1. How Microboards are used for supported decision making

2. What is a Microboard?

3. Micro (small) Board (non-profit) A Microboard is a small group of family members and trusted friends that join with a person to create a legally recognized organization that focuses on honoring the individual’s choice, control and friendships.

4. How do Microboards support decision making? The easiest way to explain how a Microboard works is to tell the story of one person with a Microboard.

5. Quite often when people first meet Bree, they see a young woman with significant challenges, and they assume this must severely limit her life.

6. The members of Bree’s Microboard see a young woman with dreams and goals. They see a traveller and an adventurer.

7. Bree’s Mom, Dad, brother Drew and his wife Christa share her vision of a good life and have helped to raise her voice. When selecting Microboard members they look for people that want to support Bree’s vision.

8. Bree with members of her Microboard. Bree’s Microboard includes several generations of family and friends. They work together to reflect Bree’s wishes, dreams and support her choices.

9. One of Bree’s greatest loves is to be outdoors. She often goes to a lake a few hours from her home for some fun on the water.

10. Bree’s Microboard helped her to save for a year to take an Alaskan cruise. She met a couple that loves to dance as much as she does!

11. Bree and her dad Gord are getting ready for a day of volunteering at this year’s Canada Winter Games. They have been volunteering for several days now and they are loving it! Check Vela’s Facebook page for their updates.

12. Bree likes babysitting her young cousins. It is important to Bree to help out her family when she can and she enjoys the company of her cousins.

13. Some information about Microboards in B.C. There are over 900 active Microboards in British Columbia, Canada. They support a wide range of people from very young children to seniors. Microboards are in all parts of B.C., from urban centres to very remote areas. No two Microboards are exactly the same. Microboards assist with decision making when this is requested or needed by the individual.

14. When there is an opportunity or challenge, Microboards don’t write policy. They grab a meal, or a cup of coffee and admit they aren’t sure what to do but they are willing to get creative in coming up with solutions that work with and for the person. By honoring the individual’s choices and wishes the Microboard is ensuring the person they support has a self determined life.

15. Contact information Website: www.velacanada.orgwww.velacanada.org Facebook page: www.facebook.com/VelaCanadawww.facebook.com/VelaCanada Email: info@velacanada.org Phone: 00-1-604-575-2588