Team News

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

SCI BC – Online Games Night!

Make staying inside fun! Hang out with SCI BC peer Nicole for a night of games! Choose an old favourite, or venture into the unknown and learn a new one. Join in, connect, play and have a great time!

You’ll need to register for a free account from Board Game Arena https://www.boardgamearena.com/ beforehand to be ready to play.

How to Connect to Zoom:

From your browser: https://zoom.us/j/83870102526
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: 838 7010 2526
Dial-in on a landline (telephone): call +1 778 907 2071 Canada (the local number for BC), and enter the Meeting ID when prompted: 838 7010 2526
If not in BC, find your local number here: zoom.us/u/acMz0fXoVA

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

WHEN: Friday, August 16th | 7:30PM – 9:30PM

WHERE: Online! (Zoom details above)

COST: FREE

Real Talk – CQC at New Westminster Pride

Connecting Queer Communities (CQC) will be finishing out celebration of the 2024 Pride Season by boothing at the New Westminster Pride Festival on Saturday, August 17th.

We’ll start by meeting at 11:00am as a group at the Safeway parking lot at Broadway & Commercial.

Once we’ve all gathered together, we’ll take the Skytrain to Columbia Skytrain station, where we’ll head over to see John at the CQC booth, and then look at all the other Pride tables and vendors.

There will be many booths, vendors, food trucks, sunshine, and entertainment. Wear your CQC t-shirt if you have one, and register your spot to join us! Also be sure to wear sunscreen! We’re asking folks to bring money for transit to meet us at Broadway & Commercial Skytrain Station, and some money for food if you want to eat or drink while we’re at the Festival.

If you need help getting to our meet up spot at the Safeway Parking Lot at Broadway & Commercial, or you need ASL interpretation, email kelsey@real-talk.org.

WHEN: Saturday, August 17th at 11:00AM

WHERE: Meet in front of Metrotown Skytrain Station (click for Google Maps link)

WHAT TO BRING: Skytrain fare, money for food or drinks if you want some, sunscreen, and your CQC t-shirt if you have one!

Any questions, email kelsey@real-talk.org.

Click here to register!

Made in the 604 – Summer Pop Up Market

Who’s ready for a pop-up market filled with fun, food, and fantastic finds?

Join us at the Heritage Hall on August 18th for our @madeinthe604 Pop-Up Market extravaganza! With 45 local businesses showcasing their coolest stuff, delicious bites from food trucks, and tunes to keep the smiles rolling, it’s the ultimate hangout spot!

Dog friendly venue!

BONUS: the first 25 people in line get market money to spend at the market at any vendor booth! Grab a friend and line up early!

WHERE: The Heritage Hall – 3102 Main St, Vancouver

WHEN: Sunday, August 18, 2024 | 11:00AM – 5:00PM

COST: FREE ADMISSION! Click here to register.

What is happening in Vancouver in August?

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

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

Collingwood Neighbourhood House – Community Lunch Menu for August

Join us every Tuesday and Thursday for an affordable three-course meal at our Multipurpose Room (5288 Joyce Street) for only $7-8 from 12:15-1:30pm.

Buy your tickets at Collingwood Neighbourhood House reception!

For questions, email Susanna Chu at schu@cnh.bc.ca or call 604-435-0375.

Tuesday, August 13, 2024 North African peanut soup, pulled chicken or jackfruit sandwich, salad, lemon raspberry thumbprint cookie

Thursday, August 15, 2024 Turkey or veggie meatballs pesto pasta, salad, bread pudding

Tuesday, August 20, 2024 French onion soup, ham or veggie summer sandwich, salad, chocolate orange muffin

Thursday, August 22, 2024 Meatloaf or lentil loaf with mashed veggies, salad, berry cake

Tuesday, August 27, 2024 Summer harvest soup, chicken or veggie quesadilla, salad, chocolate ginger cookie

Thursday, August 29, 2024 Chicken or tofu Thai yellow curry with rice, salad, jello with coconut milk

[ID: logo of Collingwood Neighbourhood House.]

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, August 16th | 12:00PM – 1:00PM

Click Here to Find Your Market!

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

BC Hydro – Free Portable Air Conditioners

Available for income qualified households and individuals referred by regional health authority programs.

If you live in an income-qualified household and/or have received a recommendation letter from your regional health authority’s Home Care Program you may be eligible for a free portable air conditioner (AC).

This program is available year-round. If you apply during the winter and fall, you’ll have your evaluation completed and receive your unit sooner than during warmer months. Homeowners can also choose to self-install their units, which may help in receiving a unit quicker, during the summer.

This offer includes:

One portable AC unit: Portable units are on wheels and are installed by connecting a flexible duct hose through an open window. They’re plugged into a standard wall electrical outlet.
A one-time installation: You’re responsible for ongoing maintenance, take-down and reinstallation. If you own your home, you can opt to self-install your unit.

A portable AC unit is ideal for small, closed-in areas, like a bedroom. It can help create a safe cooling space during extreme heat events during the day and at night. For more information on how to prepare for heat events, see guidance from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

How to apply:

Review the eligibility criteria to make sure you qualify.
If you rent your home, you’ll need to get your landlord’s consent. Complete the landlord consent form [PDF, 1.7 MB].
Apply online for your free portable AC unit.
After you apply, our team will reach out to you within a few weeks to let you know if your application is approved.*
Approved applications will then be forwarded to our contractors. Our contractor will contact you within one to two weeks to schedule a visit to your home.
Customers who own their homes can choose to self-install their units or have the AC installed for you.

There are no fees or shipping costs.

* Please note that air conditioning units are available on a first come, first served basis amongst qualified applicants subject to funding.

BC Hydro – Customer Crisis Fund

If you’re a residential customer experiencing a temporary financial crisis, such as a loss of employment or benefit income, unanticipated medical expenses, or a death in the family and you’ve fallen behind on your BC Hydro bill, you may be eligible for a grant payment to avoid disconnection of your service.

Eligibility for a grant

To receive a grant from the Customer Crisis Fund, you need to meet a few criteria:

Be a residential account holder.
Be applying for a grant for your primary residence account.
Your account must have payments overdue by at least 21 days or be facing disconnection. You can apply as early as when you have a balance owing on your account, but your application will be on hold until your payment is 21 days overdue or your account is facing disconnection.
You must have experienced a life event, within the last 12 months, that caused a temporary financial crisis.
Have an outstanding balance of $1,000 or less, and have demonstrated some attempt to make payments towards your bill.

You may receive one grant per account holder annually (one per year). If a grant application is denied and your circumstances change, you can apply again in the same year.

Click here for more information and how to apply!

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, August 14th, 2024 | 7:00PM – 8:30PM

Next Level 2 Webinar: Tuesday, August 20th, 2024 | 10:00AM – 11:45AM

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, August 15th, 2024 | 10:00AM – 11:15AM

Click here to register and for more information

HEALTH & SAFETY

Reporting Unsafe Working Conditions and the Importance of a Safe Work Environment

[ID: a diamond shaped yellow sign with black text that reads: SAFETY FIRST.]

Importance of a Safe Work Environment

A safe work environment is crucial for the well-being of all employees and people supported. It not only ensures the physical safety of everyone but also fosters a positive and supportive workplace culture. A safe workplace minimizes the risk of accidents, injuries, and illnesses.

Reporting Unsafe Working Conditions

Employees play a vital role in maintaining a safe work environment. If you observe any unsafe conditions or practices, it is essential to report them immediately. To report an issue, you can complete Spectrum’s Unsafe Working Conditions Report form, available on the Health and Safety webpage: https://www.spectrumsociety.org/human-resources/health-safety-committee/

We appreciate that you care about your co-workers and the people we support; we will never discriminate against you for completing an unsafe working conditions report.

Why Reporting is Crucial

Reporting unsafe conditions helps prevent accidents and injuries, protects everyone’s health, and ensures alignment with provincial safety regulations. Maintaining a safe work environment is a collective responsibility. By reporting unsafe conditions, you contribute to a safer and healthier workplace for all.

If you have any questions or need further guidance, please contact Human Resources: hr@spectrumsociety.org

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.

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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