include Me!
CLBC wants to ensure that individuals who access services funded by our organization are living good lives in welcoming communities. We are going around the province and asking people to tell us about their quality of life. We are using a survey called My Life that includes 50 questions in the areas of independence, social participation, and well-being. The survey is based on the work of international quality of life expert Dr. Robert Schalock.
Over time, the data gathered on personal outcomes will help everyone involved in community living to develop a deeper understanding of the impact that supports and services have on peoples’ quality of life. Survey data will generate evidence about program effectiveness and help guide decision making at all levels in our service system, including:
- helping individuals and families make informed decisions about the types of services and supports that align best with their own quality of life priorities
- helping service providers identify areas where they can make improvements
- informing CLBC’s policy and practice direction
CLBC has chosen the phrase include Me! to describe this approach to measuring personal outcomes. Dr. Schalock believes that the measurement of personal outcomes must place the individual at the center of the process. We feel that the name include Me! reflects this view. We want individuals with developmental disabilities to have a say in how supports and services that they use everyday are provided. Having adults with developmental disabilities asking and answering the questions directly is a way to honour the expression “nothing about us without us.”
Below are links to three short videos in which people talk about why this initiative is important to them. Click on the images to view each of the videos:
Tricia Lins, Self-Advocate, Project Assistant, include Me!
Doug Woollard, Interim CEO, Community Living British Columbia
Shari Mahar, Executive Director, Community Integration Services Society
Follow the links below to learn more about include Me!:
- What is quality of life?
- Answers to frequently asked questions
- Videos about different aspects of quality of life and measuring personal outcomes
- Different articles of interest
- Important websites
- Learn about the quality of life demonstration project conducted in 2009 – 2010
- Meet the staff on CLBC’s Personal Outcomes Team
- Find out what is happening with include Me! in 2012-2013
- Contact someone from CLBC to find more information about include Me!
