From November 20 to 23, attendees from across B.C. took part in the sold out Housing Central conference in Vancouver, with CLBC staff and self advocates playing important roles.
Hosted each year by the BC Non Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA) and delivered in partnership with the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) and the Co-operative Housing Federation of BC (CHF BC), Housing Central is Canada’s leading education, professional development and networking event for the community housing sector. CLBC is a proud sponsor of the conference.
During the three days of Housing Central, CLBC Housing Leads were at our booth in the exhibitors’ hall actively connecting with attendees about the importance of inclusive, accessible and culturally safe housing.
CLBC staff also presented some of the conference’s informative and engaging sessions:
In Support Options for Individuals with Diverse Abilities, Lisa Evans, CLBC Manager, Services & Community Development – Housing, joined presenters from Connective Support Society to speak about the importance of listening, building relationships, and creating unique strategies to support the unique needs of individuals.
In Collaboration of Indigenous Supports and Services for Adults with Disabilities, Lisa, Evan Jolicoeur, CLBC Director of Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility, and Jena Weber, Policy Manager for AHMA, discussed CLBC and AHMA’s collaborative efforts and partnership development to advance culturally safe housing solutions for Indigenous people with diverse abilities.
In Sharing Your Life with a Person with Diverse Abilities, Tracy Charlton, CLBC’s Provincial Program Coordinator, Home Sharing, presented an interactive session alongside the Home Sharing Support Society BC, Clements Centre Society and PosAbilities. The session included firsthand accounts from self-advocates, home sharing providers and family members who have lived experience with home sharing.
In My Experience as a Person with Diverse Abilities and Housing, CLBC Strategic Initiatives Advisors Michelle Goos, David Johnston and Shelley DeCoste, along with CLBC Housing Leads Michelle Tonn and Steven Guild formed a panel to offer insights on the important role of housing in people’s lives. They also shared information about the CLBC Water Cooler Talks series and how it is helping to raise awareness and disrupt stigma.
On the final day of the conference, CLBC CEO Ross Chilton opened the morning plenary session Inclusive Housing Lived Experience, which featured a panel of self advocates, including CLBC Editorial Board Member Larissa Gunkel, speaking about their own lived experiences to a very engaged audience.
During his opening remarks, Ross presented a new video profiling Grosvenor House in Surrey. This creative pilot project between CLBC, Lookout Housing and Health Society and the Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association (FRAFCA) is helping people with developmental disabilities who have complex needs, including those dealing with addiction and homelessness.
You can watch Ross’s speech here and the video on Grosvenor House below.
CLBC looks forward to taking part in Housing Central again next year and continuing the important conversation around developing more inclusive, accessible and culturally safe housing in our province.
