Message from the CEO
By Rick Mowles, CEO
October is Community Living Month, a time to celebrate and recognize the achievements and contributions of self-advocates and their families to their communities. Events, recognition activities and celebrations are taking place across the province. In this month’s issue of The Citizen, you will find stories about some of these celebrations, like the One Day Together event in Victoria and Start with Hi events in Kelowna, Vancouver, Abbotsford and Victoria.
Community Living Month is recognized each year. This year we also have a number of municipalities proclaiming the month, including Victoria, Fort St. John, Quesnel, Kelowna, Vancouver, Prince George, Courtenay, Comox, Dawson Creek and Campbell River. These communities and others have also met with CLBC staff, self-advocates and Community Council members over the last year to talk about how we can work together to build more inclusive communities, and create more opportunities for individuals.
This month also marks the one year anniversary of the move of children’s services back to the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), and of the introduction of legislation that created a new stream of eligibility for CLBC supports called the Personalized Supports Initiative (PSI). I want to recognize and commend the work of CLBC staff, service providers and community partners who have worked hard this last year to ensure families and individuals have been supported, and new working relationships and services are identified for adults eligible for the PSI.
It is also a time to acknowledge the growing leadership we are seeing across BC. Self-advocates have shown the range of their abilities, interests and skills by developing, implementing and leading CLBC funded Self Advocates Seeding Innovation projects, and participating in Community Councils. Staff are finding new approaches and working in new ways with communities to ensure people have choices about how they live, work and play. Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Clubs and other community partners have demonstrated their interest in supporting and including people by helping to promote employment and community connections.
Community Living Month is a chance to acknowledge that communities are made up of individuals. I invite each of you this month to recognize the role we play in building inclusive communities and to reach out to others so they understand how they can help build “good lives in welcoming communities” for adults with developmental disabilities.
