What is Home Share?
Home Share is a residential option for adults with diverse abilities. It involves an individual or family (home share provider) inviting an adult with diverse abilities to share their home and lifestyle. The adult would have a room of their own and share the rest of their home with the home share provider. Alternatively, the individual may have a suite in the same home as the provider.
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Role of the Home Share Provider
The home share provider is responsible for ensuring that the individual has a welcoming, safe and supportive environment which promotes the growth of the individual with diverse abilities. The provider would teach the individual life skills, assist them in making and attending medical appointments, assist the individual in finding meaningful employment, support the individual in decision making, include the individual in outings and activities, etc.
Sharing your home with an individual with diverse abilities can be a rewarding experience, however, it is important to be aware that it is can also be challenging at times. Being a home share provider is more than a job, it is a lifestyle choice.
Becoming a Home Share Provider
The screening and approval process is comprehensive and involves all members of the household. Community Living BC has developed an online course which helps clarify the roles and expectations of the home share provider, and explains the CLBC standards and policies. Although the information is for CLBC, it is also relevant to home share providers contracted with Building Bridges Community Support and we highly recommend taking it before applying for home share with us.
After reviewing the CLBC course you are welcome to complete and submit the application form. Please remember to include three references. Following the submission of the application, the Home Share Coordinator will contact you within a week to start the screening and approval process. This process can take anywhere from one to three months to complete. It is important to be aware that, even if you are approved as a home sharing provider, there are no guarantees that you will receive a contract. This is a matching process which takes into consideration the interests of the individual and the home share family. Contracts are issued based on a number of variables including the individual’s specific preferences and requirements for support.
