Team News

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY
(EVENTS, NEWS, & AWARENESS)

Disabled Independent Gardeners Association (DIGA) – Home Gardening Planters Available

We’re excited to share that DIGA has gardening planters available for gardeners to use at home. DIGA enlists volunteers from Tetra Society of North America to modify planters and prepare them for home use.

Once your planter is ready, you can pick it up at GF Strong or DIGA’s head office. To help you get started with your gardening planter, we are preparing a guide to help you set up the planter.

Supplies are limited but the planters are available at no cost until they are gone.

To learn more about the Home Gardening Project, please get in touch with Graeme Wyman at gwyman@disabilityfoundation.org.

SCI BC – Online Trivia

Join SCI BC peer Rick in this hilarious and friendly, weekly competition. Anyone is welcome to join, and a prize will be mailed to the winner. Tune in right at 6 pm so you don’t miss out on any of the action.

You must be able to connect to Crowdpurr with your smartphone or computer:
https://www.crowd.live/8KPSJ

How to Connect to Zoom:

– From your browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87980167291

– From your mobile phone or tablet: download the Zoom app from your app store, then use the meeting ID to get in to the meeting. Meeting ID: 879 8016 7291

– Dial-in on a landline (telephone): call +1 778 907 2071 Canada (the local number for BC), and enter the Meeting ID when prompted: 879 8016 7291

– If not in BC, find your local number here: https://zoom.us/u/acMz0fXoVA

If you have any questions please contact our InfoLine at 1-800-689-2477 or info@sci-bc.ca

WHEN: Thursday, May 9th | 6:00PM – 7:00PM

COST: FREE

Friday Movie Night at Killarney Community Centre

Bring your friends and indulge in a fun movie night experience! Join us every Friday night in the youth lounge for an incredible cinematic journey. Each week, we’ll showcase a different movie, ensuring there’s always something fresh and exciting to look forward to. Pre-registration is encouraged but youth are welcome to register the day of in the youth office.

Movie will be voted on the day of!

WHERE: Killarney Community Centre – Youth Lounge (6260 Killarney St, Vancouver, BC)

WHEN: Friday, May 10th | 5:00PM – 7:00PM

COST: FREE. Click here to register!

Community Lunch Program at Renfrew Park Community Centre

Meals include a hot entrée, salad or side dish, dessert, coffee or tea. We try our best to use locally grown seasonal vegetables and fruit from community gardens! Lunches will be served on a first come first served basis. Lunch can be bought in person with cash/credit card or online with a credit card, limit of 4 per person. Limited number of lunches available.

Adults/Seniors $7.62+tax | Children/Youth $6.19+tax

*This week’s menu has not been released by the chef*

Fees for this program are non-refundable.

WHERE: Renfrew Park Community Centre, Kitchen (Room 110) – (2929 E 22nd Ave, Vancouver, BC)

WHEN: Friday, May 10th | 12:00PM – 1:00PM

Series: Still Moon Gardeners’ Gathering at Colour Me Local Dye Garden

Are you interested in Natural Dye plants? Gardening? Community? Art!?

At Still Moon’s Gardeners’ Gathering Work Parties, we’ll be weeding, watering, and maintaining the Colour Me Local Dye Garden. Participants will work together to tend the garden, be able to ask questions, and at some of these gatherings we will bring a dye pot and fabric test strips so we can experiment with natural dyeing while we work!

The Schedule:

Saturday, April 13, 10am-12:30pm | Planning, Weeding, Soil Prep
Tuesday, May 7, 5pm-7pm | Planting Seedlings, Madder Dye Pot
Saturday, May 11, 10am – 12pm | Planting Seeds & Seedlings, Special Guest Presenters Masumi Rodriguez and Elena Kirby talking about papermaking with Invasive Species
Tuesday, June 11 ,5pm-7pm | Weeding, Watering
Saturday, July 27, 10am – 12pm | Dye Experiments
Tuesday, August 6, 6pm – 8pm | First Indigo Harvest
Saturday, August 24, 10am – 1pm | Dye Experiments
Saturday, September 7, 10am – 1pm | Second Indigo Harvest
Saturday, October 12, 10am – 12pm | Weeding, Watering, Harvest
Saturday, October 19, 10am – 12pm | Garden Clean Up

Facilitated by:

The Gardeners’ Gatherings will be Facilitated by Eco-Arts Program Manager, Ada Dragomir. During some sessions, Still Moon Youth Connect program participants will be joining us to make light work of our many tasks.

The Garden:

Still Moon’s Colour Me Local Dye Garden will be bumping with crops of coreopsis tinctoria, scabiosa atropurpurea, rubia tinctoria, or persicaria tinctoria over the summer and fall.

Join us to start this beautiful process starting April!

The Invitation:

Join the Still Moon team for some fun getting your hands dirty, while connecting with other gardeners in the community. Play outside with us and take your knowledge to your own garden spaces!

Notes:

This is a free-to-attend experience
Wear weather-appropriate clothing & closed-toedshoes
Bring a water bottle and a hat for hot weather
Food will not be provided. Feel free to bring your own snacks
Tools will be provided. Feel free to bring some if you have (gardening gloves, hand trowels, knee pads/mat to kneel on if you have one)

>> If you play an instrument, feel free to bring it along and join in with the chorus of neighbours who jam in the garden!

>> You can choose to attend one or all of the gatherings, that’s up to you!

Accessibility:

– The Colour Me Local Dye Garden is an unpaved grass garden located in the northwest corner of Renfrew Ravine Park, and wheelchairs may require assistance.
– There is free parking in the neighbourhood.
– Washrooms are not available onsite, but can be found at the Renfrew Community Centre located 10 minutes away (~1 kilometer)

– There are benches available.

About Colour Me Local Dye Garden:

Still Moon’s Colour Me Local Dye Garden, located on the West Side of the Renfrew Ravine, is a community engaged initiative focused on planting, maintaining, harvesting, processing and using plants most known for their pigments. In addition to natural dye extraction, the garden supports pollinators, insects and wildlife, and is home to many Indigenous plants stewarded by our Indigenous neighbours.

About Still Moon Arts Society

Still Moon Arts Society mobilizes community and creates positive change through eco-arts and environmental stewardship programming, and produces the annual Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival. Still Moon is a registered charity whose mission is to inspire vibrant and connected communities by creating artistic experiences and nurturing a passion for nature.

WHEN: Saturday, May 11th | 10AM – 12PM

WHERE: Colour Me Local Dye Garden – Renfrew Ravine Park (3958 Renfrew St #3998, Vancouver, BC)

COST: FREE, click here to register!

What is happening in Vancouver in May?

Click on the link below to see what’s happening:

https://www.destinationvancouver.com/events/calendar-of-events/vancouver-events-in-may/

SAVE THE DATE For Spectrum’s Annual Summer Picnic!

WHEN: Wednesday, July 17th, 2024

TIME: 2:00PM – 6:00PM

WHERE: JOHN HENDRY PARK – TROUT LAKE – PICNIC GAZEBO

More details to follow closer to the date!

Vancouver Community Fridge Project

The Vancouver Community Fridge Project is a decentralized food distribution network and mutual aid initiative created to provide healthy, free food and essential supplies to our communities across lower mainland.

Our mission is to combat food insecurity by encouraging our communities to take part in laterally-directed mutual aid, starting with providing free, safe, non-policed, accessible and nutritious foods through community fridges and pantries.

Click Here to Find A Fridge!

All fridges and pantries that are apart of the VCFP network will be operating on a strict no policing, no-shame policy. This means, the VCFP does not condone patrolling how fridge users engage with the fridge, gatekeeping, or any exclusionary or harmful behaviours. The fridges should be accessible, welcoming places based on trust and communication of needs, established by and for the community.

Learn How to Get Involved!

FINANCIAL UPDATES

Inclusion BC Provincial Budget Alert 2024-2025

Spectrum is a member of Inclusion BC and supports their provincial advocacy on behalf of individuals and families with developmental disabilities.

Click here for their report on the provincial budget announced for 2024-2025.

Plan Institute Webinars

The Plan Institute has FREE upcoming regular webinars on the topics of the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and Wills, Trusts and Estates Planning.

RDSP

The Registered Disability Savings Plan is a Canada-wide registered matched savings plan for those with disabilities to better financially plan for their futures. The Level 1 webinar is meant for those who want to learn about what the RDSP is, who qualifies, and how to apply. The Level 2 webinar is for those who already have a RDSP, or have already taken Level 1.

Next Level 1 Webinar: Wednesday May 15th, 7:00 – 8:15pm

Next Level 2 Webinar: Thursday May 23rd, 7:00 – 8:45pm

Click here to register and for more information

Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning (BC Only)

This webinar is meant for those who want to become better informed on the process of wills, trusts and estate planning to better secure the future of your relative or loved one with a disability. There is a limit of 60 participants so early registration is encouraged!

Next Webinar: Thursday May 16th, 7:00 – 8:15pm

Click here to register and for more information

HEALTH & SAFETY

A compassion-first approach: new videos in support of Canadian Mental Health Week

Canadian Mental Health Week is May 6 to 12, 2024. The theme of this year’s campaign is “A Call to be Kind.” This theme suggests a “compassion-first” approach when interacting with someone struggling with mental health. And we’re doing our part to promote this approach.

We’re pleased to share two new education videos with you:

The videos promote a better understanding of the two mental disorders that most commonly lead to long-term disability claims. They can also help create more compassionate people leaders within your organization. This can help them better support employees on their healing journey to mental wellness.

These videos, along with the rest of our mental health education series, can be found on our website.

ICord – Sleep Routines and Sleep Disturbances After SCI Survey

Researcher(s): Dr. Victoria Claydon

ICORD researcher Dr. Claydon and her research team at SFU, and community partner Spinal Cord Injury BC are interested in learning more about the sleep routines, disturbances, and barriers to sleep supports experienced by individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), as well as the impacts of these sleep problems on daily life.

This survey study aims to characterize the milieu of routine and physiological sleep disturbances after SCI. The survey asks about sleep quality, sleep routines (i.e., turning), and sleep problems (i.e., sleep apnea, neuropathic pain, autonomic dysreflexia) as they present in the nighttime. We will also ask how your sleep

Why should you participate in this study?

Poor sleep quality is widely documented among individuals with SCI, with consequences of excessive daytime sleepiness, high levels of fatigue, and reduced participation. Unsurprisingly, 59-80% of survey respondents with SCI indicate having a sleep problem that interferes with sleep onset or sleep continuity. While the correlations between sleep problems and secondary conditions (chronic pain, bladder and bowel dysfunction, respiratory impairment) experienced in the daytime are strong, we do not know enough about how these problems present in the nighttime or how to best manage them.

As such, the principal focus of the survey is to characterize the frequency, severity, and management of 10 distinct sleep disturbances identified through literature review and community partner priorities: turning routines, sleep apnea, bowel care, bladder care, AD, thermal discomfort, neuropathic pain, nociceptive pain, spasticity, and anxiety. Given the potential for reciprocal impacts between sleep disturbances and additive effects on sleep outcomes, it is necessary to study these sleep challenges post-SCI. With the support of patient and community partners, we hope that the results of this study will shed light on the under-recognized challenges of sleep post-SCI to provide context for meaningful change and inform clinical priorities.

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

Have an SCI (inclusive of all injury levels, severity, duration, and cause)
Are living in Canada
Are at least 19 years old
Are able to communicate and understand instructions in English

Compensation for participation

As a thank you for your time, participants will receive $15 via e-transfer. At the conclusion of the survey, participants who wish to receive the honoraria will be linked to an external survey to enter an email to which the e-transfer will be sent. Your email will not be linked to your survey responses.

This study will take place:

Remotely (online survey / phone / audio call)

Time commitment

This online survey is estimated to take 30 – 45 minutes to complete. Skip logic has been integrated so that you will only be shown questions for the sleep disturbances that you indicate. If not completed in one sitting, the page can be left open until you return to it. If you wish to complete the survey verbally, please contact the survey coordinator (rebekah_lee@sfu.ca) to arrange a call.

Click here to start the survey, or save https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/SleepAfterSCI to start later.

For more information or to sign up to participate, please contact the study coordinator Rebekah Lee by email at rebekah_lee@sfu.ca or call (778) 892-8560.

Sun Life Healthy You: Be a fan of your health

We launched the Sun Life Healthy You (SLHY) hub in 2023. We want to encourage Canadians to take charge of their health. We also want them to know that Sun Life is here as a partner that can help them live healthier lives. We built the SLHY hub as part of Sun Life’s ongoing multi-year partnership with the Toronto Raptors. It provides practical advice on the topics of goal setting, routine building, physical fitness, nutrition, and mental health.

Diabetes Coaching with Lumino Health Pharmacy

Lumino Health Pharmacy offers pharmacy services, provided by Pillway. In January 2024, they will begin offering diabetes coaching from a pharmacist to all plan members, free of charge!

Diabetes is a fast-growing chronic disease, and the cost of drugs to treat it is on the rise. Plan members with diabetes often experience other chronic diseases at the same time. Coaching with Lumino Health Pharmacy aims to help plan members follow their treatment and improve health outcomes.

About Lumino Health Pharmacy

Launched in July, Lumino Health Pharmacy is an optional service. There’s free delivery within Canada to help manage medication routines with confidence.

About the diabetes coaching program

To start a coaching session, plan members sign in to the Lumino Health Pharmacy mobile app or website.

Coaching will focus on lifestyle, diet, nutrition, mental health, health literacy and medication management.
On-going coaching is also available if needed.
The pharmacist can also coordinate with other health-care providers (if requested by the plan member). This includes general practitioners, specialists, and dietitians to best support plan members.

SunLife will launch diabetes coaching to plan members in January 2024. They send emails directly to targeted plan members who are actively claiming for diabetes-related medication(s). These emails will aim to raise awareness about the service and encourage them to use it. Standard exclusions will apply for plan member communications.

When plan members sign in to the my Sun Life mobile app or mysunlife.ca, they’ll receive messages about the program.

More details will follow about the coaching program in January, along with a preview of the plan member emails.

CLBC Reminder to get your flu and COVID-19 shots

Community Living BC encourages everyone who has yet to receive their COVID and flu shots this season, to kindly do so as soon as possible, ideally before the holiday season. COVID-19 remains a risk to the population (especially for those who are unvaccinated) and influenza cases are rising.

Priority to receive the COVID-19 vaccination is given to all individuals supported by CLBC. Invitations for this season’s vaccinations have been sent through email or text to everyone who has registered for a COVID vaccination in the past. It is possible to book both vaccinations in the same appointment! These vaccinations are free and available at pharmacies, health care authority clinics, and some primary care provider’s offices.

You can book your appointment through the Get Vaccinated System.

If you need help booking your appointment, you can call 1-833-838-2323. This number is open 7 days a week from 7am – 7pm and 9am – 5pm on statutory holidays.

Click here for BC’s fall respiratory illness immunization campaign

For those receiving benefits with Spectrum, we offer our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) to provide 24/7 confidential support to our employees. If you are not currently receiving group benefits but are in need of support, please reach out to your supervisor or Human Resources at hr@spectrumsociety.org so we can provide you with accessible options of support. For immediate access to set up assistance, you can click here: Lumino VC (dialogue.co) OR download the app directly onto your smart device by going to the App Store and searching Lumino Health Virtual Care. The graphic is as follows and you will need your benefit group number and Access ID to set it up:

When accessing EAP via the app is not possible:

Plan members can get access to immediate help through their EAP by calling 1-844-342-3327. A Member Service Specialist will assess your needs and coordinate care with the appropriate resources.

Plan members are also able to access the EAP through the app or online.

If you or your dependents are having trouble using the app or website and need help accessing your account, they can:

contact Dialogue by emailing sunlife-support@dialogue.co Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
visit help.dialogue.co and use the chat feature for assistance, for after hours and weekend support.

For questions regarding benefits plan information, you can

contact hr@spectrumsociety.org

*Applies to all Lumino Health Virtual Care products – Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Primary Care, Stress Management & Well-Being

Spectrum recognizes that our teams do an incredible job of supporting people in our services. The work that each of you do is valuable and at times, difficult. Please do honor what your body/mind may be communicating. If you feel increased stress or grief, please pay attention to those signals and reach out to the EAP or us for resources of support.

Come Join the Health & Safety Committee

Are you passionate about enhancing workplace health and safety? Spectrum has a great opportunity for you to share your unique experiences and opinions as a part of the Health and Safety Committee.

Spectrum’s Health and Safety Committee are on a mission to fix and build our membership. The committee consists of Community Support Workers, Managers, and Human Resources personnel. The main purpose of the Health and Safety committee is to ensure we meet WorkSafeBC standards and that every employee and people we support know that their safety is a priority.

Some Roles and Responsibilities of Committee Members are:

To review all workplace reports of injuries and illness
Review reports of unsafe working conditions
Develop and review safety plans and protocols
Review training opportunities for staff
Ensure our Policies & Procedures align with WSBC regulations

You might be thinking that this sounds like a big commitment with an already busy schedule. However, we meet just once a month for a couple hours and you are paid for your time. Additionally, you also receive 8 hours of paid Health and Safety training each year.

This is a great opportunity to contribute to Health and Safety at Spectrum, diversify your skills, as well as connect with fellow Spectrum staff.

If you are interested in this opportunity, or want to know more information, please email Safety@spectrumsociety.org or speak to your manager.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Your Health & Safety Committee

Is there anyone you know that is looking for meaningful work?

If you have a friend, family member or meet someone in the community that is interested in joining the team and you refer them to Spectrum, you could be eligible for a referral bonus!

If the person referred is hired and maintains at least 6 months of consistent employment with Spectrum, we will award a $250 Referral Bonus.

*for more information on the program, please email hr@spectrumsociety.org

We thank you for bringing us quality applicants/employees!

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