Pathways Abilities Society
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Mission Statement
Pathways Abilities Society is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing services to people with diverse-abilities in Kelowna and surrounding areas since 1953. The organization was created by a group of committed parents, teachers and doctors who wanted to ensure children with developmental disabilities received an education. Since our initial inception, the society has evolved to meet the ever-changing needs of the consumers and the community. The society’s mission is “to assist people with diverse-abilities to reach their individual goals and contribute as equal members of community”. Our vision is of “welcome…building communities that support and value the diverse-abilities of all people”. Pathways defines its roles using 3 distinct pillars – We Embrace, We Empower and We Employ. Every person with a diverse-ability is on his or her own pathway. Our job is to walk with them and provide the support they need to achieve their goals and lead fulfilling and independent lives .
About This Cause
Pathways is governed by a volunteer board of directors with 8 members currently serving. Pathways employs over 125 full and part time staff, with almost half being adults with diverse-abilities. We use the term diverse-ability instead of developmental disability or disability because people with “developmental disabilities” prefer the term. Disabled implies someone without abilities, people with diverse- abilities are just that, people who’s abilities are diverse. Pathways currently serves over 200 people, their families and caregivers in Activity Services, Integrated Career Opportunities (ICO), Social Ventures, Individualized Funding, Residential and Home Share. The Activity Service provides opportunities for individuals to develop skills and abilities that promote self-esteem and independence through productive meaningful activities in recreation, leisure, retirement, volunteerism, employment and skill development. Through our Activity Service, Pathways staff supported 90 people with diverse-abilities to volunteer thousands of hours in the community through the following organizations Bibles for Mission Thrift Store, Compassionate Canada, Gifts For Grandmas, Mountainview, Humane Society, SPCA, Spring Valley Care Center, Trinity Baptist Church, Village at Mill Creek, Westbank Child Development Center, Easy Breeze Acres, Meals On Wheels, Woman’s Haven, TRACS, White Heather Manor, MCC Thrift Store, Pine Acres, Freedom’s Door, Bethesda, Assisting Animal Societies, Hands in Service, St. Joseph’s Hot lunch program, Adopt-A-Road and The Yoga House Society. Through Activity Service social recreation individuals participate in various community events including the Art Gallery, sleigh rides, playing billiards and darts, bowling, monthly birthday dinners, the always popular dinner and a movie, boat cruises, the IPE Exhibition, car shows, car races, crafts, baking, karaoke, Falcons Baseball, Rockets and Warriors hockey games, concerts at community theatres, Cirque du Soliel, the Living Nativity, Kettle Valley Train, the Kangaroo Farm, OK Sun Football, Oyama Fun Day, Planet Bee, Penticton Highland Games, Roller Derby, Parks Alive, the Symphony, UBCO Basketball, Scandia, walks on the Green Way and other parks. The employment service, Integrated Career Opportunities (ICO), provides opportunities for paid work by providing employment supports for individuals to find, secure and maintain employment. The service offer assessments, education, planning, skill development, support, on-site training, job coaching, the development of natural supports, monitoring, follow up and job retention. People with diverse-abilities were or are employed with our current employment partners, Advance Precast LTD, Aramark Canada, Arby’s, BC Fruit Growers Association, BC Housing, Boston Pizza, Buckerfields, BC Cancer Agency, Kelowna Capital News, Century 21 Assurance Realty Ltd, Choices Market, City of Kelowna Glenmore Landfill, Cooper Medical Supplies, Corwest Builders, David and Marie Brown, Fenders Automotive Center, Freddy’s Brewpub, Glenpark, The Home Depot, Kelowna Curling Club, Kelowna Green Clean Ltd, Kelowna Motors Ltd, Kelowna Kia, Motortoyz, National Automotive, OK Tire, Okanagan Gymnastics Center, Papa John’s, Paynter’s Fruit Market, Petro-Canada, Safeway, Seniors Outreach and Resource Center, Septen Financial LTD., Shell Canada, BC SPCA Kelowna Branch, Sun-Rype, Tim Hortons, Tree Brewing, the Uptown Rutland Business Association and Wendy’s. The Social Ventures service provides employment opportunities for individuals who have significant barriers to employment and/or require a work experience. Pathways contracts with community employers and individuals work under the supervision and support of Pathways for either part of or their entire shift or require on-going periodic monitoring. Services are provided typically in a group and offer assessments, education, planning, skill development, support, on-site training, job coaching, the development of natural supports, monitoring and follow up. Through Social Ventures, seasonally we also operate a yard and landscaping crew. We have long standing (15 plus years) relationships with Okanagan College and University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) (the two were formerly one), Columbia Bottle Depot and the City of Kelowna. We are contracted to provide their recycling services which enables Pathways to employ 37 people with disabilities. We have managed the City of Kelowna’s lost and stolen bike program for over 20 years and operate BikeWays. Bikes not reclaimed and or donated to the society are fixed and sold to the general public at a reduced cost, creating employment opportunities for the people we serve. The Individualized Funding service enables individuals and their families to specifically direct and create the support the individual requires. The service is directed by the person with direct funding, their family and/or support network. We currently support fifteen individuals to do what is specifically outlined in their respective contracts. The Residential service provides safe, respectful, healthy support to assist individuals to live interdependently and/or receive residential support in a manner that reflects their lifestyle choices. Services help individuals develop knowledge and skills in communications, personal and civic responsibility, safety, self-help, domestic, health, wellness, hygiene, recreation, leisure, socialization, life skills and community participation. Pathways supports eight individuals to live in two separate homes in the community. Five individuals live in a converted duplex close to Okanagan College and three individuals reside in a home in the mission area. Pathways administers 18 apartment subsidies in partnership with BC Housing. Apartment subsidies enable individuals with limited incomes to live in market rental units at a reduced cost. Pathways supports 48 people with diverse-abilities to reside in supported home shares throughout our community. The society receives a majority of it’s funding from contracts. Contracts and grants only allow us to directly serve individuals not the MUCH needed extras. We also receive charitable donations from the community, our membership and BC Gaming. We often have to reach out to our partners and donors to help!