Your Path to Community Connections

We believe access to the right information can open doors and make participation easier for everyone. Our resources are here to guide individuals, families, and community partners, whether you’re looking for practical tools, helpful connections, or insights on inclusion. Each resource is chosen to support growth, understanding, and stronger community ties.

Community Resources

  • ACT: Autism Community Training specializes in evidence-informed training, research, and resources to support neurodivergent individuals. They also operate a searchable resource database. Click here to visit their website.
  • PLAN: Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN) is non-profit organization founded to help families secure the future for loved ones with disabilities. Click here to visit the PLAN website.
  • Vela Canada is a non-profit society that provides information and mentoring to individuals with disabilities and their trusted others to take greater control of their lives by exploring ideas and options that can lead to customized, inclusive and creative supports and services. Click here to visit the Vela Canada website.
  • PLAN Okanagan provides family peer supports, networking and resources for individuals with diverse abilities. Click here to visit their website.
  • Public Guardian and Trustee of BC: We work for British Columbians to protect the legal and financial interests of children under the age of 19 years, protect the legal, financial, personal and health care interests of adults who need help with decision making, and administer estates of deceased and missing persons. Click here to visit their website.
  • Oliver Gleaners: This society takes food that may otherwise go to waste, dries it and converts it into useable items for the community and overseas. Locals can request food items. Click here to visit their site.
  • Oliver Food Bank is part of the food bank network and provides food to the community. Please visit their site for hours and access details. Click here to visit their website.
  • Osoyoos Food Bank is run through and by the local church. You can contact them at 250-495-6581, osoyoosfoodbank@gmail.com, or click here to visit their website.
  • BC 211 is a Provincial network where you can find resources in your community. You can do this by dialing 211 on any phone or click here to visit their website.

Disability Advocacy Resources

  • The ACCESS Center: We assist people in communities from Osoyoos to north of Summerland, east to Rock Creek and west to Princeton, also known as the South Okanagan/Similkameen and Boundary country with tax support, advocacy and connection. Click here to visit their website.
  • The Disability Alliance of BC: Their mission is to promote a more inclusive and equitable society for people with all disabilities through direct services, community partnerships, systemic advocacy, research, and publications. Click here to visit their website.
  • BCEdAccess: This Society serves families of students with disabilities all over the province of British Columbia. The stories shared on their private discussion board daily illustrate the depth of the challenges families face in pursuing equitable access to education in BC schools. Click here to visit their website.
  • Family Net is an independent provincial network that provides a provincial voice for children and youth with special needs, adults with developmental disabilities, and their families. Click here to visit their website.
  • BC Ombudsperson: Works to ensure that public sector organizations are treating people fairly and following the rules. They listen to and investigate complaints about local and provincial public sector organizations, as well as investigate reports of serious wrongdoing in the provincial government. Services are free and confidential. Click here to visit their website.
  • BC’s Representative for Children and Youth supports the province’s young people and their families in dealing with the provincial child and youth welfare system. The Representative also provides oversight to this system and makes recommendations to improve it. The Representative is a non-partisan, independent officer of the legislature. Click here to visit their website.
  • Find An Advocate: This tool helps people find disability advocates and legal support nearest them. Click here to find an advocate.
  • Self Advocate Net: This group supports individuals to self advocate and provides a wide range for resources and information. Click here to visit their website.

Recreation, Activities, and Clubs

  • City of Penticton offers accessible and subsidized activities for individuals with disabilities. Click here to visit their website.
  • Town of Oliver offers subsidies and a range of activities for individuals to participate in. SOCIS also works to support individuals participate in those activities. Click here to visit their website.
  • Special Olympics: The Special Olympics provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to pursue participation in sports. There are local activities in our community. Click here to visit their website.
  • Sonora Community Center offers recreational programs and services to the community in Osoyoos. Click here to visit their website.
  • Quails Nest: Quails Nest is part of the Oliver Community Arts Council, located at 5840 Airport St. in Oliver, BC. They offer a variety of art programs for the community to participate in. Email them at olivercac@gmail.com or click here to visit their website.
  • Oliver Seniors Center: Oliver Seniors Centre’s mission is to promote development and improvement of the mental, social, and physical well being of Senior Citizens by providing a venue for socializing, recreation, entertainment and education. Click here to visit their website.
  • AKTION Club: AKTION club is a club of diverse ability individuals that is associated with the Kiwanis Club. They provide social opportunities and work to make a difference in the world and community they live in. Click here to visit their website.
  • Kiwanis Club provides social opportunities and a chance to work with other local people towards improving the world around them. Click here to visit their website.
  • One Sky: One Sky is a community service agency based out of Penticton that offers social and recreational programs in Oliver and Osoyoos. Click here to visit their website.

Education Resources

  • Inclusion BC Educational Resources: Click here to visit their website.
  • Steps Forward: The BC Initiative for Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (BC-IPSE), under STEPS Forward, provides inclusion support for students with developmental disabilities to enroll, pursue studies and engage in extracurricular activities at their local college or university. Click here to visit the STEPS Forward website.
  • Okanagan College: Oliver Centre offers programs, education and learning supports to the communities of the South Okanagan region.  The centre is home to much-needed programs and project-based labour market training to address community needs. Please note: course scheduling and training can be seasonal and rotational in nature. Click here to visit their website.

Employment Resources

Health and Wellness Resources

  • The Foundry: Accessible in-person and virtually for ages 12-24, this is a provincial resource. They provide health and wellness services and access to community resources. Click here to visit their website.
  • Interior Health is the local Health Authority for the Okanagan area. They provide health supports, addictions support, mental health and wellness and resources. They are responsible for the licensing of Residential Care Homes and facilities. Click here to visit their website.
  • Health Link BC: If you live in British Columbia and need a family doctor or nurse practitioner, register for the Health Connect Registry. Click here to visit their website.
  • Find a Doctor BC: This website provides help with finding a doctor in BC. Click here to visit their website.
  • Find a Walk-in Clinic: This website provides a map of local clinics for you. Click here to visit their website.
  • Oliver Community Health Centre offers outpatient ambulatory care, community services, long term residential care services and immunizations. It is not a walk-in clinic. Phone: 250-498-5080.
  • Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Center: For over 30 years, Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Centre has provided support, resources and programming for people in need in Oliver, Osoyoos and the surrounding areas. From a small and humble start, we’ve grown to provide a wide range of support to all ages. All of our programs are offered free of charge, and self-referrals are accepted for all services. Click here to visit their website.

Housing and Residential Resources

  • HSSSBC: The Home Sharing Support Society BC (HSSSBC) is a non-profit organization that provides professional advice and solutions for complex disability housing challenges across British Columbia. Click here to visit their website.
  • Community Living Housing Resource Page: Please visit this page for a variety of housing supports and resources. SOCIS can assist you with navigating these resources. Click here to visit their website.
  • BC Housing provides housing supports and resources across BC. These can include subsidies. Click here to visit their website.

Community Living Resources

  • Inclusion BC: Building awareness, inspiring action, and advancing the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Click here to visit their website.
  • Community Living BC is the primary funder and Crown Corporation that supports the needs of neurodiverse individuals and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Click here to visit their website.
  • The British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS) provides support and resources for Indigenous Individuals, their families and their community. Click here to visit their website.
  • BC Disability Site provides a variety of information and resources including the BC Disability Funding Guide to help with finding funding for specific needs or supports. Click here to visit their website.
  • BC People First: The BC People First Society (BCPF) is a non-profit provincial organization that is part of a national movement. BCPF works to make sure that people with a developmental disability are respected and included in communities as full citizens. Click here to visit their website.
  • The Family Support Initiative: The purpose of the Family Support Institute of BC is to strengthen, connect and build communities and resources with families of people with disabilities in BC. Click here to visit their website.

Financial Resources and Supports

Registered Disability Savings Program – Federal program that supports the creation of a savings fund by families to benefit an individual with a disability, some matching contributions are available, click here.

Disability Benefits for BC – Provincial support for individuals with a disability. Requires you to apply for a designation, includes options for part time employment earnings exemptions, click here to learn more.

Canada disability Benefit – This is a maximum $200/ month tax free benefit paid monthly by the Federal Government. You must apply to receive the funds, click here for more information.