A free\u00a0webinar\u00a0will provide practical tools and recommendations for addressing ableism and promoting participation and belonging for children with disabilities in communities across British Columbia and beyond.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Co-hosted by BC Healthy Communities and the City of Powell River, the one-hour online session will\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0how municipalities can advance the BC Accessibility Act by transforming programs, services, spaces, communications, and policies to better serve children with disabilities and their families.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The\u00a0webinar\u00a0centers on four protective factors for child and youth well-being published by BC Healthy Communities and Vancouver Coastal Health: Participation, Play, Safety,\u00a0and,\u00a0Social Connection and Belonging. By shifting away from ableist practices, local and Indigenous governments can create environments that support these\u00a0important factors.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Participants will learn about a comprehensive community-led process that includes\u00a0leadership from project\u00a0advisors with lived experience, equity site visits of municipal facilities, an environmental scan and a facilitated policy impact forum involving staff from across all departments.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Three ready-to-use resources will be offered to all participants\u00a0\u2013\u00a0particularly local and Indigenous governments\u00a0\u2013\u00a0to adopt or adapt for their own communities:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The session will feature presentations from municipal staff and a Community Belonging Project Advisor,\u00a0showcasing\u00a0real-world implementation supported by the University of Victoria’s School of Child and Youth Care. A Q&A session will provide opportunities for discussion and knowledge sharing among participants.<\/p>\r\n