Community Living Society: Who We Are

	Who We Are The Community Living Society was incorporated on January 16, 1978 as a voluntary non-profit organization. Initially the Society was established as an independent planning agency to facilitate the movement of individuals from institutional to community living.

The community living services pioneered and developed by the CLS over the years are oriented toward nurturing each individual's growth potential to lead a free and dignified life in an integrated community environment. This is achieved by CLS employees being accountable to the individuals they serve. In this way the individuals are given the support and opportunity to choose their activities. Today, the CLS provides both residential and vocational (day program) services to a wide variety of people with disabilities in the Vancouver Lower Mainland of British Columbia. We are an experienced organization with an infrastructure and philosophy that allows us the opportunity to balance the advantages of a large society with those of a smaller one. This includes experience, contacts, pool of staff, multiple resources with services designed specifically for each individual, hands-on management style and effective monitoring. This service philosophy gives the Community Living Society the opportunity to be a leader in providing innovative, quality residential and vocational services, which allow people to reach their greatest potential. Our Strategic Plan Our Mission The Community Living Society works collaboratively to offer personalized, flexible home and community opportunities, respecting the uniqueness of the person with a disability, families and networks. Our vision Communities where every person lives with dignity and enjoys a full life. Our Values We honour our past as we create the future. We nurture hopes and dreams. We promote a sense of purpose and belonging for everyone. We respect and appreciate each person for who they are and the choices they make. We create an environment of trust and commitment through listening and valuing individual contributions. We are progressive and grow through our creativity, innovation and continuous learning. We believe that healthy relationships are essential for our collective success. We have the courage to take risks and challenge ourselves and each other. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and are openly accountable for our actions. We celebrate and have fun! What We Do The Community Living Society serves men and women by offering supports which supplement/complement those already in the community. This begins with the process of identifying their aspirations and preferences. We build from their strengths. We identify environments for living, working, education and recreation which will best achieve their goals. We tailor our supports to best ensure success for the individual. Our service provision is continually modified in light of the individual's changing needs and aspirations. There are key themes that guide us as a service provider. We believe relationships are the centre of all human development. We therefore foster relationships which affectively unite people and in which they discover value and enjoyment. We believe that every person needs a place for living and working guided by freedom and choice to the greatest degree possible. To ensure the most success for the individual, we support creative living and working environments. We move from a view of community living as housing, management, and programmed work to a broader definition of a community which is inclusive and embraces diversity. The goal of the CLS and its employees is to support individuals in a way of life that is responsibly independent and effectively interdependent; thereby, fostering the self-empowerment of all people into a meaningful life in community with others.