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| Kardel's mission is to help people with developmental disabilities have a good life and to respect their personal choices
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Kardel Newsletter, Events & Programs
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WE DID IT!
The official CARF letter came in last week and I can confirm Kardel has received the highest accreditation timeframe of three years once again! This is a credit to all of our stakeholders who make Kardel the organization we are. The CARF Survey team made particular reference to strengths in the following areas:
- Kardel employs energetic and qualified staff members who are fully dedicated to the organization's mission, which enhances the quality of life for persons served. The high caliber of the organization's operations and services starts "at the top" with the visionary executive officer who is well known for responding to the support needs of persons served in an increasingly large geographical service footprint. The strong leadership team is also committed to continuous quality improvement.
- Large, beautiful pictorial representations of the strategic plan displayed on walls throughout Kardel's administrative facility serve as constant reminders of the organization's mission, vision, values, and strategic goals. Other wall posters created by the same artist graphically illustrate rights of the persons served and the organization's service menu.
- Kardel effectively utilizes its ShareVision information management system by customizing it for entering, tracking, and reporting on the variety of data generated through health and safety drills and inspections, critical incident reports, strategic plan implementation progress, and performance management. The organization also finds many additional uses for ShareVision that have led to better methods for communicating internally and externally.
- The Futures program facilitates community involvement with a high degree of choice for the persons served. Significant among the options provided is volunteer work at a local community centre where persons served receive a monthly stipend from a grant program for their work preparing and packaging food and cleaning toys to be made available to local children. Noteworthy social enterprise efforts undertaken by persons served in the Futures program include picking up items for recycling at a local condominium project, a portion of the proceeds from which are donated to local charities. The Futures program also facilitates a wide variety of other recreational and volunteer opportunities.
- The organization's residential programs provide supports to persons served with a wide array of complex physical and medical needs. The homes are clearly designed to meet the needs of persons served, including ample accessibility-related equipment, and to maintain a comfortable and personalized environment.
- The organization's community partnerships and collaborations are highly valued. Staff members diligently work to maintain and broaden these and other relationships with stakeholders across the communities it serves.
- The organization's commendable job of matching Home Share Providers and persons served has resulted in the development of many long-term relationships. The ongoing support and open communication that characterize Home Share services ensure that quality services are ongoing. Many person served stated that they love Kardel because "It is one big family. It's really not my family, but it sure feels like it is. I love Kardel!"
We should all be proud of our performance between the last CARF survey and now and more importantly the continuing excellent service we provide to all the people we support.
Many thanks
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Biggest Most Awesome Show Ever
The Canada Council provided a $120,000 grant for a theatre project showcasing adult performers with developmental disabilities. Producer Kathryn Popham and comedian Wes Borg will oversee the production, tentatively titled The Biggest Most Awesome Show Ever.
It will play the McPherson Playhouse for five performances from Feb. 6 to 10, 2018. All the performers will be paid. It will be a large-scale musical, variety, theatrical show. starring people with developmental disabilities as creators and performers.
Since 2015, Popham and Borg have overseen comedy classes for Lifetime Networks. Performing in front of applauding audiences is a boost for these performers.
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Patterson House News
Ken attended a special Chinese New Year Celebration at the Taoist Tai Chi organization on Catherine Street in Victoria. Ken received the special invite from the Kardel office and he attended on January 28 with his support worker Manju. Ken very much enjoyed the banquet and was mentioned by the speaker as an Honoured Guest. Ken left the banquet a bit early but later discovered he had won a gift basket! He is shown here viewing the items with Manju.
Ken was very excited with the event and hopes to attend next year! Gung Hei Fat Choy
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Province increases disability assistance rates
For the second year in a row, government is increasing disability assistance rates by investing $199 million over three years.
This investment is in addition to the $170 million announced last year to increase disability rates. It will benefit about 107,000 people with the persons with a disability (PWD) designation.
As of April 1, 2017, disability assistance rates will rise by $50 per month, or an annual total of $600. Once the increase takes effect, a single person with the PWD designation will receive $1,033 per month in disability assistance, up from $983. A couple in which both are PWDs will receive an additional $100 per month, for a total of $1,773.
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Hillside House News
This month, Alex left with Tara for a week-long holiday. The first day was spent getting acquainted with Waikiki. Alex spent the rest of his week at the Polyanesisn centre, on a bus tour, at the zoo, aquarium and lastly a dinner cruise. He loved the heat and all the entertainment!
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WEST COAST
REACH!
PERFORMING COMPANY
West Coast REACH! Association is a registered non-profit organization newly-founded by Anne-Marie and Peter Brimacombe. Through the performing and visual arts they nurture, inspire, empower, inform and unite people of all ages, cultures, faiths and abilities. Click here to view their website with registration information.
Currently REACH! offers three programs for children, youth, and adults. All three groups will perform together in the Spring in an original, musical show celebrating the beauty of diversity in Canada on its 150th birthday. Participants of all cultures and ranges of ages and ability are encouraged to join. No previous performing experience is required but commitment to regular rehearsals is needed.
Click here to view the poster
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Lakes House News
Lakes House got into the winter spirit when they received yet another dump of snow. They enjoyed a day of hibernating in their pajamas with their volunteer Jason and student Julia.
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Anti-bullying day was proudly celebrated by the Lakes team!
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2017 is the year for Disability Pride
Inclusion BC is launching a year-long celebration of Disability Pride as part of the official Canada 150+ celebrations, marking our country's 150th anniversary. Funded in part by Canadian Heritage, we are excited to be offering grants to help include people with intellectual disabilities as leaders and contributors in existing community activities, causes or celebrations across British Columbia. Citizens with intellectual disabilities are essential to the Canadian mosaic. Throughout 2017 we're promoting Disability Pride with the goal of inspiring action. Visit
DisabilityPride.ca to view The Story Behind Disability Pride, a short documentary that covers our exploration of pride and its role in civil rights movements. It looks at how and why pride consistently falls on the path to inclusion, what our Disability Pride celebration could look like, the importance of belonging and what being a Canadian means. So, we invite you to be part of defining Disability Pride in 2017. Start planning how you want to participate in your community. What groups or causes do you care about? How can you join in supporting movements, activities and celebrations?
Funded by: Inclusion BC Foundation and Department of Canadian Heritage, Government of Canada Questions?
Contact Amy Nugent,
Executive Director,
Inclusion BC Foundation
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Endowment 150 has 4000 $150 grants to give away to BC residents on low-income with an RDSP! Have you applied for yours yet?
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An Invitation to Dance
Participants at Kardel's Futures Club were recently interviewed regarding their dance class experience and here is what they had to say: "I asked a few participants with one of the dance groups for their reflections on the sessions. Linda, Renee, Johnny and Lawrence all said that they had not taken a dance class before attending sessions at Kardel's Futures program. Renee said she likes that she gets to help pick the music and that there are "no bad moves." Linda likes "everything," and Lawrence noted that "it's fun AND Joanne plays Cantonese songs." Johnny said, "I feel great after dance," and Renee and Linda said they feel energized."
To read the full article and to find out more about dance classes in the Victoria area please click here
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