This past December CLBC announced that there was grant money available to Self Advocate groups from across the Province to run a project to help keep Advocates connected. It was voted on by the SAOR that we should apply for the grant. We worked hard on our application and sent it in to CLBC by the deadline. The application was accepted, and we moved on to the next step. We then had a zoom interview with Jessica and Brianne from CLBC to give them more information on our ideas for the grant money. The week before Christmas we received some great news, we were one of the groups chosen to receive grant money and put our ideas into action!
LYNETTA:
The Self Advocates of the Rockies are 1 of 2 Self Advocate groups in the province to receive $30,000 (thirty thousand dollars) to use over eight months to help advocates stay connected remotely while they are apart due to the pandemic. We as advocates feel that this is a very important project. People are feeling more and more isolated as time goes on, and the money from CLBC will help us to hold virtual and remote events that can help people to keep connected with each other. CLBC requires us to complete a certain number of events between January and August, and the Self Advocates will also need to submit reports in April and August to let CLBC know how the money was spent.
KIMBERLEY:
The Self Advocate grant committee meets on Fridays and they have been busy brainstorming events and working on their budget. A budget is an important part of this project because we get to pay Advocates for the work they are doing on it. Another requirement of the grant is for the Self Advocates of the Rockies to become a non-profit organization and to obtain a business license. This is an exciting step! Brainstorming for events has also been going well, and the committee has come up with a lot of great ideas including virtual conferences, a virtual talent show, a phone tree, virtual hang outs, and music discussions, just to name a few.
RAYMOND:
Another important piece of the project is to make sure that we connect with Advocates in other parts of the province. We plan to share information on the project with Advocate groups and service providers across the province so that we can connect with Advocates from other areas to build new and lasting connections and friendships. We are all very excited for this opportunity, and we are very proud of our group. There will be a lot of great opportunities coming up to be involved in different virtual events, so make sure to stay up to date on what the Self Advocates are planning so you can attend the events or help out with planning if you want.
ALL:
CONGRATULATIONS SELF ADVOCATES OF THE ROCKIES!!