INFORMATION AND ADVOCACY SERVICES PROGRAM

The Information Services Program provides information and referral services. Our expanded resource library includes a collection of print, tape and video materials as well as two public access Internet work stations.

Public education programs are offered primarily by people with disabilities in areas such as adaptable building design, disability awareness, valuing diversity, vulnerability and abuse of people with disabilities.

Personal advocacy is provided to individuals seeking to access services or develop support networks.  The Information Services Program is open to the general public and does not require a referral.

Contact:  John Neumann, Executive Director - Information and Advocacy Services at 604.904.4088.

COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES

 Infant Development Program (IDP)

The Infant Development Programme provides in-home consultation supports to 90 families with children under the age of three. 

All children served by the program are developmentally delayed in one or more areas due to a variety of causes, including premature birth, genetic abnormality, illness, injury, etc. 

Home visits are made on a regular basis by professional staff to assist the family in planning learning activities and to utilize appropriate community resources. Opportunities for parents to meet and support each other are provided through regular drop-in groups and classes organized on topics of interest to families.   

Resource library materials of books and toys are also available for loan to families. Referrals can be made directly to the IDP.

Contact:  Donna Colodey, Manager of the Infant Development Program at 604.986.1358

 S.T.A.G.E.

Community Health Grant Winner

S.T.A.G.E. (Supportive Transition Adult Group Education) was successful in winning a grant from the ACTIVE NORTH SHORE’S 2008 Community Initiative Grants.

The grant will be used to teach STAGE participants and drop-in participants functional cooking skills designed to promote Healthy Choices and to support people to make simple lunches independently.  A pictorial cookbook will be created in conjunction with the cooking classes to enable participants to practice their skills at home.

We are fortunate to have two parent volunteers who conceived the idea to create a functional cooking curriculum and are helping to make it happen along with the incredible STAGE staff!

A big thank you to Active North Shore for supporting this Healthy Choices idea!

If you are a young adult who enjoys cooking or you want to learn please call S.T.A.G.E. at 604 984- 6568 for details on how to book time in our cooking classes. Classes are Mondays 11:00-1:00pm.

About S.T.A.G.E.

What makes this service different than others on the North Shore?

The program operates from 7:30 am until 6 p.m, every week day, except Statutory Holidays, all year long.  While we know not everyone wants to be away from their home for that long, some people have told us they would like this option. The staffing also allows more flexibility around supports, especially for vocational activities.

Participants and their families or support networks will have choices as to the activities undertaken by the whole group every 4 to 6 months. NSDRC has designed a planning tool that will help you define what you want form the service. Once the plan is done, then the NSDRC uses it to design the choices in the program. This allows each person to exercise as much choice as possible all through the day, week, month and year.

There are three activity “streams” to have choices in.  All streams will be part of a participants’ overall plan and will include outcomes designed by them and their support networks. For educational and vocational supports our goal is a ratio of one to one or one staff to two participants.  For recreational, leisure and social activities, the ratio will be a maximum of 4 people to 1 staff person.

We will be relying on volunteer hours. These can be from a parent, sibling or friend over the age of 19. These hours count as credits towards program costs. There are many types of volunteer support needed: program activities, receptionist, fundraising, advocacy and committee work.

We will be asking for participants’ families to provide money for materials or transportation costs. This charge is set at $100.00 per participant per month but can be modified upon review. We will be asking for people to assist the participants in travel costs or provide a ‘car pool’ to certain events. Volunteer hours also count against this fee. The NSDRC is also exploring the feasibility of this fee being considered a charitable donation.

The service is directed by an Advisory Committee comprised of participants, their family members and support network representatives, community members and NSDRC Senior Management. The activity plans and program outcomes as well as the quality of the service will be monitored by this volunteer group. Service on this committee and others will be counted as volunteer hours against the service fees. The Advisory and the participants will be asked to design a name and letterhead for this new service also.

Who do we think would want to participate?

 Who do we think would not like to participate?

Contact:   Liz Barnett, Executive Director Contracted Services at 604.904.4086 or email her at  lizb@nsdrc.org

 Summer Program

The Summer Program teams children/youth with special needs with compatible Recreation Assistants who will provide one-to-one support in integrated, leisure/recreational summer camps and programs in the community.

The support is provided either through a Recreation Assistant hired by the NSDRC or through reimbursement of the wages paid to a Recreation Assistant hired by the family/guardian.

The program is community based, meaning families chose from programs and activities offered within the community. They register their child in a day camp at a local community centre or choose other options that are suitable for their child’s needs.

The program is for children/youth between the ages of 3 (or attending pre-school in the fall) and 19 who have special needs and require extra support to participate in a summer camp.

If you are interested in registering your child for the Summer Program please click here for the Application Form.

Contact Gret Alber, Manager of Summer Program 604.904.4085 for further information.

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

 Supported Living Program

This program is for adults and children with disabilities who need someone to care for them 24 hours per day.

This program is for adults and children who have physical and/or developmental disabilities and require 24 hour support. All of our homes have been purpose built or renovated to accommodate wheelchair access. Residents requiring professional supports access community or NSDRC resources for nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nutritional guidance. The six homes are located in residential neighborhoods throughout the North Shore.

Referrals are required from the Community Living BC who are responsible for the order of acceptance.  The Ministry can be reached at 604.981.0321.   Acceptance is based on the suitability of the candidate with others in the home.

For more information contact:  Self Directed Work Team Manager 604.985.5371

 Independent Living Program

This program is for adults with disabilities who need some assistance to help them to live in a home and in the community.

This program is for adults with disabilities or health problems who are eligible for long-term care funding and who need some assistance to live in the community, but do not require 24 hour care.  All of our homes have been purpose built or renovated to accommodate wheelchair access.  The five homes are located in residential neighborhoods throughout the North Shore.

Referrals can be made directly to this program. Acceptance is based on the suitability of the candidate with others in the home. 

For more information contact:  Steve Hall, Program Manager, 604.785.8005 or

                                                           Trisha Marinakis, Program Manager 604.904.4091 

North Shore Disability Resource Centre

Office and Mailing Address:

3158 Mountain Highway

North Vancouver, V7K 2H5 

Phone: 604.985.5371                       Fax: 604.985.7594

E-Mail: nsdrc@nsdrc.org                      Website: www.nsdrc.org