Over the next several years, Community Living BC will be expanding our new L.I.F.E. service (L.I.F.E. stands for Learning, Inclusion, Friendship, Employment).
What is L.I.F.E.?
L.I.F.E. is a service open to anyone CLBC serves to request. It is a service that is individualized, developed with the person and their support network based on the person’s goals for learning, inclusion, connection and employment, and delivered one-to-one in community.
What makes L.I.F.E. different?
L.I.F.E. is a CLBC service developed collaboratively by individuals, families, service providers and CLBC staff through a process of research, development and testing. The service responds to people’s requests for supports that will help them build their skills, connections and confidence on the road to employment.
Each person who receives the L.I.F.E. service works with their L.I.F.E. staff to develop a plan of supports that will help them learn, grow and develop independence. There is no centre for the service. It is delivered in different locations in community, fully based on a person’s plan they developed with their L.I.F.E. staff, where and when they need support. The service also includes regular check-ins so that plans can be updated if a person’s goals or needs change.
L.I.F.E. will grow
In 2022, qualified service providers from across the province were invited to bid to deliver this new service as part of CLBC’s expansion plans. As of April 1, 2023, the L.I.F.E. service is being offered through 17 sites across the province. Twelve of these sites are new.
The service providers, and the regions and communities where they are delivering the service as of April 1, 2023, are below:
Service Provider | Community |
South Fraser Region | |
Chilliwack Society for Community Living | Chilliwack |
Bethesda Christian Association | Abbotsford |
Inclusion Langley Society | Langley |
Milieu Family Services Inc. | Surrey, Delta |
Community Living Society | Surrey, Delta |
Vancouver Coastal Region | |
Community Integration Services Society | Port Coquitlam |
Kinsight Community Society | Coquitlam |
Community Living Society | Tri-Cities |
Spectrum Society for Community Living | Vancouver |
Vancouver Island Region | |
Port Alberni Association for Community Living | Port Alberni |
Milieu Family Services Inc. | Courtenay |
Pacific Coast Community Resources Inc. | Courtenay |
Greater Victoria Lifetime Network Society | Victoria |
North Thompson Cariboo Region | |
AimHi – Prince George Association for Community Living | Prince George |
Southern Interior Region | |
Pacific Coast Community Resources Inc. | Kelowna |
Milieu Family Services Inc. | Kelowna |
ARC Programs Ltd. | Kelowna |
What if L.I.F.E. isn’t available where I live?
CLBC plans to continue to expand this service to as many locations as possible over time. While the L.I.F.E. service is not yet available everywhere, people who are interested are encouraged to make a formal request for the L.I.F.E. service with a CLBC facilitator. Over time, as people gain independence and employment through the L.I.F.E. service, service providers will be able to take on new referrals.
CLBC will also be using the data from people’s requests to help us understand where there is the most demand for the service. This data will help us with our expansion of this new service.
Want to know more?
You can find out more about this new service here on CLBC’s website. On this page, you will find a fact sheet about L.I.F.E. and videos that show what the L.I.F.E. service could look like for someone. You will also find stories from individuals and families who were pioneers and helped develop and test this new service.