A recent report has shown that many seniors and people with disabilities are struggling in terms of housing across BC. An advocate for people with disabilities, Liz Barnett, Executive Director of the North Shore Disability Resource Centre recently shared her observations of this reality with the CBC. Barnett said that, like seniors, people with disabilities face extra challenges finding appropriate, accessible, affordable housing as well as mobility.
\”People with disabilities are citizens of British Columbia and deserve the same rights and access as all other citizens.\”, said Barnett. This statement highlights why it is so important for us to take this situation seriously and find ways to improve the situation for seniors and for those with disabilities.
Barnett says many provincial programs are disjointed and don\’t interact well with each other, creating gaps in services. She adds BC lacks a disability act which could guarantee levels of services.
On a positive note, there are a number of factors that can help people who are looking for housing to keep in mind.
New Housing
Barnett highlighted that in terms of new housing, things are improving. More developers, she says, realize that seniors are downsizing to smaller units as they age and those seniors may develop mobility issues. That means things like flat-level entrances to units and bathrooms and enough room to turn a wheelchair around are important. Other modifications include installing light switches lower down on walls and using lever-style door knobs instead of round knobs are other simple choices that can be made when constructing new housing, she said.
Older Housing
The CBC article highlights how Derek Wilson volunteers for the Tri-Cities Better at Home Program to make simple modifications to existing homes for better accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities — everything from changing light bulbs and smoke detector batteries to installing grab bars in bathrooms. For people with disabilities and seniors, not having access to these housing modifications can lead to serious consequences and accidents that could be avoided.
Building Code Changes Possible
Wilson says he\’d like to see new buildings be mandated to include a full plywood backing behind toilets and bathtubs to make grab bar installation easier. He has written to both the federal government and the City of Port Moody to request changes to their building codes to make this change.
Andre Laroche, manager of regulatory solutions for Codes Canada, which manages national building codes, says Wilson is not the only one to request that change and says the idea is being considered for adoption across the country. He says the next revision to Canada\’s national building codes will be published in 2020.
Community Ventures Society (CVS) fully supports groups that are helping to provide modifications to existing homes and developing new homes while keeping people with disabilities in mind. Additionally, CVS believes that modifications to existing building codes is a smart step to help facilitate change and create more opportunities in terms of housing for people with disabilities in BC and across Canada.
Posted: January 18, 2018 by cvsadmin
Valentine\’s Day is around the corner – Get pampered with DisDaBomb!
Our team in Port Coquitlam has been working hard at making some Valentine\’s bath bomb gifts for teachers or loved ones. These are made in-house in PoCo for our DisDaBomb venture.
Boxes of three DisDaBombs are $10 or single bath bombs are $4 each. If you have several orders we can can do something custom for you. You can choose from all natural essential oils and dye-free or beautifully scented ones with a hint of colour.
To purchase, please email us ([email protected]) with your order.
Thank you to all that have supported us in the past & pick up some bath bombs for Valentine\’s Day!
Posted: January 16, 2018 by cvsadmin
Joanne Friend
Kevin Lusignan, MA
Posted: January 10, 2018 by cvsadmin
National Public Radio (NPR) Investigation Finds Hidden Epidemic of Sexual Assault
NPR launched a radio series on January 8th, detailing its investigation on a silent epidemic occurring across America. The audio episodes share stories of victims of abuse and crime and highlight startling statistics such as the fact that people with intellectual disabilities are sexually assaulted at a rate that\’s seven times that of people without disabilities.
To listen to the introductory discussion on NPR, click the link below:
To listen or read transcripts from the complete investigative series, visit the NPR website.
The NPR investigation examines an important reality for people with intellectual disabilities. It also discusses the fact that many of these incidents occur and are kept silent by the victims. As a result, no proper investigation is conducted so those individuals who commit these crimes are brought to justice. Community Ventures Society (CVS) fully supports the investigative series and the message that these criminal acts need to stop and that the silence must be broken.
Posted: January 10, 2018 by cvsadmin
Disability Alliance BC Announces New Resources
Disability Alliance BC recently announced that it has created new resources for people with disabilities who are victims of crime. We have created reader-friendly, ASL and captioned videos on different topics, as well as help information sheets in English and French.
The initiative is part of Disability Alliance BC\’s How I Need to Know project, which is generously funded by the Department of Justice. Currently, there are six videos in the series:
Video 1: How to Report a Crime to Police
Video 2: How to Report a Crime when you Have a Communication Disability
Video 3: What Happens When you go to Court
Video 4: Being a Witness & Testifying in Court
Video 5: What to do if you\’ve Been Sexually Assaulted
Video 6: How to Write your Victim Impact Statement
To view these videos in ASL, please visit the Disability Alliance BC site.
In addition to its videos, Disability Alliance BC has created help information sheets that cover key information in the videos in an easy-to-understand printable form. To access these help sheets, please click here.
Posted: January 9, 2018 by cvsadmin
\”I Be Proud, You Be Proud\” – can you join on March 15th for the 2018 Leadership Conference?
On March 15th, 2018, CLBC South Fraser Region Self Advocates in partnership with BC People First will be hosting its 2018 Leadership Conference, \”I be proud, You be proud\”.
Self Advocates from across the South Fraser Region as well as BCPF members from across the province will gather to celebrate what makes them Proud.
Event details:
When: Thursday March 15th 2008, 9am to 4:30pm
Where: Abbotsford Quality Hotel & Conference Centre, 36035 North Parallel Rd, Abbotsford BC V3G 2C6
Cost: $5.00 includes catered lunch, snacks and tea/coffee
Register: Pre-registration ONLY! No payments accepted at the door. Space is limited. Deadline to register is Wednesday February 21, 2018.
For more information about this event or to register, please click here.
Posted: January 5, 2018 by cvsadmin
What Do You Say to Parents Who Just Had a Child with Down Syndrome?
Thank you to Open Future Learning who shared this great video from the Canadian Down Syndrome Society with us. While the video uses some strong language, it presents a very strong and important message at the same time. One we wanted to share with our CVS community.
Source: Canadian Down Syndrome Society, 2017.
Released in November 2017, the video created quite a stir in the media and lots of feedback from the public at large. What do you think about the message this video sends?
Posted: January 2, 2018 by cvsadmin
Disability Pride 2017
We wanted to share a recent post from Inclusion BC about a 7-minute documentary it produced called Sherwin Strong: Disability Pride 2017. This documentary, that premiered at the screenings across BC for the 3rd annual UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities Film Festival on December 3rd, highlights experiences of Disability Pride 2017 through the eyes of Sherwin Glen Dan Strong.
Sherwin is a musician and self-advocate living in Comox, BC. Adopted as a baby, he\’s had a transformational journey through 39 surgeries, learning from his past and finding his own lifestyle and wisdom. Sherwin shares his perspective of Disability Pride 2017 and invites all of us to be part of the Disability Pride movement.
Take a few minutes and hear Sherwin\’s story and learn more about how Disability Pride is helping to further inclusion in our communities…
Source: Inclusion BC, Published December 13th, 2017
Community Ventures Society (CVS) is excited to share this video and to support Disability Pride. Our movement is an important one and one that we all need to stand behind.
All year, Inclusion BC has hosted conversations, panels and workshops, given presentations and grants and have made documentaries about the ideas and experience of Disability Pride.
The Story Behind Disability Pride 2017, a 7 minute documentary produced by Inclusion BC, premiered at the 2nd annual Film Festival at the end of 2016. It started a conversation about Pride in the Community Inclusion Movement. Inclusion BC looked at the history of our movement and other civil rights movements and then they went out and talked about it. For other groups, discovering Pride was an important step on their path towards acceptance and inclusion. Are we ready for it?
On June 15th, a Disability Pride 2017 Celebration and March was held and covered by a wide range of media outlets. On June 16th, the day after the March, Inclusion BC had a public open space to talk about how people felt after participating in the celebration and march and showed Minister Qualthrough\’s video in the meeting.
Posted: December 27, 2017 by cvsadmin
Music Nights are Back – Check out our 2018 Schedule…
Thursday is Music Night at Community Ventures Society with Glenn Argenal or Tony Prophet. Join us for a fun-filled evening with music, dancing and some light snacks.
When: Thursdays from 6:00pm-8:00pm
2018 Schedule:
January 11th & 25th February 8th & 22nd March 8th & 22ndMore 2018 dates to be released shortly.
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
Posted: December 20, 2017 by cvsadmin
Helping People with Disabilities Find Suitable Housing
A recent report has shown that many seniors and people with disabilities are struggling in terms of housing across BC. An advocate for people with disabilities, Liz Barnett, Executive Director of the North Shore Disability Resource Centre recently shared her observations of this reality with the CBC. Barnett said that, like seniors, people with disabilities face extra challenges finding appropriate, accessible, affordable housing as well as mobility.
\”People with disabilities are citizens of British Columbia and deserve the same rights and access as all other citizens.\”, said Barnett. This statement highlights why it is so important for us to take this situation seriously and find ways to improve the situation for seniors and for those with disabilities.
Barnett says many provincial programs are disjointed and don\’t interact well with each other, creating gaps in services. She adds BC lacks a disability act which could guarantee levels of services.
On a positive note, there are a number of factors that can help people who are looking for housing to keep in mind.
New Housing
Barnett highlighted that in terms of new housing, things are improving. More developers, she says, realize that seniors are downsizing to smaller units as they age and those seniors may develop mobility issues. That means things like flat-level entrances to units and bathrooms and enough room to turn a wheelchair around are important. Other modifications include installing light switches lower down on walls and using lever-style door knobs instead of round knobs are other simple choices that can be made when constructing new housing, she said.
Older Housing
The CBC article highlights how Derek Wilson volunteers for the Tri-Cities Better at Home Program to make simple modifications to existing homes for better accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities — everything from changing light bulbs and smoke detector batteries to installing grab bars in bathrooms. For people with disabilities and seniors, not having access to these housing modifications can lead to serious consequences and accidents that could be avoided.
Building Code Changes Possible
Wilson says he\’d like to see new buildings be mandated to include a full plywood backing behind toilets and bathtubs to make grab bar installation easier. He has written to both the federal government and the City of Port Moody to request changes to their building codes to make this change.
Andre Laroche, manager of regulatory solutions for Codes Canada, which manages national building codes, says Wilson is not the only one to request that change and says the idea is being considered for adoption across the country. He says the next revision to Canada\’s national building codes will be published in 2020.
Community Ventures Society (CVS) fully supports groups that are helping to provide modifications to existing homes and developing new homes while keeping people with disabilities in mind. Additionally, CVS believes that modifications to existing building codes is a smart step to help facilitate change and create more opportunities in terms of housing for people with disabilities in BC and across Canada.
Posted: December 19, 2017 by cvsadmin
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from CVS
We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone in the CVS community – our members, families, staff and friends – a Merry Christmas. All of us hope you have the opportunity to sit back and enjoy this holiday season with your loved ones.
As a New Year approaches, we want to say thank you for contributing to another great year at CVS. We look forward to working with all of you and others in our community in 2018. Additionally, we hope 2018 will only bring health and happiness to you all.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
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