Cowichan Valley seniors may soon have access to co-operatively-run seniors’ housing and support services.
The BC Co-operative Association is launching a program, funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Vancouver Foundation, to support the development of elder co-ops across Canada, states a press release issued by Rick Juliusson on behalf of Cowichan Co-operative Connections (CCC).
The project is aimed at supporting housing co-ops, co-operatively-run residential care facilities, and co-ops providing aging-in-place and foster care services. Called “Caring Co-operatively,” the project will provide development funding of up to $20,000 for pilot co-op projects, designed and directed by seniors, senior organizations and communities.
“In the hopes that Cowichan can be one of the selected sites for this project, CCC is hosting a meeting for all Cowichan seniors and support agencies to discuss what type of model would best address our needs in the valley,” states the press release.
Seniors and stakeholders are invited to share their input at a public meeting scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4 at St. John’s Anglican Church — at First and Jubilee in Duncan — from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Prior to a discussion period, project co-ordinator Kevin Harding is scheduled to outline how the project will aim to “empower seniors to work together on the provision of services that they need, and that they design.”
For more information on the community meeting, contact Rick Juliusson at rick@freerangeconsulting.ca or visit cowichan.coop/events.
