Officially launched at a July 12 open house at the Aegis building in New Westminster, the new resource centre provides a centralized and streamlined service for accessing tools and knowledge to enhance programming.

Librarian Alisa Levenstein, who commends team manager Gerry Fremming and director of administration Gina Rowan for creating the centre, says a wealth of materials is available at the site. They range from DVDs, games and flash cards to manuals on management skills and holding successful meetings which support staff in their positions.

The collection was assembled after items stored at various posAbilities programs throughout the Lower Mainland were pooled and sorted.

“There were resources scattered throughout the agency that weren’t necessarily being used as effectively as they could be,” Alisa says.

Outdated materials and items in poor condition have been weeded out, leaving a “very strong” core collection that utilizes current and appropriate language and reflects posAbilities’ mission, Alisa says.

“In terms of lending resources, we wanted staff to have a bar from which they were reaching,” she says.

The centralization process has also eliminated duplication and redundancy with materials. It has also raised awareness of the availability of resources.

“On one side, there’s enabling staff to take their programming one step further, and there’s a cost saving for the agency in not duplicating resources,” Alisa says.

“And we’re making sure there’s a quality of excellence within the resources that are contained,” she says.

Alisa can also share her knowledge and experience to help staff access resources and plan their programs.

She says response to the centre has been “amazing,” with staff calling and e-mailing inquiries, particularly for some new materials that have been purchased.

With resources now shared amongst all programs, Alisa sees the centre enhancing connections between staff.

They can discuss one another’s plans and share ideas to facilitate effective programming.

“The thought for me is that so many staff that weren’t aware of resources being available to them now are, and the relationships that are going to come as a result of that . . . in terms of knowledge of one another’s programming and how they deliver their programs because there’s not always a lot of time for that kind of shared information,” Alisa says.

Ultimately, she says, sharing ideas and tapping into resources by staff will lead to enriched programs for people supported by posAbilities.

The resource centre is to be staffed for two half-days a month, with an evaluation to come after three months.

A contest is underway to name the centre, with anyone welcome to submit their idea.

For more information on the centre, contact Gerry or e-mail [email protected].