Entries by Brandi Beckett

Press Release: Community Foundations – Featuring Penticton Access Centre

Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund supports pandemic recovery of South Okanagan Similkameen organizations.   Penticton BC: Community service organizations in the South Okanagan Similkameen have received a boost to their pandemic recovery through the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund. The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen was responsible for delivering […]

Success Story: Community Advocacy

Written by Donna Ashcroft and Brittney Taylor, Oliver Community Advocates “Adrian was faced with mental and physical health issues & a housing crisis, and he contacted our outreach office at The Access Centre for support. The most urgent issue was a landlord dispute & legal advocacy to not lose his RV pad rental. Due to […]

Success Story: Family Law Program

Written by David Desautels, Family Law Advocate ** names have been changed to protect privacy** Maria is married to Floyd, and they have two boys under 12 years old. Maria and Floyd had a good marriage until Floyd became aggressive and started to act erratically. It came to a point where Maria no longer felt […]

Success Story: Poverty Law Program

Written by Keleah Strack – Poverty Law Advocate “We had a family who was served a 2-month eviction notice for landlord use of property. The landlord claimed that she needed the tenants to vacate because she wanted to move into the tenant’s rental property. The family scrambled to find a new place, put their belongings […]

Finding My Way in an Ableist Profession

Thanks to Disability Alliance Blog for this article: Finding My Way in an Ableist Profession by Salina Dewar   As an aspiring lawyer, my first hint of what lay ahead of me came at age 13. When I told classmates and teachers I wanted to be a lawyer to help people, almost all of them […]

New Increases for Shelter Rates

Thanks to Disability Alliance Blog for this information: The BC Budget for the 2023/2024 fiscal year was announced at the legislative assembly in Victoria on February 28, 2023. The Budget revealed that there would be an increase to the shelter rate for people on income assistance and disability assistance; an increase that has been long […]

Social Service or Survival?

By Keisha McLean, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE: Disability, Resource, Referral, Vulnerable Adult Outreach & Support     The Black Panther Party, during the Civil Rights Movement, coined the term “Survival Programs Pending the Revolution.” They recognized that what others may consider social service, are efforts that would not be needed should government and community systems work to […]

Overcoming barriers and improving access

A view of the Penticton and Area Access Centre’s offices For those in our communities who experience physical, social or economic barriers, accessing life-changing services can be a confusing and daunting task. The Penticton and Area Access Centre is working hard to change that, using the principles of action, awareness, advocacy and equity to help […]