BCCPD is looking for people with disabilities or chronic health conditions who have experienced the transition from an inactive lifestyle to a regular practice of physical activity (broadly defined).  We’re working with 4th year kinesiology students from UBC. They will interview you about your experience and the ways physical activity impacts your sense of mental and physical wellbeing. Based on your conversation, the students write a short story for publication in future issues of Transition magazine. Your tips and success stories will inspire others.

While the students would appreciate the opportunity to meet people in person (at the BCCPD office) for the interviews, it may be possible to do an interview by phone if you reside elsewhere in the province. Your name will not be used in the Transition articles if you prefer to remain anonymous. Everyone interviewed will have their name entered in a draw for a gift card for a store in your community. Thank you in advance for sharing your experience with our service learning students and our Transition readers!

For more information or to participate, contact Shelley at 604-875-0188 in Vancouver (toll-free 1-877-232-7400) or email wdi@bccpd.bc.ca.

BC Ombudsperson releases her report on her review of the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation

BC’s Ombudsperson Kim Carter has released her report on the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation. Her report makes a number of important recommendations based on her findings, including the following:

The Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation review its Persons with Disabilities (PWD) application process and make the necessary changes to improve the accuracy of decisions about PWD status made at the first level of decision making and track and report publicly the results of those changes.

And,

The Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation minimize the impacts of delayed reconsiderations on clients’ assistance by taking the steps necessary to make the effective date of an approval at reconsideration or a subsequent appeal no later than the date the reconsideration is required to have been made under the Regulations.

The Ministry has agreed to implement all of the Ombudsperson’s recommendations. Here’s the link to the report:

http://www.ombudsman.bc.ca/images/resources/report
/Public_Reports/Time_Matters_Report_35_web.pdf

For more information, please contact Robin Loxton at: povpost@bccpd.bc.ca

The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities has received the following notice from the Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN):

PLAN is hosting free information sessions about the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP). To find out more, please take a look at the information below.

Free RDSP Information Sessions

February 6, 2014 from 7-9pm
In-person session at the PLAN office 
260- 3665 Kingsway in Vancouver

February 25, 2014 from  7-9pm PST
Tele-seminar session

March 18, 2014 from 10am-12pm PST
Tele-seminar session

March 20, 2014 from 7-9pm
In-person session at the PLAN office
260- 3665 Kingsway in Vancouver

All sessions are FREE to attend, however registration in mandatory. To register for a session, please visit PLAN’s website at: http://tinyurl.com/k6c8qv5 . For more info on the RDSP, please visit rdsp.com

If you have any questions, please contact PLAN at: inquiries@plan.ca or 604-439-9566.