The Ministry of Social Development is pleased to announce that Milieu Family Services and InclusionWorks! are winners of $15,000 each in investment funding for their ideas that will bring real, positive change for people with developmental disabilities in B.C.

The ministry partnered with BC Ideas on two online competitions to find innovative ways to increase inclusion and decision-making for people with developmental disabilities, so they can live more fully in their communities.

Milieu Family Services is being awarded $15,000 in investment funding for its community asset-mapping project in the cities of Surrey and Delta. This project will include people with developmental disabilities in decision-making by creating a map of all the people, places and things in their community that are important to them.

InclusionWorks! is being awarded $15,000 in investment funding to expand its innovative approach to creating inclusion for young adults with developmental disabilities. The organization was founded by a group of families in Victoria over two years ago.

The winners were selected out of nearly 70 entries based on their innovation in proposing new or different approaches, whether they have a sustainable, long-term vision for creating lasting change, and how measurable their social impacts are. A panel with representation from the Ministry of Social Development and Community Living BC (CLBC) selected the winning recipient in each competition from a short-list of 26 entries.

The ministry contributed the two $15,000 investments to help today's winning recipients bring forward their ideas and effect positive change in the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families in B.C. The ministry had previously contributed $30,000 in seed funding to support BC Ideas and the people's choice awards also announced today.

This initiative supports the work being done to implement the 12 recommendations identified in the deputy minister's review of CLBC, released earlier this year, to improve supports and services for people with developmental disabilities and their families in B.C.

Quotes:

Parliamentary Secretary for Non-Profit Partnerships to the Minister of Social Development Gordon Hogg -

"This funding is great news for these two grassroots organizations, Milieu Family Services and InclusionWorks! With this funding, they will be able to bring their ideas to life, expand their work and make a positive difference in the lives of people with developmental disabilities."

"Thank you to everyone who submitted creative and thoughtful ideas during the BC Ideas competition. By supporting social innovation and the brilliant ideas that are out there, and partnering together, we can make a big impact in terms of offering solutions for people with developmental disabilities."

Minister of Social Development Moira Stilwell -

"I would like to recognize Parliamentary Secretary Gordon Hogg and the BC Social Innovation Council for the work they are doing to foster social innovation in B.C. It's a testament to their passion and commitment that collaboration, entrepreneurship and social innovation are thriving in our province."

Quick facts:

• BC Ideas is a collaborative online competition. It invited British Columbians to submit ideas and solutions to our complex social problems. It encourages a friendly 'competition' and rewards people with the resources to improve, perfect and spread their innovation around the province and beyond.
• B.C. is the first province in Canada to launch this kind of regionally focused, open-source initiative to drive local solutions.
• Powered by Ashoka, a global organization that identifies and invests in leading social entrepreneurs, BC Ideas offered investment funding for innovative solutions to some of the health, social and environmental challenges facing communities.
• Overall, BC Ideas attracted a total of 466 entries and offered $276,000 in investment funding for ideas and solutions that address a variety of social challenges.
• To support innovation in the province, the BC Social Innovation Council submitted an Action Plan to Maximize Social Innovation B.C. to the B.C. government March 31, 2012. Find the report online at: www.innovatebc.ca

Learn more:

To learn more about BC Ideas and the online competitions please visit: www.BCideas.ca

For regular updates on progress made to improve services to people with developmental disabilities, please visit: www.sd.gov.bc.ca/pwd/isst.html

Media Contact:

Melody Wey
Ministry of Social Development
250 508-5030