Developing relationships, deepening bonds, living good and full lives. That’s how posAbilities, a Burnaby-based support service agency, defines Shared Living with persons who have developmental disabilities.For posAbilities, this service is much more than simply providing a safe and caring place to stay when someone is matched with a family or individual in the community who will care for them. It’s a link between people that can extend further.

Way back in the distant past of 2009, in the far away land of Madison, Wisconsin, I took my first job in a group home. I had completed my bachelor’s in psychology and as common with many bachelor's degrees, there wasn’t a job waiting for me when I graduated. That’s when I decided to take the plunge into Community Living.

Loneliness is something everyone experiences at some point in their lives. In the city of Vancouver specifically, there is a growing sense of social isolation from our communities. In fact, a Province Poll conducted in 2018 found that over 75% of participants have felt socially isolated in Vancouver. We live in an often challenging place to make friends, and many individuals may find themselves alone more often than they would like to be. Among other groups, people living with developmental disabilities are more vulnerable to being excluded than others.

We’ve partnered with Vancity, BACI and FamilyWORKs to bring you four new person-centered workshop events in venues across Burnaby. This March and April, we welcome our persons served, families and caregivers to learn a variety of hands-on skills to help empower you to be engaged and in control of your successful future!

The excitement that flowed through the air at this year’s 5th annual Growth Bash awards ceremony was in one word, electric! Hosted by Kudoz on February 7th from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm at the big and beautiful Vancouver Convention Centre, Growth Bash honoured 60 community members living with and without developmental disabilities for their ongoing contributions to lifelong learning, self-discovery, and personal growth.