https://www.communitylivingbc.ca/how-do-i-get-support/take-a-clbc-welcome-workshop/
CLBC Welcome Workshops and Community Collaboration in British Columbia
The CLBC Welcome Workshops are learning sessions in British Columbia that help people understand adult disability services. CLBC stands for Community Living BC, a government organization that supports adults with developmental disabilities.
These workshops help youth, families, and adults learn what to expect when moving from school into adult life and community services.
What CLBC Welcome Workshops are
The Welcome Workshops are a series of four sessions that explain how adult services work in British Columbia.
The four workshops are:
- Getting Started
- Community Connections
- Planning Choices
- The Real Deal
Each workshop teaches a different part of adult life, such as:
- how community supports work
- how planning for adulthood happens
- what CLBC services are
The goal is to make adult services easier to understand.
How the workshops are run
CLBC Welcome Workshops are not run by only one person.
They are usually led by a team of three people:
- a CLBC staff facilitator
- a family member
- a self-advocate with lived experience
This team helps people learn in different ways. It also brings real-life experience into the learning space.
Krystian Shaw’s role in Welcome Workshops
Krystian Shaw is a self-advocate who works in the disability community in British Columbia.
In CLBC Welcome Workshops, Krystian works as a presenter. This means he helps explain information and shares lived experience.
As a presenter, he may:
- talk about real-life experiences with disability supports
- help explain CLBC services in simple language
- support families and youth learning about adult life
- share ideas about inclusion and community living
- help people understand transitions from school to adulthood
Self-advocates are an important part of these workshops because they share real stories that help others understand better.
Paid presenter work
In CLBC Welcome Workshops, self-advocates like Krystian can be paid for their work as presenters.
This means:
- they are recognized for their time and effort
- they are part of the workshop team
- they help teach and support learning
- they share lived experience as a real job role
This kind of work shows that lived experience is important and valuable.
Why self-advocates are important in workshops
Having self-advocates in Welcome Workshops helps because:
- people hear real-life stories
- information is easier to understand
- families feel more supported
- learning becomes more personal and relatable
- it shows inclusion in action
It helps connect official information with real-life experience.
What people learn in the workshops
In CLBC Welcome Workshops, people learn about:
- adult disability services in BC
- community living supports
- planning for adulthood
- what happens after high school
- how to connect to services and supports
The workshops help people feel more prepared for adult life.
Simple summary
Krystian Shaw works with CLBC Welcome Workshops as a:
- presenter
- self-advocate
- lived experience speaker
- paid contributor in workshop sessions
His role helps people learn about adult disability services in a clear and simple way, while supporting inclusion and understanding in British Columbia.
