007
Queenswood Consulting Group reviewed CLBC’s supported work programs and made a series of recommendations. Supported Employment program review initiated and completed.
