British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) Awarded the 2013 British Columbia Medical Association’s Council on Health Promotion Award of Excellence
It is with great pleasure that the British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) announces that the Society has been selected as a recipient for the 2013 – British Columbia Medical Association’s (BCMA), 14th Annual Council on Health Promotion Award of Excellence within the Non-profit Sector.
The BCMA’s Council on Health Promotion Award of Excellence recognize individuals and organizations working to improve the health and safety of British Columbians by celebrating those who demonstrate leadership in health promotion. Nominations received by the BCMA are judged against the degree to which they promote the health and/or safety of people in British Columbia and demonstrate “health promotion” as defined by the World Health Organization.
BCANDS feels sincerely privileged for this honour and thanks the BCMA selection committee for their recognition of our services and our selection for this prestigious award.
The Board of Directors, senior management and staff of BCANDS would like to thank each of our funding and partner agencies, our communities and our clients for their support and collaboration over the years and to say that we look forward to our continued and expanded work together into the future.
For more information on the British Columbia Medical Association (BCMA) please visit their website at: www.bcma.org
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Who we are:
The British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society, or as more commonly known, BCANDS, is a provincial, not for profit, charitable Society serving the unique and diverse health, disability and informational needs of the First Nation and Aboriginal population of British Columbia. BCANDS is a “stand alone” organization and the only organization of its type in Canada.
Aboriginal persons in British Columbia and across Canada continue to deal with the generational effects that European contact has had on all aspects of our lives. It is well documented that the health status of Aboriginal people in British Columbia and Canada, is significantly lower than that of our non-Aboriginal population. Many Aboriginal communities are additionally affected by minimal economical and employment opportunities, community remoteness, limited community access to necessary disability, health and social services, their associated professionals, limited community amenities and so forth. Demands and expectations placed on Aboriginal communities and organizational leadership are high from their membership, with their membership identifying multiple priorities within the community or organization all of which compete for any available financial resources. Understanding this, leadership within Aboriginal communities and organizations across British Columbia are often forced to make difficult decisions in regard to programs, services and specific funding allocations made available. Due to these important and ever increasing community and organizational needs, specialized disability and support services may be minimal with only limited resources available to the membership, leaving the disabled individual, their family and support system(s) at times isolated and frustrated.
BCANDS may be able to help.
BCANDS provides a vast array of services to eligible clients and organizations, both within Aboriginal communities and in British Columbia’s urban and rural centres. If you are an Aboriginal person living with a disability, residing within the province of British Columbia, BCANDS may be able to assist you in your disability service needs.
“BCANDS wishes to respectfully acknowledge the traditional territory of the Coast Salish Nation of Esquimalt on which our main office is located. We further wish to acknowledge those organizations and communities across British Columbia, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, who assist us in our work.”