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Semiahmoo House Society
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Our Ends

The Board of Directors of SHS has adopted Policy Governance® as the governance model for SHS. Governance means the principles, values, by-laws, policies, systems and practices through which members democratically control their organization.

Policy Governance® takes as its starting point the principle that a governing Board acts on behalf of an identifiable ownership and is accountable for ensuring the organization achieves what it should while avoiding what is unacceptable. The Board governs proactively through policy statements, rather than reactively or through event or activity specific decisions. These policy statements cover four areas of Board responsibility: Ends, Executive Limitations, Governance Process, and Board/Management Delegation.

The Ends policies for SHS are:

People with disabilities live self-directed lives in the community at a justifiable cost:

1. People are valued members of society:

1.1. People perform different social roles
1.2. People are respected
1.3. People live in integrated environments
1.4. People participate in the life of the community
1.5. People are leaders

2. People decide how they live their lives, and make informed choices:

2.1 People are connected to personal support networks.
2.2 People have intimate relationships.
2.3 People choose where and with whom they live.
2.4 People choose their work

2.4.1 People have volunteer opportunities
2.4.2 People have entrepreneurial opportunities.

2.5 People choose and use their environments

2.5.1 People choose services
2.5.2 People have recreational opportunities
2.5.3 People have travel opportunities

2.6 People have educational opportunities
2.7 People have opportunities to explore spiritual needs

3. The rights of people are protected:

3.1 People are safe.
3.2 People have the best possible health.
3.3 People exercise rights.
3.4 People are treated fairly.
3.5 People are free from abuse and neglect.
3.6 People experience continuity and security.
3.7 People decide when to share personal information.
3.8 The community is aware of the universal rights of all people

Our Mission

The Mission Statement for SHS is:

Semiahmoo House Society exists to provide quality services and support to people with disabilities and their families in the community.

We are committed to supporting the best quality of life possible for our clients in the most cost-effective, efficient manner possible by providing the BEST services to the MOST people for the LEAST amount of money possible.

Our Philosophy

The Statement of Philosophy for SHS is:

Semiahmoo House Society believes that people who have disabilities should be valued and included fully in their communities, with the same rights and responsibilities as all people living in Canada.

We believe that all people have the right to control their own lives through personal choices about relationships, jobs, living arrangements, spirituality, travelling, and recreational activities, and that all people have the right to give back to their communities through volunteering and helping others. Everyone is entitled to live a happy, full and meaningful life.

We also believe that these rights can be reinforced and protected by making sure that people are connected to and supported by friends, family, staff, and the community.