The BC Chapter Board feels strongly that we, as a chapter, maintain our profile within the deafblind community through maintenance of relationships with other deafblind and service groups. To that end, we are actively involved with the Deafblind Council of BC and the Council of Service Providers, and continue to be extremely active in National CDBRA activities.
Deafblind Council of BC
The CDBRA-BC are the founders of the Deafblind Council of BC and continue to be active participants. This group meets biannually to discuss the varied needs of the deafblind community and to advocate for those needs. Participating in the council are the BC Association of the Deafblind (BCADB), Provincial Outreach Program for Students with Deafblindness (POPDB), Deafblind Services Society (DSS), ourselves (CDBRA-BC) and the Provincial Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Past initiatives have included the Beyond Helen Keller program. Upcoming initiatives include Deafblind Awareness Week, further advocacy, and Council expansion.
Council of Service Providers
The Council of Service Providers is a group of organization whose members serve the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deafblind people of British Columbia. Through the sharing of information and expertise, this group strives to improve services, to engage in advocacy and public education, to develop best practices, to collect data and to inform public policy and legislation. The CDBRA-BC have been members of this group since its inception.
CDBRA National Involvement
Through the ongoing dynamic participation of our Board President Wylie Bystedt, and the recent addition of our new Executive Director Erin Jeffery, the BC Chapter is active in several committees within CDBRA National including Legislative Services, Communications and the National Conference. As a chapter with the second largest membership base, it is essential that we look out for the needs of the BC members in addition to providing guidance to the smaller chapters.