Providing Options for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
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ABOUT US | HISTORY | THE BOARD | BILL OF RIGHTS
The Chilliwack Society for Community Living is a voluntary, non-profit organization whose goal is to promote and enhance the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities. To achieve this, the Society is mandated by its constitution and by-laws to provide an array of services and supports, including various community living arrangements. (For the purpose of this document, community living arrangements can be defined as any community based living option (from the full spectrum of alternatives available to all citizens) in which an individual with a disability lives with or without support, either paid or voluntary).
Where it is requested to do so, the Society has a responsibility to: provide, facilitate the development of, or assist people with disabilities to access those living arrangements and day time supports necessary to meet their specific individual needs.
It is essential that the support efforts of the Society reflect the goal of accountability to the individual served. Without this primary accountability, there is every likelihood that individual "quality of life", autonomy and self determination will be compromised.
Since its inception in 1954, the Society has endeavored to promote the inclusion of the citizens of Chilliwack who have a developmental disability into the fabric of community life. This has lead to the development of a range of residential options including, group homes, semi independent & independent living.
In addition, the Society has also pioneered the development of an array of self help and vocational options for those individuals who did not experience institutionalization and have lived in community all of their lives. It is these experiences and the knowledge gained, combined with significant social policy supporting the integration of children and adults that we are able to be innovative in meeting individual's needs, even within existing group structures. The day services offered at the Occupational Centre and ACE, and those centered in the community or from home, give testimony to the creativeness of the families, staff and individuals themselves in creating day time options which support community outreach, leisure, personal development, health and fitness, self advocacy and self satisfaction from using skills and abilities.
Through the efforts of Board members, parent and family member involvement, staff and management, our dedication and continued commitment to supporting the full participation and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in our Chilliwack community continues.
The following is a very brief history of our Society now known as the Chilliwack Society for Community Living (CSCL). The Society began because a number of parents had a strong desire to develop resources in the community for their children with mental handicaps. As a result, the Society was formed and registered under the Societies Act of British Columbia in January, 1954 (Registration #4416) making it one of the first agencies in the province formed for this purpose. Our original name was the Upper Fraser Valley Society for Handicapped Children. This name was later changed to the Upper Fraser Valley Society for the Retarded, in 1987 it was amended to the Upper Fraser Valley Society for Mentally Handicapped People and in July 1998, to its present name.
In its formative years, the primary focus was a school for children since the provincial government had no mandate to provide an education for children with mental disabilities. As the first children attending the school became adults, the Society increased its services to include the Occupational Center. In 1962 our Society, in a Federal Pilot Project, opened the Sunshine Drive Hostel. This was the first respite care option to be offered in the province of BC outside of the institutions (Glendale, Woodlands and Tranquille) and was seen as extremely innovative.
Over the years the Society's programs and services have expanded and now include a wide variety of supports to individuals of all ages who have developmental disabilities. An overview of our existing programs is presented on the following pages.
The CSCL has approximately 100 members (this may vary slightly from one year to the next) and holds its Annual General Meeting in late May. The Board of Directors is elected by the general membership at the annual meeting and the Board is responsible for electing its own executive.
The CSCL was one of five founding members of the provincial association, the BC Association for Community Living (BCACL), and continues to hold a membership in that federation. As well, the Society is a member of the Canadian Association for Community Living, Community Social Services Employers' Association (CSSEA), United Way of the Fraser Valley and many other disability groups.
The role of the Board of Directors is to establish and govern policies that provide direction to all staff of the Society. In most cases, the Board of Directors makes decisions as a whole. In some instances, a few Directors will form a committee to perform a specific function or address a specific issue and make recommendations to the full Board. The Board's role and function is defined by the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society which are approved by the general membership of the Society.
The following are the most commonly agreed upon roles for the Board of Directors as an entity:
- To establish and maintain the legal and corporate existence of the Society.
- To be accountable for the assets of the Society and for the actions undertaken by it.
- To take responsibility for formulating goals, objectives, policies and guidelines for programs both in the long and short-terms and to establish priorities.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken and the appropriateness of the planning process as they relate to the needs of the individuals being served.
- To provide continuity of experienced leadership so that major staff changes will not weaken the Society and to employ the Executive Director with whom the Board shares leadership.
- To set policies for the executive Director to implement and achieve and to allow the Executive Director to make day-to-day decisions without interference.
- To specify what input it needs from the Executive Director in order to make prudent policy decisions.
- To work as a team with the Executive Director to accomplish the Society's objectives.
- Everyone has the right to be included in the community
- Everyone has the right to be treated with respect.
- Everyone has the right to have opportunities to work.
- Everyone has the right to make choices about things that are important to them.
- Everyone has the right to schedule their own time.
- Everyone has the right to have fun in their day
- Everyone has the right to good medical care.
- Everyone has the right to live in a safe place.
- Everyone has the right to have the support that they need.
- Everyone has the right to privacy
a. people should not touch our things without permission.
b. people should ask permission before coming into our room or apartment. - Everyone has the right to privacy of the body
a. no one should touch us in a way we don't like
b. people should ask us before they touch us. - Everyone has the right to have their personal information kept private.
- Everyone has the right to decide who gets information about them.
- Everyone has the right to speak out for themselves.
- Everyone has the right to be heard.
- Everyone has the right to communicate in their own way.
- Everyone has the right to have things explained in a way they can understand.
- Everyone has the right to vote.
- Everyone has the right to practice the religion of their choice or not at all.
- Everyone has the right to know what is being written about them.
- Everyone has the right to attend self advocates meetings.
Chilliwack Society for Community Living
9353 Mary Street
Chilliwack BC V2P 4G9
Telephone: 604-792-7726
Fax: 604-792-7962
