Community Connections Support Services' Home on the Web
Community Connections Support Services envisions a vibrant and inclusive society that embraces equality and diversity by promoting racial and LGBTQ2S+ justice and eliminating discrimination for all.
We acknowledge the land that we live, work, and play on as the traditional territories of the Okanagan and Ktunaxa Nations.
phone 250-491-2907
fax 1-866-728-2938
toll free 888-491-2907
email mail@commconn.ca
web commconn.ca
Kelowna
Unit 236
9- 3151 Lakeshore Road
Kelowna, BC V1W 3S9
West Kootenay
15B View Street
Nelson, BC V1L 2T9
East Kootenay
RPO PO Box 20004
Tamarack Mall
Cranbrook, BC V1C 6K5
Hey everyone, CLBC is hosting a teleconference update this Thursday (Oct. 21) from 3:05 – 4 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time). Submit your COVID-19 questions by today at noon (Oct. 19) by email to CLBCInfo@gov.bc.ca with the subject line “OCT 21 COVID CALL”.
How to call in: 1-877-353-9184 (participant code: 99715#)
Hey everyone, we’ve been posting a series as part of Community Inclusion Month. We explored a bit last week about how we can participate in community while we all focus on keeping each other safe and healthy, using tools like technology and online communities.
We also talked about how everyone has a right to be included in their community – and, that this is part of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
So, why are we talking about it again this week?
We are looking at where we’ve been so that we can see how much progress we’ve made.
Progress on the road to community inclusion — like the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — can take a long, long, long time. That UN Convention we were talking about? That only happened 15 years ago, in 2006. It’s important to remember what things were like for people with disabilities at the start of the disability rights movement.
If you’re interested in hearing more about what it was like to fight for the rights of people with disabilities, you can check out this video featuring Judith Heumann (a disability rights activist from the US). YouTube is a great resource to find other people with disabilities sharing their stories and experiences.
When we see people and organizations (like CLBC) promoting community inclusion, human rights, and the rights of people with disabilities, we are seeing how far we’ve come thanks to the work of self-advocates all over the world (like Judith) — and we celebrate their achievements as part of Community Inclusion Month!
Hey everyone, we have posted about driving safety and about home maintenance to prepare for winter — and to finish off our series on “gearing up for winter” we are sharing information about extreme weather!
While there are benefits to being able to be outdoors enjoying winter activities, it’s important to be aware of the dangers of winter cold. This article posted on the Government of Canada website talks about extreme cold, and the factors that may make some people more vulnerable than others. It’s important to know about windburn, frostbite, and hypothermia, as well as how to mitigate these risks.
You can also be prepared for different kinds of winter weather (including storms). There is an article here that touches on winter storm preparedness, equipment, and cleanup.
Stay safe!
Hey everyone, this year’s Inclusion BC Summit is happening on THURSDAY (OCT 14) from 1-4 pm online! Check out the information below and at this webpage from Inclusion BC, and click here if you want to attend:
The virtual summit is a celebration of Community Inclusion Month. Through presentations and interactive break-out sessions, come explore how to build awareness, inspire action, and advance rights as a federation dedicated to the full inclusion of all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in all aspects of life.
Hey everyone, October 10th is World Mental Health Day. The World Health Organization (WHO) is highlighting how our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic has raised our awareness of mental health challenges.
Most importantly, the WHO wants to raise awareness about a mental health challenge that impacts about 5% of adults worldwide: depression. Below you can find PDF factsheets about depression, and about living with someone with depression. The WHO has video testimonials on their website about mental health and support, check them out here. They also have an entire page for mental health resources for the public, check that out here.
Hey everyone, we posted last week to kick off Community Inclusion Month. This week, we are exploring community inclusion through how we participate. COMMUNITY is one of the 7 keys to citizenship listed in Inclusion BC’s video. Everyone has a right to be included in their community. It’s part of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), check it out here.
Given that we are still battling the COVID-19 pandemic, we can consider how we want to participate in community while still keeping ourselves and others safe and healthy — such as getting outside into local parks (like the upcoming Spooktacular Pumpkin Walk coming up in Kelowna), or participating in an online community, like on the Inclusion BC Facebook page, through an event listed in the Family Support Institute’s Calendar for Connection (like the upcoming Halloween Howl), or alongside your favorite interests and hobbies (like on Pinterest) — or, in the comments section here, too!
Want to hear more about online communities? Let us know in the comments!
Hi everyone, you can find CLBC’s latest update for individuals and families here.
Hey everyone, it’s Fire Prevention Week! The National Fire Protection Association theme this year is LEARN THE SOUNDS OF FIRE SAFETY, and they have a great resource that helps explain the sounds you may hear coming from your smoke and/or carbon monoxide alarm. You can download it below. There is also a Frequently Asked Questions page here.
There’s also this page with helpful ideas for those who may need a different kind of alarm.
The City of Kelowna has a great fire prevention webpage full of information and resources, as well as a helpful videos from the Kelowna Fire Department that explain smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements and maintenance, and kitchen fire safety. Check those out below!
Hey everyone, we posted last week about being prepared for winter conditions when you drive — and this week we are sharing resources to prepare your home for winter conditions!
There are many lists of home maintenance tasks available online that will help you get your home ready for winter, like this one from CBC News, this one from the Government of Canada website about keeping the heat in, this one on the Home Depot website, or this one from the David Suzuki Foundation that focusses on making your home energy efficient for winter.
Most resources agree, by doing some proactive maintenance tasks in advance of freezing weather you can prevent damage and stay safe over the winter.
Stay safe!
