Cheshire Homes Society of British Columbia
Established in 1973, the Cheshire Homes Society of British Columbia is a not for profit charitable organization that provides specialized services to brain injured survivors. Our mission is to assist individuals with acquired brain injuries to achieve their optimal level of independence. We believe that personal freedom, quality of life, respect and dignity are critical components in achieving this goal for each individual that we serve.
The Cheshire Homes Society of British Columbia provides a variety of levels of post hospital based service that move survivors through a series of stages of residential and apartment based support, and eventually on to independent community living. Our Society works closely with a number of Government agencies that includes; Worksafe B.C., Workers Compensation Board of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Insurance Corporation of B.C., S.A.A.Q. (Quebec Insurance), Manitoba Auto Insurance and numerous Health Regions. Our Model of Service Delivery entitled “Steps to Independence” has a proven track record of successfully re-integrating survivors back into the community. We were recently awarded a residential award for best practise by Fraser Health, as well as recognition in London England for developing our unique model of service delivery. One step in the rehabilitative process is our Shared and Tennant Support programs. These programs have gained considerable local, National and International recognition. This past winter we were contacted by Ottawa City Planners to discuss how they could incorporate this model in Ottawa in order to ease the homelessness crisis. The Cheshire Homes Society of British Columbia is governed by a Board of Directors and is managed by professional rehabilitation staff. The Cheshire Homes Society of British Columbia has successfully reintegrated and repatriated hundreds of survivors back into their home communities in British Columbia, and across Canada over the past several decades.
The Cheshire Homes Society of British Columbia is a partner of C.I.D.A. The Society is also part of a Global Alliance of services for people with disabilities in 53 countries. Leonard Cheshire Disability (based in the United Kingdom) has been the catalyst for the alliance for the past 60 years. Leonard Cheshire Disability was founded by Group Captain Leonard Cheshire who, in 1948 established the first Cheshire Homes for disabled veterans near London England. Lord Cheshire’s belief was that all disabled people should have the maximum opportunity to determine every aspect of their own lives. Since his death in 1992 services have continued to grow and flourish under his guiding principles.
Throughout the world Leonard Cheshire Disability supports 250 independently managed disability organisations that strengthen existing community services as well as initiate and manage innovative and effective new programmes. As consultants to the United Nations we also move the issue of disability higher up the worlds political and development agendas.
In Canada our services span four Provinces via 18 separate not for profit charitable organizations. Each Society provides offers services to the disabled that include such supports such as independent living assistance for disabled seniors, services for developmental and autistic individuals, life skills support for brain injured survivors, visual and hearing impaired, provision of unique living opportunities for persons with physical disabilities and a host of other disability groups. In most cases our services were developed decades ago to fill a particular void in the disability community, for example; In Willowdale Ontario the Rotary Cheshire Homes manage the Helen Keller Center, the first program in Canada for the deaf blind.
Cheshire programs continue to strive for excellence as they provide unique services across Canada for persons with disabilities.
