Believe In Yourself Committee

A new beginning for the Believe In Yourself Committee

In 1999, a new committee within our agency was created to help promote the voice of people receiving support, to give them a forum to discuss concerns and to offer opinions about rights issues. Concerns and ideas were also shared with our agency’s Board of Directors to help better the lives of the people we support. The new committee was called the Self Advocates Council.

Believe In Yourself Committee

The 2020 Believe In Yourself Committee (l-r): Lynda Larkin, Allison Bobbette, Sharlene Fountain, Melissa Swales, Amy Lynn Findlay, Brian Waring, Jen Paterson, Annie St. Louis and Niki Chaltas. Absent from photo: Danny Sparks and Pam Cudmore)

Now, in 2020, the Self Advocates Council members are pleased to announce that effective immediately, they have changed their name to the Believe In Yourself Committee.

Committee members who meet once a month from September to June have had several past discussions regarding a possible name change. They had become aware that other organizations with Self Advocates Councils had created a unique name for their council to represent the true meaning of their group. Another important reason for a name change was the re-branding of Empower Simcoe in April 2019. The committee members were very excited to learn that “empower” is an inspirational and action-oriented word, speaking to our agency’s mandate of improving the quality of all lives and self-fulfillment. This meaning and the agency’s mission statement influenced committee members to begin planning a name change to better identify and communicate who they are and what they stand for. Planning resulted in the Self Advocates Council members voting for the name Believe In Yourself Committee. All committee members felt the name was appropriate as it portrays that to be a good advocate; you need to believe in yourself.

Committee members want to communicate and motivate others to believe in themselves, no matter where you are in life or where you are heading. It’s their hope that this new name will reach out and become recognizable to Empower Simcoe and the surrounding communities. Most importantly, this new inspirational name speaks to every individual, while believing in yourself and being empowered is what Empower Simcoe is all about.

Please welcome the Empower Simcoe Believe In Yourself Committee.