Who we are
Plan Institute is a national non-profit and social enterprise based in Burnaby, BC that supports people with disabilities and their families. We provide educational material and resources, collaborate on community-based projects, and engage with a wide array of partners to host innovative initiatives for change and policy reform.
Mission
Plan Institute’s mission is to empower people with disabilities to lead a good life.
Vision
Plan Institute envisions a future where all people with disabilities lead a good life. For Plan Institute, the concept of a good life means:
- Being financially secure
- Contributing to and participating in caring and inclusive communities
- Being respected and empowered to make decisions
- Knowing the loving support of friends and family
- Choosing a place to live and call home
- Having a well-planned future
What is a social enterprise?
Being a social enterprise means that we don’t only rely on outside funding for our operations. Instead, we earn our income through various means. This includes selling our intellectual and social capital in the form of publications and educational training. Our priority is to create social change, not profits, while remaining sustainable and not relying solely on government funding.
History and relationship to PLAN
Founded in 1999, Plan Institute is a sister organization of PLAN (Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network). PLAN was created by a group of families in 1989 who wanted to ensure their children could live a good life and contribute to their communities. Plan Institute was born out of PLAN to take the values, concepts, and practices used by these families and to share them with other groups. The two organizations evolved together and continue to share a common goal “to create good lives for all people with disabilities and their families”.
In essence, Plan Institute is focused on the sharing of PLAN concepts and practices, and curating knowledge designed to improve the lives of those living with disabilities and their families. It fosters public and social policy development and implementation that encourages the adoption of these ideas. For its part, PLAN remains focused directly on serving its members and networks.
Although a financially self-sustaining entity, Plan Institute continues to work collaboratively with PLAN and our joint networks. We endeavour to continue our role in the family led disability movement to promote and demonstrate the success of the community-based concepts, principles and values Plan Institute represents.
This badge certifies that Plan Institute has been determined by NGOsource to be equivalent to a US public charity or government instrumentality.