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Scholarship to help adults with developmental disabilities get work

The B.C. government has teamed up with a major public sector union to help people with developmental disabilities get skills training and improve their job prospects. Community Living B.C. and the B.C.

The B.C. government has teamed up with a major public sector union to help people with developmental disabilities get skills training and improve their job prospects.

Community Living B.C. and the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union joined forces to create a new $100,000 scholarship fund.

Beginning in January, people who receive services from CLBC anywhere in the province will be able to apply for scholarships of up to $2,500.

“Many of the people that we serve want jobs and this is a way that we can assist people with additional training so that they can become employable and participate more in community,” Doug Woollard, CLBC’s interim chief executive officer, said.

“If this made the difference for somebody being able to get a job, I think it would significantly add to the value in their life.”

The union first pitched the scholarship concept during contract talks last year, he said. “We thought it was a great idea and made it part of the collective agreement that was ratified between us.”

Charles Partridge, chairman of the union’s bargaining unit at CLBC, said the employees wanted to do something innovative to help people with developmental disabilities, many of whom have limited money.

“There are folks that could desperately use even a few hundred dollars or a few thousand dollars to take a course or do some training,” he said.

Partridge acknowledged that $100,000 is not a lot of money. “But it’s one of those things where it’s going to go a long way to help some folks out.”

A committee of union and CLBC representatives will review applications early next year and announce the winners in the spring.

Organizers hope to spread the $100,000 over five years, so about $20,000 will be handed out each year, Woollard said.

The money will be allocated equally by CLBC’s three regions:

• North/Interior

• Fraser

• Vancouver Coast/Island

Applications will be available on CLBC’s website, communitylivingbc.ca, or at local offices.

lkines@timescolonist.com