Community Living BC (CLBC) is pleased to support nineteen projects that build on lessons learned during the pandemic to advance the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in communities around our province.
In December 2021, CLBC launched the one-time Community Inclusion Innovation Fund inviting applications for grants from $5,000 to $100,000 to support people to be better included in their communities. The goal of the fund is to invest in creative initiatives across B.C. that build on lessons learned through COVID-19, test new approaches to achieve inclusion, innovate service delivery, and support the rollout of CLBC’s new L.I.F.E.-based service.
In total, CLBC received close to seventy-five applications by January 31, 2022.
“Thank you to all the organizations and individuals who submitted their applications,” said Ross Chilton, CLBC CEO. “We are grateful to you for highlighting your efforts to create a greater sense of community, diversity and belonging for everyone, and for your interest in making your community a more inclusive one for all people.”
The evaluation committee had to make tough choices from the applications submitted given the wealth of ideas and initiatives intended to support people to connect to their communities in more meaningful ways. The nineteen projects receiving a Community Inclusion Innovation Fund grant are below. April 2024 is the deadline for project completions, and we look forward to sharing the knowledge and experiences gained to further support the building of inclusion for people CLBC serves across B.C.
List of Grant Recipients
Community Living Society – New Westminster
Remote Supports as a Service Delivery Option for Individuals Accessing Supported Living Services – will assess the efficacy of a mix of remote and face-to-face support in improving the quality of life for individuals accessing supported living services across 4 BC organizations.
Total Grant – $99,000
Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria – Victoria
Creating Common Ground: Building Inclusive Communities through Community Asset Mapping – action the learnings and outcomes of the 2017-2019 work by the BC Community Asset Mapping Network. The goal is to increase inclusion and social connection for people experiencing isolation, and to focus on supporting community inspired innovation and the leadership of people with diverse abilities.
Total Grant – $58,300
Delta Community Living Society – Delta and Surrey
Inclusive Housing Feasibility Study – undertake a housing need and demand study to evaluate community housing needs in Delta and determine the merits of pursuing a medium-density housing development, which would include units for people with developmental disabilities.
Total Grant – $30,000
Delta Community Living Society – Delta and Surrey
Launch Youth Service Pilot Project- pilot project to provide individualized services to students with developmental disabilities in their Grade 13 or “over year” to explore and create personalized goals related to employment, community connection and relationships.
Total Grant – $30,000
Empowering Self Advocates To Take Action Cooperative (ESATTA) – Vancouver
Welcome Home – ESATTA is a cooperative of self advocates working to support self advocates. Their project focuses on collaborating with communities to identify what would make their community more inclusive.
Total Grant – $99,500
Families for Real Change – Provincewide
New Pathways to an Authentic Inclusive Life – engage with parents and families across BC to create a centre of shared knowledge and discourse, through documenting the lived experiences of CLBC eligible adults, with the goal of helping people lead fully integrated, and engaged lives without relying exclusively on paid services.
Total Grant – $40,000
Hazelton Community Services – Hazelton
More than LIFE – supporting individuals to find meaningful employment, training and become active community members.
Total Grant – $54,564
Youth Employment Summit – a 3-day virtual learning and networking event focused on jobs for young people with intellectual disabilities – featuring speakers, workshops, mentoring opportunities, and a job fair.
Total Grant – $50,000
Inclusion Langley Society – Langley
In the Zone – development and delivery of opportunities, experiences, and resources to promote LIFE-based, employment and skill development expectations for people leaving school.
Total Grant – $72,000
Lifetime Networks of Victoria – Victoria
HOPE – a project to provide consistent and sustainable support to people with Multiple Complex Needs (MCN).
Total Grant – $ 99,939
Lifetime Networks of Victoria – Victoria
My Circle of Friends – a project to establish a peer friendship coordination program that includes both one to one friendships and friendship pods.
Total Grants – $97,670
Milieu Family Services – Surrey
Tenant Support Services – train staff to deliver the RentSmart program to assist persons to access a pool of rental units with property owners who have established partnerships with Milieu.
Total Grant – $5,000
Options for Sexual Health – Vancouver
SIXpo (Sexuality, Inclusion and eXploration) – a conference that centres on people with disabilities and sexuality.
Total Grant – $98,450
Social Influencer Fellowship – an opportunity to learn how to become a social influencer, build a profile and brand, develop content, and develop an online presence and community.
Total Grant – $ 80,874
REALM Empowerment Yearly – a magazine to highlight individuals to display, explore, share, and learn about inclusive living.
Total Grant – $32,160
Speaking Up Self Advocacy (Facebook page) – Kamloops
An Amazing Race to Inclusion – a fun and challenging event that engages participants in Kamloops to get firsthand experience as they navigate their community of the challenges that people living with diverse abilities face on a daily basis.
Total Grant – $6,017
Spectrum Society Community Living – Vancouver
Person-Centred Planning through an Indigenous Lens – use person centred planning best practices and Indigenous pedagogy to ensure people have meaningful planning.
Total Grant – $34,320
STEPS Forward – Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland, South Interior
Propelling Inclusion for Post-secondary Alumni – identifying and consolidating promising practices for scaling the impact of inclusive post-secondary education beyond convocation.
Total Grant – $80,728
Susan Simmons Coaching – Victoria
Swimming with Spirit Orcas – Swimming with Spirit Orcas is British Columbia’s first inclusive open water swim club where people with diverse abilities are the established leaders.
Total Grant – $12,500
