Community Inclusion Month!

Hey everyone, October is Community Inclusion Month! With the ongoing response to COVID-19, we are celebrating a little differently this year — check out Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran as he proclaims October Community Inclusion Month, an event that has in past years included the Pathways Inclusion Chain:

How are you celebrating Community Inclusion Month this year? Let us know in the comments!

WEBINAR: Voting!

Hey everyone, if you’re going to vote in the upcoming BC election there’s a webinar that can help answer your questions about voting — happening tomorrow!

You Can Vote! Webinar with Guest Melanie Callas from Elections BC
WHEN: October 14th, 2020 at 1:00-1:45PM (PST)

Inclusion BC is pleased to welcome Melanie Callas, Outreach Coordinator with Elections BC, to host the 5th webinar in our Virtual Learning Series. Melanie will talk about the voting process and answer questions about voting and the election.
Send us your questions! Inclusion BC is collecting questions to ask Melanie in the webinar. We want to hear from you! Please send your questions to Semanthi at swanni@inclusionbc.org

https://inclusionbc.org/bc-votes-2020/

Thanksgiving weekend…

Thanksgiving weekend is here! Holidays look different this year as we move into our “new normal” keeping our “bubbles” small, and staying safe and healthy at least 2m apart.

The CDC website has suggestions for safer celebration alternatives for Dia De Los Muertos, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Here are suggestions for lower risk activities over Thanksgiving:

  • Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household
  • Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others
  • Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
  • Shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next Monday
  • Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home

And here’s an example of how you can get creative! Have a Thanksgiving “dinner” online via videoconference, where everyone eats a turkey meal that the “host” prepares the day before and drops off at “guests’” homes that morning.

Stay healthy and safe this long weekend, as we all connect with loved ones.

New Mental Health Supports…

Local news reports from Castanet.net in Kelowna announced six new Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams in BC to help BC residents with severe mental health challenges access community-based support.

One of the new mobile teams will be based in Kelowna delivering 24/7 flexible, individualized community living, psychosocial, and recovery supports for adults with serious, complex, and persistent mental health challenges that make it difficult to manage day-to-day activities.

We will continue to post new information as it becomes available.

KOOTENAYS: Masks required for RDCK facilities

Starting September 14th, the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) will require you to wear non-medical masks or face coverings in recreation facilities. There are some exceptions to this requirement – masks are not required when:

  • Exercising or performing physical activity
  • A medical professional has said that wearing a mask may pose a health risk to or impair an individual
  • Wearing a mask would create a health or safety risk to the wearer as determined by federal, provincial or local regulators or Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines
  • An individual is physically unable to put on or take off the mask without assistance
  • An individual has trouble breathing or cannot remove the mask without help
  • An individual is deaf or hard of hearing and relies on facial and mouth movements to receive communication
  • An individual is a baby or toddler under two years of age

Check out their webpage with more information on safe re-opening plans, and COVID-19 updates.

Happy (virtual) Canada Day!

Many of us enjoy going to our local Canada Day celebrations, being out in our communities, and celebrating our country together.

While this holiday might look a bit different for us this year, there are many ways we can all still celebrate safely! Lots of cities are taking the celebrations virtual. The Government of Canada even has an entire webpage dedicated to virtual celebrations, and Canada Day Celebration kits with activity themes!

No matter how you are celebrating Canada Day this year, remember to keep a safe social distance, at least 2m from other people. Stay safe and healthy, and have fun!

BC’s Restart Plan

Hey everyone, the Province has posted BC’s Restart Plan to their website. As well as having great resources, it talks about:

  • Protective measures we’ve taken in B.C. have made a difference
  • The next stage of our challenge
  • How we’ll keep transmission low
  • How we’ll start getting people back to work (including details on “Phases 1 to 4”)
  • Some next steps to make life a little easier
  • How we’ll keep taking care of each other
  • The little things make a big difference

You can also download the plan as a PDF. Check it out!

Free webinar TODAY: Community Living in Isolation

Hey everyone, there is a free webinar later today called “Community Living in Isolation: Responding to COVID-19.” You can check out details and register here.

This webinar is presented in partnership with CLBC and the BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA). Panelists will be considering what Community Living looks like in a pandemic, when access to community is limited, and also discussing how the Community Living and housing sectors are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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