Families came together online during the January Family Network conversation to slow down, reflect together, and explore what feels important. It was a warm, thoughtful gathering filled with honesty, shared experiences, and care for one another.
Here’s a recap of the conversation …
The meeting opened with a shared story about a family’s wildlife rescue experience and their teens’ shared dream for more animal rescue adventures that are inspiring new possibilities for 2026. Families then gathered in small groups and were invited to connect with each other, with the option of dreaming about possible intentions for the year ahead thinking about:
Where do I imagine myself and my family?
Who do I and my family want to be connected to?
What spaces and places do I and my family want to be a part of?
When and where do I and my family experience joy?
Families reconvened and shared insights from their small groups. A fulsome group conversation highlighted the importance of families capturing personalized visions and future plans alongside their loved one with a disability. One family member shared their experience of finding peace of mind after creating a Will, leading to a conversation on the value in estate planning and financial management. While another family member encouraged anyone with a Representation Agreement opening a bank account to clarify their financial institution understands and recognizes the Representation Agreement as a legal document. Families also reflected on the transient nature of life, emphasizing the importance of maintaining their own health and well-being as well as options for supporting sibling caregivers.
In the final moments of our conversation families shared their intentions for 2026, as themes of connection, self-care, and organization emerged. Just before multiple warm “see you next month” sentiments were exchanged PLAN family member Ray Puno shared an invite to the Community Living BC’s (CLBC) Vancouver-Richmond Community Council family engagement and feedback session. This is an opportunity for families in the Vancouver Richmond area to share their input for CLBC’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan. Here is the invite with the event details.
For families and self-advocates outside of Richmond or Vancouver you can locate a CLBC Strategic Plan engagement and feedback session in your area on the CLBC website.
Thank you again to all who joined! We look forward to connecting at next month’s PLAN Family Network conversation on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
For further conversation details please connect with Claire Inkster, Family Network Coordinator, at hello@plan.ca