604-939-8070 2322 St. John's Street, Port Moody, V3H 2A9

Province of BC Announces Consultation Process for Provincial Accessibility Legislation

 

It was announced on Monday, September 16th  by the Government of BC that the consultation process for forthcoming provincial accessibility legislation has begun. British Columbians will have the opportunity to provide their input and help shape the legislation until November 29th, 2019.

You can read the Accessibility Framework document and make your voice heard by completing the online questionnaire, sending your comments by telephone or email, attending an in-person session, and/or participating in a virtual town hall.

The Accessibility Framework and all information about how to participate is available by clicking here: https://www.engage.gov.bc.ca/accessibility/. Community groups, libraries and other organizations can also participate by applying for funding and resources totalling up to $2,000 to hold their own community meetings and provide feedback. For details, visit SPARC BC: https://www.sparc.bc.ca/accessibility-legislation/.

Alongside other agencies in BC, CVS is very excited by the framework of the consultation process and excited to see how this legislation will evolve.

 

 

Finding Community Online

At CVS, we believe the best way to engage with your community is face-to-face but we also recognize that more and more people are finding community online these days. Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Instagram offer a way to build and join online communities with individuals across the world.

For the individuals we serve, joining an online community can be a nice way to share their unique interests with people across our own community or in other parts of the world. It opens up doors that may not be bound by geography. Building positive connections gives us ways to discuss topics, give and receive comments and be part of something important to us.

When seeking out online communities, it\’s important to do your research – so you can reduce wasting time but also to be safe (we\’ll talk more about that later). Before you join or interact in an online community, try looking into the following:

  • How is the online community managed? The best communities have managers who are hands-on and interactive. They do their best to get everyone involved and keep up a regular flow of topics.

  • Who is commenting? Successful communities have regulars, but they also have brand-new members and people who pop in from time to time. If the same few people are the only ones who are participating, see whether you can figure out why.

  • What is the reaction by members of the community? If you see a good response to messages and comments, it’s a good indication of a positive, healthy community.

You also need to be aware of how to engage in an online community and stay safe. There are unique and serious risks to consider when sharing information online. Be careful with the personal information you share and try to ensure that the group has the right intentions by asking questions before you join.

Online communities are growing in popularity and can be an extremely valuable way of connecting with others. Sharing information can be a great way to grow as a person by learning more.

Cheering on the BC Lions

On Friday, September 13th, CVS was out at the BC Lions game with the individuals we serve and their families. Overall, 25 people from our community were in attendance and we had a great time cheering on the BC Lions. To make it an even better evening, the BC Lions won! It was an excellent time and we can\’t wait to head out to our next game soon!

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Congratulations to Gabi & Jules!

The Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual Mayor\’s BBQ yesterday, Thursday September 5th at the Inlet Theatre in Port Moody. CVS was proud to attend this event. In addition to attending as representatives of CVS, we also showed our continued support for the Employment Roundtable of the Tri-Cities, who co-sponsors the event.

We wanted to take this time to congratulate Gabi & Jules Handmade Pies & Baked Goodness who were awarded the Inclusive Employer Award by the Roundtable. Gabi & Jules is an incredible example of inclusive employment in the Tri-Cities and the award was well deserved.  We hope other businesses can follow Gabi & Jules\’ example of inclusivity in the community.

In addition, we were proud to have our very own Ayat who played at the Mayor\’s BBQ reception. She was welcomed with open arms by all who attended and did an amazing job playing the piano and singing throughout the evening.

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Music Nights are Back this September

 

Thursday is Music Night at Community Ventures Society with Glenn Argenal . Join us for a fun-filled evening with music, dancing and some light snacks every other Thursday. 

When: Thursdays from 6:00pm-8:00pm

 

 

 

Fall/Winter 2019 Schedule: 

September 12th & 26th 
October 10th & 24th 
November 7th & 21st
December 5th & 19th 

Where: 2322 St. Johns Street, Port Moody

Details: Enter off of Spring Street, light snacks- cost is $5, people who need support should bring a support person. For more information call Dawne at 604.838.6381 or go to communityventures.ca.

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Staff Announcements in Community Inclusion & Employment

We wanted to make you aware of a couple of new staff announcements here at CVS.

 

As of July 2nd, Schuyler Smyth has been working in our Community Inclusion program as Program Coordinator for Discovery 2. We want to welcome Schuyler to this position and hope she is enjoying it. She is doing a great job and we are excited to have her working in Discovery. For more information on Discovery 2 and to contact Schuyler, please click here.

 

 

In early September, Krissy Elliott will move from Coordinator of our Fusion program to become the Program Coordinator for Footloose. Footloose is located at 2322 St. Johns in Port Moody. It serves people with higher support needs and focuses on recreation, volunteerism, and community activities. We congratulate Krissy on this role and look forward to hearing about the great work Krissy is doing come September. 

 

CVS Annual Summer Picnic & BBQ a Success

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made it out to our Annual Summer Picnic & BBQ at Barnet Marine Park. We lucked out with a beautiful day and it was a great time for everyone!

The picnic gave us all a chance to enjoy the sunshine & have a bit of fun surrounded by the beauty of Barnet Marine Park. Check out some pictures below –

 

 

 

Congratulations to Kylie Isaacson

Please join me in congratulating Kylie Isaacson to the position of Assistant Manager of Shared Living as of August 9. Kylie is replacing Anna Campion. Anna will be very much missed and we appreciate her service to CVS and the people we serve.

Kylie is currently the Program Coordinator of our Community Inclusion Footloose Program and is looking forward to the transition to Shared Living. Kylie has earned a Community Social Service Work Diploma from Douglas College and I know she will do a terrific job in our Shared Living Department.