A message from CLBC’s Indigenous Advisory Committee:
This November is the fourth annual Indigenous Disability Awareness Month in British Columbia since being proclaimed by the Province in 2014. The month both highlights the barriers Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) peoples living with disabilities face, and recognizes the unique contributions these individuals bring to their communities throughout the province.
Additionally, Indigenous Disability Awareness Month has been recognized and proclaimed annually by the province of Saskatchewan, the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis Nation British Columbia, the Council of Yukon First Nations, the BC First Nation Summit and several other disability related organizations. Further, the United Nations International Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) recommended that Canada declares and recognizes the month each year.
View the B.C. Government Proclamation here.
Community Living BC (CLBC) provides supports and services to people who are 19 or older and meet the criteria for a developmental disability and significant limitations in adaptive functioning. Since 2014, all people who reside within First Nations communities, regardless of ancestry, and who meet CLBC eligibility requirements can access CLBC funded services based on their disability-related needs and the availability of local CLBC resources.
CLBC’s Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) consists of representatives from across the province and provides valuable input into how CLBC can better understand the needs and improve service delivery to Indigenous people and families. CLBC’s 2017-2020 strategic plan identifies a priority need to enhance relationships with Indigenous communities and to develop staff and organizational cultural competency.
In recognition of the 11th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, CLBC is committed to taking meaningful steps to assist Indigenous people with developmental disabilities and their families, who reside both within B.C.’s Indigenous communities and in non-Indigenous communities, to live their lives to the fullest potential.
We hope you will join us in recognizing this important month in communities across B.C.
To learn more about eligibility and how to apply for CLBC services, visit the How to Apply page or the Indigenous Advisor and Advisory Committee page on the CLBC website, or contact your nearest CLBC office.
Download a copy of CLBC’s “Supporting Indigenous Communities” awareness poster here or contact Norah.Drake@gov.bc.ca to request printed copies.