Dementia Ventures Phase 1
Throughout the pandemic, Westside Seniors Hub Partners began building community capacity by offering people experiencing dementia, their caregivers, organizations’ staff and volunteers opportunities to participate in various Dementia Ventures activities. By 2023, seed funding for Partners’ projects and coordination by the skilled Building Capacity Project team resulted in significant Phase 1 successes.
It was important during Phase 1 to document how grassroots initiatives could enhance programs and services to build more dementia-inclusive communities. People living with dementia were invited to share how they deal with stigma and changes in their quality of life. Now there is a 2024 Knowledge Translation Portfolio and a collection of 70 BCP Communication Cards documenting ways to discuss dementia meaningfully.
Building Capacity Project Phase 2
Renewed Public Health Agency of Canada funding for BCP Phase 2 enabled Vancouver Dementia Ventures and Thunder Bay projects to be sustained beyond the pandemic and become vibrant programs.
Phase 2 funding also allowed the BCP team to expand so other areas of Lower Mainland BC could participate – Burnaby, Maple Ridge and A Dementia Co-Creation Academy (?Sunshine Coast) where dozens of people declared We Connect, We Learn, We Belong, We Co-create, We Impact and other projects emerged.
Phase 2 funding has now expired but there is plenty of information available to share with other communities wanting to build from the grassroots up to sustainable programs. The BCP website also offers
- Toolkits – BCP Action Guide and Flipping Stigma
- Podcasts and webinars
- Helpful organizations
- Academic reports
Legacy of the Building Capacity Project
The June 2025 BCP newsletter highlights how these projects continue to thrive. By sharing lessons learned through tools like the Action Guide, the project is helping foster more dementia-inclusive communities.