$1.07 million supports increased inclusive employment opportunities
April 15, 2014
Vancouver Foundation has contributed close to $1.07 million to 16 community employment projects throughout the province that help meet the Community Action Employment Plan’s goal of finding jobs for 1,200 adults served by Community Living BC (CLBC) by 2016.
Vancouver, BC – Vancouver Foundation has contributed close to $1.07 million to 16 community employment projects throughout the province that help meet the Community Action Employment Plan’s goal of finding jobs for 1,200 adults served by Community Living BC (CLBC) by 2016. While some of the investments run for one year, others represent multi-year commitments and some will continue until 2016.
Three of the 16 projects are being jointly funded by CLBC contracts and Vancouver Foundation’s Disability Supports for Employment Fund (DSEF). These projects include:
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- familyWORKS – led by the Family Support Institute, this project supports families to explore employment as an option to help improve quality of life for their loved ones living with a developmental disability, autism or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The project received CLBC funding of $50,000 and Vancouver Foundation funding of $30,000 to aid expansion across the province
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- Ready, Willing and Able – led by Inclusion BC, this awareness campaign aims to increase employment for youth, build capacity with employers for inclusive hiring, and help to shift perspectives on the skills and abilities people with developmental disabilities can contribute to the workplace. The project received Vancouver Foundation funding of $265,000 over three years, and $20,000 from CLBC for 2014/15
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- Supporting Our Abilities Presentation Series and Start-up Kit – led by the BC Self Advocacy Foundation, this project will help self advocates become leaders in promoting inclusive employment in their local communities with employers and employment groups. The project received $68,000 from Vancouver Foundation and funding of $30,000 from CLBC to develop the presentation kit and build community capacity
The DSEF was established with a $20 million endowment from the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation in 2003, and another $5 million contribution in 2006. DSEF investments are available to assist eligible organizations throughout BC who are working to increase employment opportunities and the overall rate of employment for persons with disabilities in their communities. DSEF considers “employment” to mean the full participation of people with disabilities as employees, and/or those activities which may result in employment for them. For more information, visit www.vancouverfoundation.ca.
The Community Action Employment Plan is a collaborative strategy that promotes inclusive and supportive employment opportunities, and coordination of local resources and community engagement with government, service providers, volunteers, self advocates, families, community leaders, community organizations and CLBC staff. The plan includes both local and provincial projects and initiatives to increase employment for 1,200 of the individuals CLBC serves by 2016. It also complements a wide-range of housing, inclusion, individualized funding and community support that CLBC provides to over 16,000 adults in B.C. For a full copy of CLBC’s Community Action Employment Plan or a report on the first year of the plan, visit www.communitylivingbc.ca.
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For further information contact:
Communications
Community Living BC
604.209.7608
Lidia Kemeny
Grants and Community Initiatives
Vancouver Foundation
604.617.5932
Background: Vancouver Foundation Disability Supports for Employment Fund Grants
Quotes:
Don McRae, Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation:
“One of the things that we heard during our recent disability consultation is that having a job is extremely important in terms of being an inclusive society for those willing and able to participate. It’s good to see the endowment funding provided by the province for the Vancouver Foundation’s Disability Supports for Employment Fund is paying off with better supports for those looking for jobs, and helping employers see the value of hiring people with disabilities.”
Doug Woollard, Interim CLBC CEO:
“I am pleased the Vancouver Foundation has awarded funds to a number of projects that support the goals of the Community Action Employment Plan. Partnerships and collaboration, including funding for key initiatives, are critical to the success of the three-year Plan. We thank the Vancouver Foundation and their staff for their support and for helping increase employment for the adults CLBC serves across the province.”
Kevin McCort, President and CEO, Vancouver Foundation:
“Through our Disability Supports for Employment Fund, Vancouver Foundation is proud to support innovative approaches to employment and employability for persons with disabilities. At Vancouver Foundation, we are passionate about community and exploring solutions to better connect and engage residents. Ensuring we can support organizations working with individuals who have physical and/or mental disabilities and face barriers to employment is an important strategy for ensuring everyone has opportunity to participate in community life.”
Faith Bodner, Executive Director, Inclusion BC:
“Inclusion BC joins in celebrating the leadership of Community Action Employment Plan (CAEP). The work of our member agencies across BC and our provincial initiative Ready, Willing & ABLE dovetails with the Community Action Employment Plan, increasing the impacts of the investments and progress we make employment for people with developmental disabilities a reality.”
Angela Clancy, Executive Director, Family Support Institute:
“FSI is excited and pleased about Vancouver Foundation’s recognition and funding support to assist us in expanding family focused, family directed approaches to employment conversations and strategies. The familyWORKS project acknowledges that families are the experts when it comes to their sons and daughters, and are in the best position to lead strategies to identify internal and external barriers to employment, validate family experience and concerns, and assist people to understand and see new possibilities for their sons and daughters. We are grateful for the support.”
Jo-Anne Gauthier, President of the BC Self Advocacy Foundation, Promoting Our Abilities:
“The Promoting Our Abilities project has empowered us to take charge of our own employment dreams. This would not be possible without the support of the Vancouver Foundation and Community Living BC – Thank You!”