BC PEOPLE FIRST PROJECTS & EVENTS

At BCPF we work to stop the stigma surrounding intellectual and developmental disabilities and unite our Members' voices in the fight to be considered People First. The fight to not have people speak for us or down to us and to help everyone in society understand what "nothing about us without us" really means and why it matters.

As volunteers and members, we write letters, do presentations, and advocate with governments about issues affecting people with disabilities. Plus, checkout the BCPF Member Blog!

We advocate for all people to be seen as equal citizens and for issues that matter to us as BCPF Members.

Community Accessibility

Safe and accessible sidewalks and passageways are a right, not a privilege. But not everyone in our cities and towns across BC has access to wide enough, safe, and debris-free passageways. This avoidable societal problem takes away many people’s right to participate in and contribute to their community. Even the most basic accommodations are not consistently in place, such as automatic sliding doors. The BCPF Advocacy Committee is working on a campaign. Writing letters and raising awareness to address the lack of automatic sliding doors in BC due to poor city planning policies and general disregard for accessibility. Sign our online petition HERE.
BCPF Members sit on provincial and local accessibility committees around the province!
BCPF Members give presentations to their local city councils about accessibility needs in their communities.
BCPF is part of groups such as the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, CLBC Partners Group, and the BC Self-Advocate Leadership Network.
We regularly co-host rallies and conferences for community accessibility celebration and awareness with our community partners.

The Language Project

Words hurt. The R-word does not equal stupid. Take the R-word pledge!
BCPF offers workshops about language and the ‘R-word’. For students in grades 5 and up, groups such as scouting/guides, and college programs across BC. It can also be offered to teachers or employees in any industry. The workshops are delivered by BCPF Members who have lived with hearing and being harmed by this word. Putting a face behind the reality of the hurt that this word causes. The workshop teaches people about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and discusses the importance of language.

Raising PWD Rates

The current PWD single rates are $1,483.50. But this does not cover the basic expenses of life each month. CERB pandemic funding and other programs have set the rate for a basic living income at $2000.00 per month. Which is just barely enough to get by but people with disabilities are expected to live on a lot less. This is forced poverty.
BCPF Members book presentations with City Councils, Provincial Committees, service providers, and others to speak about our daily experiences living under the poverty line. We want people to understand what we go through — because it is not easy.

UNCRPD & Human Rights Training

BC People First Members meet regularly to learn about and break down the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
Canada ratified the UNCRPD. This means we agreed to follow the standards set. The convention is a detailed list and explanation of all our human rights.
Members of our presentation team are teaching others about the UNCRPD and our human rights. Your organization or school group can book us for a presentation if you want to learn about the UNCRPD.

Hosting Focus Groups

We host focus groups for advocacy issues that matter to our Members. This work helps inform our presentations and workshops about accessibility, employment, housing, human rights, and more.
We also facilitate focus groups for other nonprofit organizations and corporations who want answers to questions around accessibility and inclusion. Focus groups can help solve problems and help people understand others. They can help places become more inclusive and accessible. Let us know if you want us to facilitate a focus group for you with our Members.

Plain Language & Translation Service

We work on plain language translation projects for organizations who commission us for the service and have translated documents from 1 page to over 100 pages for multiple organizations. BCPF Society gets paid for this service as a way to support Board and Member travel around the province for self-advocacy learning and networking conference events. This service is one of the main tasks of the BCPF Provincial Programs Coordinator; who also works with the BCPF Plain Language Committee – members who are experienced self-advocates, people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and who have training in understanding and writing in plain language.
We also advocate for access to plain language and raise awareness about plain language.

Self-Advocates Conferences

We host and co-host conferences in different areas around the province for people who are self-advocates with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Usually half day or full day events with lunch included and with lots of helpful presentations and activities.
Conferences allow for great learning and networking for self-advocates who want peer support and connection. We strengthen our advocacy efforts together and create lasting impact in our communities.

BCPF Member & Self-Advocate Networking

Coffee Socials can be hosted at coffee shops anywhere in the province by BCPF Members who are also a Regional Director or Chapter President.
- At these monthly or quarterly Coffee Socials we discuss issues that matter to us in our daily lives and get advice.
- Each meeting has a discussion theme, such as accessibility, housing affordability, or healthy relationships.
- These meetings are for members in a local area to network and come up with solutions together.
BCPF Members who want to learn more about self-advocacy can request a peer mentor. Or attend our Advocacy Committee meetings or Member Advocacy Roundtables to ask questions and learn from experienced self-advocates.
- A beginner self-advocate may want a mentor to go to for advice.
- Members who are really experienced self-advocates and want to help others learn more about advocating for their rights can sign up as an Advocacy Mentor to share their skills.
- Mentors do not do the advocacy work for Beginners.
- Mentors are someone to go to for advice about self-advocacy work or advocacy projects in the community.

BCPF Member Connects & Advocacy Roundtables on Zoom

Advocacy Roundtables are more serious and focused on advocacy projects people are working on around the province.
Member Connects are more causual and people talk about advocacy, current events, goals, dreams, and more.
At the meetings the goal is that everyone who attends gets equal speaking time to share their experiences or get advice.
The events are usually 60-90 minutes on Zoom. Sometimes in-person. Events are hosted by BCPF Members who volunteer to be BCPF Event Hosts. Hosted by BCPF Society on Zoom and open to Members across the province.
The host is the meeting Chairperson and works to keep meetings following the agenda and enforces equal speaking time by attendees as needed. Hosts let the Regional Director and Provincial Coordinator know when they want to host and the Board Team Coordinator supports with Zoom hosting (and meeting Chairing duties if the Host needs or requests).
It helps if Members RSVP to attend because if lots of people attend we can assign Hosts for breakout rooms and have more time to have discussions, with less people in each breakout room than one big meeting.