Board appoints Ross Chilton as CEO
On May 23, 2019, CLBC’s Board Chair Michael J. Prince announced the appointment of Ross Chilton as CLBC’s next Chief Executive Officer. He will begin his new role on August 12, 2019.
Ross has served as CEO of Community Living Society since 2007, where he helped expand support and employment options and formed the Community Living Housing Society to support innovative, inclusive housing solutions. Ross is also a parent of an adult son with developmental disabilities.
“Ross is the right candidate to build on the solid work CLBC has done under former CEO Seonag Macrae in recent years to strengthen services,” said CLBC Board Chair Michael J. Prince. “Ross stands out for his core values, his compelling passion, and his deep understanding of the challenges and the opportunities ahead for advancing the inclusion of individuals who live with developmental disabilities.”
See the full announcement about Ross here.
Minister releases report on Re-Imagining Community Inclusion
During the recent Inclusion BC annual conference in Victoria, B.C., Minister Shane Simpson announced the release of the Re-Imagining Community Inclusion report, which can be found on the government web site here.
The report captures feedback and findings from community meetings across the province to identify how we envision inclusion for adults with developmental disabilities in ten years. The process was guided by a partnership table with representatives from across the sector.
The Minister will begin implementation of the report following the arrival of CLBC’s new CEO.
CLBC updates its strategic plan
This May, the CLBC Board approved CLBC’s updated 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. The plan has been slightly amended, following a check-in process with self advocates, families, advocacy groups, service providers and staff.
The consultation asked if CLBC’s top four goals were still important, and if our implementation projects were the right ones. We heard that CLBC’s goals to better serve people with multiple complex needs and to strengthen relationships should continue to take top priority. We also heard that more priority should be given to developing alternative housing options and supports and strengthening relationships with Indigenous peoples. You can find our updated Plan on a Page and 2017-2020 Strategic plan poster here.
CLBC is finalizing a range of projects it will undertake to support these updated goals in 2019-2020.
To accompany the release of the updated Strategic Plan, CLBC has launched a series of three short videos in plain language to explain the Strategic Plan, as well as CLBC and its values. The scripts for these videos were developed through a collaboration with BC People First which you can read about here. You can watch all three videos here.
Nominate someone for a provincial WOW inclusion award
CLBC is calling on you to nominate an inclusion champion in your community for a Widening Our World (WOW) Award.
The provincial WOW Awards recognize the many ways people are ensuring adults with developmental disabilities are included in their communities. Whether it is an employer, teacher, support worker, community member, someone who lives with a disability, or anyone else that is making sure their community is welcoming and respectful of all people, please tell us about it!
Nominate your inclusion champion by July 31, 2019 by visiting www.communitylivingbc.ca/wow to fill out an online or hard copy nomination form.
Click here to see past winners and learn more about the 2019 WOW Awards. Please share this with anyone you know who may want to submit a nomination.
CLBC’s next Welcome Workshops – help us spread the word
The CLBC Welcome Workshops are a series of four two-hour workshops that welcome people new to CLBC by sharing valuable information about resources in the community and about how different supports and services fit together in the big picture of adulthood.
The four workshops are: 1) Getting Started; 2) Community Connections; 3) Planning Choices; and 4) CLBC – The Real Deal. The workshops help people new to CLBC learn about CLBC and our services, potential supports in community and how to connect with other individuals and families.
Welcome Workshops are organized by local offices across the province. The following Welcome Workshop series are scheduled over the coming months:
- Nanaimo – June 5, 12, 19 and 26
- Delta – June 5, 12, 19 and 26
- Surrey – July 16, 23, 30 and August 6
- Abbotsford – August 7, 14, 21 and 28
- Abbotsford – October 2, 9, 16 and 23
If you are interested in attending one of these Workshop series, please call your local office to register and for additional details. If you would like to find out more about Welcome Workshops, visit this page on our website: How do I get support? > Attend the CLBC Welcome Workshop Series.
New home sharing rates
CLBC continues to work closely with the BC CEO Network and agencies on our project to revise the home sharing rate structure and implementing rate increases. This, together with work being done by a new Home Sharing Working Group, aims to better help our dedicated home sharing providers to support individuals to have a good quality of life. You can read about this work, the increased rates, and a Q and A on CLBC’s web site here.
We recognize that coordinating agencies have quite a large workload with this project and we are grateful for the collaboration to help improve home sharing across the province.
New L.I.F.E.-based service begins pilot and readiness events
The new L.I.F.E.-based service will support people who want to get a job but also want support with other things in their life. Development of CLBC’s new L.I.F.E.-based service is gaining momentum with the recent launch of the nine-month pilot of the new service on May 1 with five agencies. L.I.F.E. stands for Learning, Inclusion, Friendship and Employment and will support individuals to pursue employment, build friendships, connect to the community and learn skills that build confidence and independence.
CLBC is planning a series of readiness events to prepare service providers, CLBC staff, individuals and families for the wider implementation of the new service. These events will help spread the word about the new service, provide information, and prepare for delivering the service in 2020 and beyond.
The readiness events, called “Gearing up for the L.I.F.E.-based Service,” will be held in:
- Prince George – September 12
- Cranbrook – October 3
- Terrace – October 9
- Kamloops – October 23
- Kelowna – October 24
Watch for more details on the CLBC website event calendar closer to the dates.
CLBC – Inclusion BC inclusive housing plan: work to date
This past November Inclusion BC and CLBC launched a three-year plan to increase access to inclusive housing. You can read the plan here.
Work is underway in the first year to support the recommendations of the plan around Data and Resources, Identity and Visibility, and Affordability and Finance.
CLBC and Inclusion BC have contracted with the BC Non-Profit Housing Society to conduct research to determine housing demand. A working group is developing an engagement strategy and communications tools to increase awareness in local communities. And a second working group is developing resources to help individuals and families plan to put in place inclusive housing for their loved ones. Stay tuned for more information as working groups complete the creation of these resources for local groups to use in their communities.
Compensation for Woodlands’ survivors
CLBC has been supporting efforts by the Ministry of Health to find former residents of Woodlands Institutions and Woodlands School to extend compensation to survivors. You can read the October 2018 Information Bulletin here.
Thanks to help from many around the province, many payments have been made. Efforts are still being made to connect with remaining individuals who are eligible. You can help survivors receive payments by calling toll free 1-888-523-7192 or emailing woodlands.care.facility.residents@gov.bc.ca.
