Osanis Inclusion Services Inc.

Mental Health and Preparing for the Transition to Post Secondary
2025-06-11 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
After high school, post-secondary education for our youth can be exciting but also stressful if they have struggled with their mental health. You’re not alone. Discover some ways we can prepare our youth for school and support their mental health and independence while they are at school.
Learn from Dawn Schell from the University of Victoria, Melissa Feddersen from the University of British Columbia (Okanagan) and Victoria Keddis, a parent with lived experience.
Join us to watch a video presentation together and stay for a facilitated conversation by our Family Peer Support Workers.
6:30pm-8:00pm Pacific Time (most of British Columbia)
7:30pm-9:00pm Mountain Time (Alberta)
These events are funded for parents and caregivers living in the Province of British Columbia and for CASA families in Alberta. If you are from another province or territory, or live outside of Canada, we welcome you to visit our video library at www.familysmart.ca/videos and use our resources. Thank you.

Register

Brew for a Cause
2025-06-11 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | Parent Support Services of BC, Dublin Crossing Vancouver 466 SW Marine Dr, BC, Canada
A Pubnight Fundraiser!

Join us for our Pub Night Fundraiser and enjoy a fun-filled evening of food, drinks, trivia, prizes, and good company, all for a great cause!
This pub night fundraiser is raising money to keep our Parenting Support Groups running. These groups are essential spaces where parents and caregivers find the guidance, connection, and resources they need to navigate parenthood.
Your contributions will help cover the costs for snacks, venue rentals, transportation, child care and guest speakers for our support groups.
Don’t miss out! Get your tickets today to reserve your spot!
Your ticket includes:
✅ One burger (beef, chicken, or Beyond Meat) with fries
✅ One drink (local draft beer, house wine, hi-ball, juice, soda, tea, or coffee)
*Trivia entry sold separately.

Wed, June 11, 2025
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Dublin Crossing Vancouver
466 SW Marine Dr, Vancouver, BC

Tickets $30 each
(or 4 tickets for $100)

Get Tickets!

Decolonizing Neurodivergence and Autism
2025-06-11 09:30 - 15:30 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
Presented by Len Pierre and Allison Balfour
This full-day, strengths-based training offers a practical and culturally grounded introduction to Autism and Neurodivergence (e.g., Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder, learning differences) for those working in or alongside Indigenous communities.
Grounded in the belief that all minds are sacred, this course emphasizes respectful, relationship-based ways of supporting Autistic and otherwise Neurodivergent children, youth, and adults.
Read more about it here

Fed Family Chat
2025-06-10 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
This virtual event is an opportunity to hang out with other youth in and from care and have fun. Together we can shape how we want to spend our time together.
This Fed Family Chat will be taking place on
Tues, June 10 from 7-8PM.

Sign Up for Fed Family Chat

We are so excited to share space and connect with you!

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) by MHRP
2025-06-10 13:30 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | MHRPI SI Boardroom, 941 Kings Rd, Victoria, BC, V8T1W7, Canada
Mental Health Recovery Partners South Island will be facilitating another Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). There is no fee to participate.
WRAP is an evidence-based personal relapse prevention plan that supports participants with developing their own personal wellness plan. In this workshop participants will learn about wellness tools and create action plans to put them into practice in their everyday life. Participants learn how to maintain their wellness by recognizing stressors and early warning signs and by developing coping strategies including having a crisis plan. This workshop is offered several times a year and is co-facilitated by two trained WRAP facilitators.
The next WRAP will be held in-person for six Tuesdays from 1:30pm-4pm at MHRP SI Boardroom on the following dates:
June 10th
June 17th
June 24th
July 8th
July 15th
July 22nd
Please share this with anyone who might be interested. To register, please visit: https://mhrp.ca/programs-and-services/program-request-form

Gender Marvelous
2025-06-10 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-05-27 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-05-13 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
Welcome to a space where families come together to share their experiences, ask questions, and support one another as we navigate the journey of raising our queer, gender-diverse and/or Two-Spirit children and youth. Join the conversation, find strength and encouragement, and connect with a network of families who understand. All queer and 2SLGBTQIA+ families are welcome. Let’s support each other and grow together!
Family Support Institute of BC (FSI) is a provincial not-for-profit society committed to supporting families who have a family member with a disability. FSI is unique in Canada and the only grassroots family to family organization that has a broad volunteer base. FSI SUPPORTS AND SERVICES ARE FREE TO ANY FAMILY

Walk and Fun Fair for Down Syndrome Awareness
2025-06-08 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Vancouver) | Beckwith Park, 857 Beckwith Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8X 3S3, Canada
Walk for Down Syndrome Awareness

June 8 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

On Sunday, June 8th, we’re hosting our annual Walk for Down Syndrome Awareness and Family Fun Fair at Beckwith Park in Saanich. This is a fantastic community event you won’t want to miss!
The fun runs from 10am to 2pm:

10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Get ready for the walk with fun activities, games and bouncy castles for all ages! There will also be snacks and pizza.
11:30 AM: Lace up your shoes and join us for a walk to raise awareness for Down syndrome.

Plus, we have some special surprises in store! There might just be an appearance from your favorite superheroes or princesses! This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, so stay tuned for information on how you can help spread the word and raise critical funds to support programming for the Greater Victoria Down Syndrome community.
Donate, create teams or join as an individual.

FASD - Thinking Outside Of The Box
2025-06-05 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
Empowering conversations for individuals affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and those who support them. A Family Hangout that provides a safe place to share and connect.
Register Here

Balance & Breathe - A Mindful Movement Workshop
2025-06-05 16:30 - 17:30 (America/Vancouver) | Island Community Mental Health, 125 Skinner Street, Victoria, B.C., V9A 6X4, Canada
We’re excited to introduce our next wellness offering — Balance & Breathe: A Mindful Movement Workshop, starting Thursday, June 5th, from 4:30–5:30 PM at Island Community Mental Health (125 Skinner Street).
This free, four-week series is designed to help you slow down, move gently, and tune into the wisdom of your body. Guided by our wonderful facilitator Lindsay, each session will include a combination of light stretching, guided flow, and free-form movement. No experience needed — just come as you are.
Open to all bodies and all abilities
A safe and supportive space
Register by emailing: hello@socialgatheringplace.ca
Spots are limited, so be sure to save yours soon. Let’s breathe, balance, and move together.

Early Years and School Age Navigation
2025-06-04 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
Caring for little ones with extra support needs is marked by joy, fear, and overwhelm, usually all in the same day! Navigating the toddler and preschool years, or anticipating school years on the horizon, can be a uniquely challenging time. Join this Family Hangout for supportive sessions on navigating the early years. We are here to listen, provide resources, and create a safe place to discuss the parenting experience of young children with diverse abilities.
Register Here

Beyond Behaviours: When Is It More? What It Looks Like at Ages 9 – 12
2025-06-03 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
Why can it feel so tricky to tell if our kids are on track, going through a phase, as opposed to struggling with something more, or beyond behaviours? Learn about the developmental stages of 9 to 12 year old children and what might be some signs of mental health challenges at this age.
Learn from Karen Peters, Registered Clinical Counsellor.
Join us to watch a video presentation together and stay for a facilitated conversation by our Family Peer Support Workers.
6:30pm-8:00pm Pacific Time (most of British Columbia)
7:30pm-9:00pm Mountain Time (Alberta)
These events are funded for parents and caregivers living in the Province of British Columbia and for CASA families in Alberta. If you are from another province or Territory, or live outside of Canada, we welcome you to visit our video library at www.familysmart.ca/videos and use our resources.
Register Here

Breaking Free: History of Deinstitutionalization for People with Disabilities in British Columbia
2025-05-29 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Esquimalt Gorge Park & Pavilion, 1070 Tillicum Rd, Esquimalt, BC, V9A 2A1, Canada
Supports for people with intellectual disabilities have emerged from a long and complicated history of fear and oppression, charitable beliefs, pseudo-science, human rights, and economic priorities. Join us in a conversation about the history, values, and beliefs that guide our movement and are vital to sustaining ourselves – and the vision of community living for all citizens.
Location: Esquimalt Gorge Park & Pavilion, 1070 Tillicum Rd, Esquimalt, BC V9A 2A1
Date and time: Thu, May 29, 2025 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT
Organizer: South Island Education Committee, cmyra@beconnectedsupport.ca

Drop-in Floor Hockey for Individuals with Diverse Abilities (18yrs+)
2025-05-28 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-05-21 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-05-14 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-05-07 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Vancouver) | SJ Willis High School, 923 Topaz Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8T 2M2, Canada
This is a FREE event. Participants of all levels and abilities welcome!
All the equipment is provided and all that is needed is athletic wear and water bottle.
This is an opportunity to meet others, be active and have fun. It is held every Wednesday from 1:00 – 2:30 at SJ Willis Educational Center in Victoria. If an individual has a support worker, they are welcome to come as well.
Please note: The volunteer staff does no personal care.
At SJ Willis, the gym is huge and if you want to just come and hang out in the gym during this time without playing floor hockey, this is also an option.
When: Every Wednesday from 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Where: SJ Willis High School (Gym)
2970 Glasgow St,
Victoria, BC
V8T 5B9

Slam Dunk! Wheelchair Basketball
2025-05-26 18:00 - 20:30 (America/Vancouver) | Spencer Middle School, 1026 Goldstream Ave, BC, V9B 2Y5, Canada
A wheelchair basketball event in partnership with: Victoria Wheelchair Sports, Access West Shore Society, Westshore Basketball & Spencer Middle School.

For more info, contact:
accesswestshore@gmail.com
All are welcome!
Halftime show by Spencer Music & Cheer

Parents Day 2025
2025-05-24 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Vancouver) | Beckwith Park, 857 Beckwith Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8X 3S3, Canada
Join Us for Our Annual Parent Day Celebration!
Calling all single parents and their children in Victoria!

Come celebrate with us at 1UP for a special day just for you.

When: May 24th, 2025 Time: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM Where: Beckwith Park: 857 Beckwith Avenue, Victoria BC

This fun-filled event is open to all single parents and their kids—let’s connect, enjoy some great activities, and celebrate the amazing strength of single-parent families.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Step into Nature: A Community Walking Group for Wellness
2025-05-20 14:00 - 2025-06-10 15:00 (America/Vancouver) | James Bay
Tuesdays, May 20 – June 10
2:00–3:00 PM
Meeting in James Bay (exact location shared upon registration)
Join us for a free four-week walking group supported by ParticipAction! Each week, we’ll take a gentle, peer-guided stroll through the scenic neighbourhoods of James Bay, exploring Beacon Hill Park and the Dallas Road waterfront. This is a great way to move your body, meet new people, and enjoy the fresh air in a supportive, low-pressure environment.
All abilities welcome
No cost to participate
Register at: hello@socialgatheringplace.ca

Let’s walk, connect, and feel good—together.

SEA: For Adults online workshop
2025-05-14 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
A 90-minute online suicide prevention workshop developed by NEED2 to provide foundational information about suicide that is accessible and relevant to adults, no matter their role in the community.
May 14, 2025 6:30 – 8pm
Once you’ve registered, you will receive the Zoom link the morning of the workshop.
Register Here.

Neurodivergent Early Years
2025-05-09 12:30 - 14:30 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
With Dr. Michelle Schmidt & Allison Balfour
What does neurodivergence look like in the early years—and how can we respond with curiosity, care, and confidence? In this empowering session, discover how to support Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent children in preschool and early primary settings with strategies that celebrate difference and build connection.
You’ll explore:

Early signs and communication styles of neurodivergent kids
Tools to support regulation, play, and safety
Inclusive practices that help children thrive in home, school, and community environments

Designed for early childhood educators, family support professionals, and caregivers, this session is your invitation to deepen your understanding of neurodiversity—right from the start.
Join us to support neurodivergent kids in becoming their best selves—on their terms.
$5 parking and cafeteria on-site

Understanding Autism, PDA & ODD: Strategies to Avoid Power Struggles
2025-05-09 09:30 - 11:30 (America/Vancouver) | BC
Struggling with defiance, shutdowns, or resistance to everyday demands? Join us for this practical and compassionate session designed to help caregivers, educators, and professionals understand the overlap between Autism, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), and ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder).
Learn how to reduce power struggles and foster collaboration through low-demand, relationship-based strategies rooted in emotional safety and respect.
Walk away with:

Tools to identify and respond to avoidance behaviours
Proactive techniques to de-escalate and connect
Communication strategies that build trust

Perfect for anyone supporting neurodivergent children and youth who experience demand avoidance or strong opposition.
Register now and rethink “challenging behaviour” through a neurodiversity-affirming lens!
Streaming live.

Substance Use and the Power of Support
2025-05-08 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
A Conversation With
Guy Felicella

Thursday, May 8, 2025
6:30pm – 7:30pm (PST)
SUBSTANCE USE AND THE POWER OF SUPPORT
Fear is often the loudest emotion when our kids are involved in substance use—but what if we led with care instead? Join us online for an important conversation with Guy Felicella, a renowned advocate and speaker, as he shares how connection and relationship can make a difference in substance use and addiction. Learn how we can show care not just for our kids, but for the broader community impacted by substance use disorder.
Guy Felicella is an international public speaker and advocate for drug policy reform. Overcoming a two-decade substance use disorder, he has turned his life around after years of homelessness, gang involvement, and surviving overdoses in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Now, Guy passionately promotes harm reduction, trauma therapy, and faster access to treatment, using his story of resilience and recovery to inspire others and push for compassionate drug policies and addiction support.

Register For Free

Supporting Kids with Substance Misuse
2025-05-07 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
A Conversation With
Together We Can

Wednesday, May 7, 2025
6:30pm – 7:30pm (PST)
SUPPORTING KIDS WITH SUBSTANCE MISUSE
As parents and caregivers, how we talk about substance use shapes how young people see it. This session explores insights from those with lived experience, offering ways to support without judgment.
Topics We’ll Cover:

Strength-Based Conversations – Focusing on resilience over challenges
Deficit-Based Thinking – Recognizing and reframing unhelpful narratives
Trauma-Informed Language – How words shape understanding and healing
Boundary Setting – Why it’s so hard and how to navigate it
Taking Care of You! – Prioritizing your well-being while supporting others

Alex Lekei is a Canadian Certified Addictions Counsellor with over 15 years of experience in healthcare. They currently serve as a Family Educator with Together We Can, a Peer Leader with Vancouver Coastal Health, and operates his own private practice, Guiding Solutions Counselling. Drawing from his own lived experience with substance use as a youth and young adult, combined with academic training and community involvement, they bring a unique and empathetic perspective.
Steven Hall is the Public Relations Manager at Together We Can Drug & Alcohol Recovery & Education Society (TWC). A graduate of TWC’s 12-step-based program, Steven draws on his own lived experience with addiction and mental health to support others. Now part of TWC’s Community Relations and Family Support Team, he is passionate about creating safe spaces and believes recovery is possible—and everyone is worthy of it.

Register For Free

Finding and Creating Connection with Kids
2025-05-06 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Vancouver) | Virtual Event
A Conversation With Parents
Jagdeep Hayre, Kim Robinson, and Tammy Music
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
6:30pm – 7:30pm (PST)
FINDING & CREATING CONNECTION WITH KIDS
Connecting with kids can feel challenging, especially when they are struggling with their mental health. Whether we are a parent or a caring adult in a young person’s life, what we say and do matters. Simple, caring conversations and shared moments—no matter how small—can have a meaningful impact.
Join us online for a candid conversation with parents who have navigated these challenges firsthand. They’ll share their experiences, struggles, and the ways they’ve found to stay connected—even when it feels impossible. These parents are also Family Peer Support workers, offering guidance to other families facing similar journeys.

Register For Free

Community ASIST Workshop individual registration
2025-05-05 09:00 - 2025-05-06 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | Need2 Office, 2390 Arbutus Road, Victoria, BC, V8N 1V7, Canada
ASIST is a two-day workshop that provides suicide first aid training to participants. This training provides participants with the competencies needed to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, providing a skilled intervention, and developing a safety plan to keep someone alive.
You do not need to work in the health or mental health field to take ASIST. We need people in all roles in the community to be ASIST trained to create a suicide-safer community!

The cost of the workshop is $325. Student rate is available upon request.

The workshop will take place at the NEED2 office.
Lunch, coffee/tea and snacks will be provided

To register visit our website here
Questions; email communityeducation@need2.ca

Virtual Service Provider Course on Brain Health
2025-05-02 11:30 - 2025-06-06 13:00 (America/Toronto) | BC
You are invited to take part in a research study titled, Promoting brain health: A national capacity building project for aging adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, family caregivers and service providers.
A group of researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) are studying a virtual education program for aging adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), family caregivers, and service providers from across Canada. This online course is designed and delivered by family caregivers, alongside medical and mental health experts specializing in the care of adults with IDD.
Who Should Attend?
Health and social service providers working with adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities aged 40 years or older
Dates: Every Friday, May 2 to June 6, 2025 | 11:30am-1:00pm Eastern time
Program Highlights:

Attend six weekly 90-minute Project ECHO sessions at the scheduled time above
Participate with other service providers across Canada and receive resources
Complete 3 online questionnaires that take about 20-30 minutes each
Before the course, at the end of the course, and 14 weeks after the end of the course
Receive a gift card at the end of the study for participating

View our Flyer | Register Now: https://redcap.link/9uja13v6
Participation is completely voluntary and will not affect any present or future services provided by CAMH. Any information collected for this study will be confidential.
For more information or support, please contact the CAMH research staff by email at BrainHealthIDD@camh.ca or by phone 437-328-6761.

Canucks Autism Network (CAN) - Summer Day Camps
2025-05-02 | BC
Our summer program guide will be released Friday, May 2!
Registration will open Sunday, May 11 at 6pm.

Get active outside. Get crafty indoors. Let’s have some fun!
Our summer day camps provide a range of games and activities for children on the autism spectrum.
Program delivery (ie. length, format, and support) ranges by location, as we team up with Jays Care Foundation, local community organizations and municipalities.
Participants must have a registered account, an autism diagnosis, and be of the correct age when the program starts.
