Bliss Canada

Newfoundland Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia New Brunswick Quebec Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia Yukon Northwest Territories

A Celebration of Thirty Years of Bliss in Canada.


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BCI Celebrates Thirty Years of Bliss in Canada.

    BCI Future directions


PHASE I

Began in 1998 when at our biennial Bliss Affiliate meeting a governance review committee was set up. This committee reported back to the biennial Affiliate meeting in 2000, and since then we have implemented our present organization structure which is: began in 1998 when at our biennial Bliss Affiliate meeting a governance review committee was set up. This committee reported back to the biennial Affiliate meeting in 2000, and since then we have implemented our present organization structure which is:

    1. A Board of Directors of up to 15 people. The Board is made up of 9 Canadians, 4 international representatives from Israel, Sweden, The Netherlands and the UK, and two more are to be appointed. The full Board meets a minimum of three times a year, live over the internet more often if needed.

    2. The work of the organization is divided into three activity areas.

        1. International affairs
        2. Canadian affairs
        3. Administration, which includes dealing with the Bliss license, royalty issues, corporate reporting needs, etc.


    3. Four standing committees are presently in place to deal with ongoing work.

        1. The Executive Committee, based in Canada but also includes the International Commitee's Coordinator
        2. Blissymbolics Development Secretariat based in Sweden
        3. Affiliate/Associate Affairs Committee based in The Netherlands
        4. Database and Vocabulary Dissemination Committee based in the United Kingdom.


A fifth Standing Committee is in the process of being formed to coordinate Canadian activities and affairs

PHASE II

A future directions "vision" meeting of Canadian Directors was held in Muskoka in the summer of 2001 to answer the question " What will Bliss in Canada look like in the new century?" The conclusion was that:
    1. We must make Blissymbolics information more accesible to Canadian AAC clients outside the normal existing health and education systems.
    2. The methods chosen were
        (i) An expanded presence on the internet with expanded web site(s) capabilities.
        (ii) Developmentofourown Bliss "Learning" Centre to also include other related Bliss activities.


The decision was made to hire immediately a Resource Development Officer on contract for the period September 1, 2001 to January 31, 2002.
    1. To develop and document with us our strategic plan for Canada.
    2. To generate immediate funding for initial plan implementation in 2002.
    3. To develop and initiate a viable ongoing fund raising plan for the organization.

It is our hope that this will result in funds being available for ongoing staff support beginning in February 2002.

PHASE Ill

This will be the development and implementation of a demonstration Learning Centre project to be in place during the summer months of 2002.

We may be a small organization measured in conventional terms of numbers and money, but no one can accuse us of not having a "big" vision!

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