Inclusion in Action

A newsletter from Inclusion BC

November 2023

Find out how Inclusion BC and our partners are advancing the rights and opportunities of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

A woman with long brown hair speaking in at the legislative assembly of BC. captions at the bottom read: inclusion bc has been a long standing champion for community inclusion month.

On October 24, 2023 at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Megan Dykeman, Member of the Legislative Assembly and Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-Profits, outlined Community Inclusion Month and Inclusion BC 's work around the province to advance rights, inspire action, and build awareness for inclusive communities.

Watch Megan Dykeman's statement here

Inclusion BC in the Community

Inclusion BC will be in Ottawa with the Indigenous Disability Canada/British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (IDC/BCANDS) to celebrate Indigenous Disability Awareness Month. Read more about our partner BCANDS below.

Everybody Belongs 2024, our next conference, will be opening for Workshop Proposals on November 15th! Look out for an email soon to submit your proposal.

Inclusion BC is partnering with CanAssist and the Ministry of Education and Child Care on November 23rd from 6:00 - 7:30 PM (PST) for a virtual event in celebration of the launch of the Behaviour in the Early Years online course and the Position Statement on Supporting Behaviour.

The Community-Led Collaboration Project will be in Richmond to host community conversations on November 14-18. We'll be hosting one of the sessions in Mandarin. Find more information and register here. We'll also be holding an information session on community engagement grants for service providers on November 29th. Read more and register here

Our Employer Outreach team will hold an Inclusive Employer Awards event this month in Surrey on Thursday, November 16th, 2:30 - 4:30 PM. Click here for more information on this project.

BCANDS and Indigenous Disability Awareness Month

Did you know disability rates among Indigenous people in Canada are almost twice high as in the general population? This year for Indigenous Disability Awareness Month, Inclusion BC is honored to have been invited by the initiatives originators BCANDS and Indigenous Disability Canada to attend an anniversary event in Ottawa.

Read about BCANDS

Video: the Self Advocacy Leadership Institute

After 2 years of planning, with self-advocates at the centre of the decision-making process, Inclusion BC helped facilitate the Self Advocacy Leadership Institute which was attended by community leaders from across BC.

The result was a powerful sharing of knowledge and experience between people at various stages of striving to be more effective advocates for themselves and their communities.

Watch our video from SALI

A woman seated behind a table in front of a room of people. She is speaking into a microphone

Logos for Inclusion BC's employer outreach project, ready willing and able, and mentorability.

Reflecting on the Inclusive Employment Event in Richmond

We co-hosted an event in Richmond where leaders of inclusive employment and employers discussed the importance, challenges, and benefits of hiring inclusively. By fostering dialogue, recognizing strengths, and addressing challenges, we can build a more inclusive and prosperous society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

MACL: Congratulations on 65 years of Community Building

This October, Karla Verschoor and Erika Cedillo attended Mission Association for Community Living's 65th anniversary event where a community came together to celebrate inclusion and decades of community building with dinner, music, and heartfelt speeches.

A man and a woman stand in front of a stage decorated with gold and white sashes. large colourful standing posters sit on the stage. Each poster has a header noting a range of years and a list of accomplishments and activities of Mission Association for Community Living over the years.

a newspaper article with a quote in the center of the text. The quote reads: the future success of community living goes beyond closing the institutions

From the Archives:

The End of an Era

As Community Inclusion Month came to a close, we took a look through our archive to reflect on the progress made for inclusion in BC. Take a moment to join us in reading this article from 1996 we've digitized about the end of institutions in our province, the impact it had made, and what it meant to people, families, and communities.

Read "The End of an Era"

Support our work

two women standing close to each other with big smiles and an arm over each others' shoulders. They are indoors in front of a large window.

November 28 is Giving Tuesday! Show your generosity by helping Inclusion BC to break down barriers and build inclusive communities throughout BC. With as little as $5 a month, you are helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to advocate for their rights and opportunities.

Donate Today

In The News

Castanet
Human chain formed in Kelowna for Community Inclusion Month
CBC
National org. says Sask. caregiver who sexually abused group home residents should face maximum penalty
Tyee
BC United, Greens Call for Children’s Minister to Resign After Damning Audit
BC Government News
New technologies reduce employment barriers for people with disabilities
Prince George Citizen
Disability advocates warn eligibility for federal dental-care plan may be cumbersome

Opportunities to Get Involved

Participate in a study about mental health for youth with disability with York University

R e a d about BC engage ment proj e c t s to improve services for children and youth with s upp or t n e e d s

Share your hopes and dreams for public education in BC

Take part in a paid study with UBC about the relationship between social-emotional processing and wellbeing in young adulthood

Share this entrepreneur training program by Vancouver Island University for people with disabilities

You may have noticed we changed the format of our newsletter…we want to know what you think! Give us feedback about the new format here

If you know someone who would be interested in the work of Inclusion BC, please spread the word, share this email, and ask them to sign up for Inclusion in Action here

Inclusion BC is a non-profit federation working with partners to build community and enhance the lives of children, youth, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their families. They do this by supporting people’s abilities, promoting positive action, and advocating for rights, responsibilities, and social justice. Inclusion BC is supported by a membership of individuals, families, and 65 member organizations that are working together to build inclusive communities across the province of British Columbia.

Visit our Website