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The Need

People with disabilities experience a multitude of physical, emotional, and social barriers most of us will never understand.

For too many years, children, youth, and adults with disabilities have sat on the sidelines as their able-bodied family members and friends participated in life-changing experiences.

We believe all people should be celebrated for who they are, with equitable opportunities to achieve their full potential and experience independence, acceptance, and joy.

  • One in five Canadians aged 15-plus live with some form of visible or invisible disability that affects their level of freedom and participation in society, independence, and/or quality of life.1
  • Studies show that children and youth with disabilities are more likely to experience poor mental health, such as anxiety or depression, compared to their able-bodied peers.2
  • In BC, the number of children and youth diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who are receiving support from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, rose 78% from 2015 to 2020. This is reflected in the people we serve, with 44% of camp participants having an ASD diagnosis.
  • People with disabilities experience a multitude of physical, emotional, and social barriers most of us will never understand.
More than 4,000 children and youth on Vancouver Island are living with a physical or intellectual disability, an increase of 14.6% since 2019.3

1 Source: 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability
2 Source: Petrenchik, T.M. & King, Gillian & Batorowicz, Beata. (2011). Children and Youth With Disabilities: Enhancing Mental Health Through Positive Experiences of Doing and Belonging.
3 Source: BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, March 2022

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