Aspire Richmond

Inclusive Education Resources

  • Richmond School District – Equity and Inclusion
  • Transition to Adulthood – 
    • BC Children’s Hospital: Among the many services that BCCH has, is the support services for youth transitioning to adulthood. Please see here for detailed information. Transition to Adult Care
    • Transitions Timeline: A useful tool provided by findSupport BC, which provides families a visual timeline, highlighting what you could be applying for, and pursuing for your loved one with a disability.  findSupport BC Timeline
    • Service Supports – Access2Card: This card that allows free admission for an individual’s support worker at qualified venues in BC. Registration and a list of venues can be found here. Access2 – Easter Seals Canada Access 2 Entertainment Program (access2card.ca)
    • BC Disability: A website that provides information for families and self-advocates, on funding, education, employment, medical, recreation etc. BC Disability
    • Caya: Communication Assistance for Youth and Adults (CAYA) is a province-wide service program that supports adults aged 19 years and older who require an augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) system due to a severe communication disability, i.e. speech that is not functional for daily communication. The goal of CAYA is to ensure that eligible individuals have access to communication tools and professional support to enable them to create an adult life to the best of their abilities. CAYA BC – Communication Assistance for Youth and Adults
    • City of Richmond Disability Programs: Different options for those living with a disability. City of Richmond BC – Specialized Opportunities
    • Developmental Disabilities Association (DDA): Angela Gagne from DDA is someone who supports families register for PWD benefits once they turn 17.5 years old. She also helps families with Representation Agreements, which can only be made after an individual turns 19. Her contact information is PH: 604 3-1 2818 l email: agagne@develop.bc.ca
    • Disability Alliance BC: A non-profit organization in Vancouver that provides various supports to families and people with a disability. Supports include applying for benefits, disability law clinic, workshops and more. DABC
    • Disability Tax Credit (DTC):  A non-refundable tax credit that helps individuals with disabilities and / or their family member, reduce the amount of income tax they may have to pay. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/indiv
    • HandyDart: Is a door-to-door shared ride service for people who are unable to navigate conventional public transit without assistance. An application must be filled out by the family and signed by an authorized representative (see form). The cost is $2.50 if using a blue compass card, or $3.15 cash. You can book for a whole week at once (this must be done by 4 pm, Friday, the week before). Once there is a month or two of consistent ride pattern (etc., Monday-Friday) the family can apply for the “Subscription” which means they will no longer have to call – unless it is to cancel a trip. Subscription can take 10-15 weeks to implement. HandyDART
    • Nidus: An agency that helps families with personal planning, specifically Representation Agreements (RAs). RAs can only be made once an individual turns 19 or older. It is a legally enforceable document and is used in the case of incapacity, end of life, and in other support situations. There are two types of Ras; and RA7 or an RA9. Representation Agreement Forms Nidus: https://nidus.ca/
    • Persons With Disabilities (PWD): A monthly benefit paid to individuals / families who have a disability. Application for PWD can start at age 17.5, the benefit starts at age 18. This benefit also provides an option for a reduced priced transit pass, along with some medical benefits. Individuals who qualify for CLBC are able to apply for PWD through the ‘Simplified Application Process” found at Disability Assistance – Simplified application process
    • Recreation Access Card: A card that provides 50% discount to most drop-in leisure activities in the City of Richmond. City of Richmond BC – Recreation Access Card
    • Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP): Only accessible if the individual has a registered Disability Tax Credit. The RDSP is a long-term savings plan to help people with disabilities save for their future. Once registered, you may also receive grants and bonds from the government of Canada to help with long-term savings. Registered Disability Savings Plan
    • Support worker Central: A website where you can find / become a support / respite worker. Support Worker Central
  • Community Resources
    • Autism Community Training: Website providing information and resources to individuals living with autism and or an intellectual disability. ACT – Autism Community Training | Knowledge that Makes a Difference (actcommunity.ca)
    • Canucks Autism Network: Offers a large range of opportunities for young children, youth, and adults. These supports range from programming, training, and accessibility consultation. Canucks Autism I Programs I Training and Consulting I Adult Programming
    • Family Support Institute: A provincial not for profit society committed to supporting families who have a family member with a disability at no cost. FSI is the only grass roots family-to-family organization with a broad volunteer base. Family Support BC I Calendar I Family Support
    • findSupport BC: Connects individuals with disabilities to different resources based on their age, disability, region, and city. Find Support BC
    • Inclusion BC: A federation of members that work together to build inclusive communities. They are a connection point between people in the community experiencing barriers to inclusion and government decision-makers. IBC I Inclusive Education
    • Plan Institute: Plan Institute is a national non-profit organization that supports people with disabilities and their families through innovations, education, and leadership. Plan provides educational material and resources, collaborates on community-based projects, and engages with a wide array of partners to host innovative initiatives for change and policy reform.
    • Richmond Centre for Disability: Empowers people of all abilities by offering a wide variety of resources, projects, and activities that assist people with disabilities to achieve greater control over the decisions that affect their lives and to achieve the goal of living more independently. Richmond Centre for Disability (rcdrichmond.org)
  • Counseling and Mental Health
    • Chimo Community Services: An agency that provides free counseling/support groups to specific situations (i.e., Crisis & Suicide intervention, Parent Education Program, i.e.) Also provides other community services. Chimo
    • Developmental Disabilities Mental Health Services: Provides specialized mental health community services for ages 12 and over who live with co-existing developmental disabilities and a mental illness. A referral can be made by your local CLBC facilitator or a General Practitioner. This service is only available to CLBC individuals who are on the DD eligibility stream, not PSI. Developmental disabilities mental health services – Fraser Health Authority
    • Foundry Richmond: An agency that provides a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible place for young people between the ages of 12-24. Provides free integrated health services to those in need. Foundry
    • Richmond Mental Health: Provides mental health and substance use support to individuals and families through Richmond General Hospital. You can call 604-204-1111 or find their website here Mental Health and Substance Use
    • Touchstone Family Association: A non-profit community based social service agency that is primarily focused on preserving and enhancing family relationships. Also has the “Front Porch Program” which is barrier free counselling and free. Programs and Services (touchstonefamily.ca)
  • Online Resources
    • Curiko: An online platform that creates and connects people to meaningful. experiences and meet-ups in the community. Curiko | 100s of splendid experiences
    • Kudoz: Is an experience-based platform connecting people with and without disabilities to things to do together. Locals host one-hour experiences, anything from podcasting to learning Korean.  Youth and adults with cognitive disabilities search the platform and book experiences to try.  It is free and there is no wait list.  Kudoz
    • Real Talk: An online group that provides free, accessible sexual health education to those living with a disability. sex disability conversations – Real Talk (real-talk.org)

(Resource list compiled by the Aspire Inclusive Education Committee with the support of Ben Sharpe – CLBC Facilitator – Richmond)