Nidus Quick Facts

Who is Nidus?

  • Nidus is a non-profit charitable organization, established in 1995.
  • Nidus was founded by citizens and community groups who led the reform of adult guardianship in British Columbia and who were the architects of the Representation Agreement Act, B.C.’s first authentic personal planning legislation and the world’s first legal alternative to adult guardianship. The grass-roots law reform also created BC’s first legislation for health care consent.
  • Nidus is currently the only community-based resource centre in Canada  (or the world) that is devoted to education and assistance on planning for incapacity, end-of-life and other support needs.
  • Nidus also developed an innovative online, self-managed Registry for securely storing important information and documents and making them available to others who may need to know.
  • Nidus provides “hands-on” technical and practical support through a self-help/mutual-help model.
  • Nidus works with community partners, lawyers, notaries public, financial planners, service providers, and others with an interest in personal planning.
  • Nidus is a living lab for supported decision making where researchers and policy makers can conduct research and analyze data collected since 1993 of practice, in a user-centred environment.
  • Nidus is located in Vancouver and has a presence throughout British Columbia through its many volunteers and community partners.
  • Nidus obtains funding from project-specific grants, modest fees for service, and private donations.
  • Nidus is a Latin term for nest: a symbol of support, safety and self-development.

 What does Nidus do? 

  • Nidus promotes personal planning as an alternative to adult guardianship. Personal planning prevents the need for the involvement of the Public Guardian and Trustee (a state official) in your personal and private affairs.
  • Nidus provides education on British Columbia’s legal tools for personal planning, namely the Representation Agreement and the Enduring Power of Attorney. Through personal planning you choose who will help you speak up for your wishes or carry them out if you are mentally incapable due to illness, injury, or disability.
  • Nidus produces a regular online newsletter to keep the public and users of Nidus services informed of new resources, practical tips, and changes to legislation and policies that may affect their personal planning.
  • Nidus provides training and ongoing support to community volunteers—as funds allow.
  • Nidus provides training and consultation for professionals.
  • Nidus is a clearinghouse for people’s experiences with personal planning. These experiences provide valuable knowledge that Nidus can use to tailor its services and to help others with their planning.
  • Nidus provides analysis and support to citizens and community groups most affected by adult guardianship to enable their participation and input in government consultations and legislative reviews concerning personal planning.

 Achievements

  • Nidus established Canada’s first community-based Registry for personal planning documents.
  • Nidus produced British Columbia’s first research on Representation Agreements with standard powers, as a legal alternative to adult guardianship.
  • Nidus has enabled the practice of a new legal concept of capability that is the first of its kind in legislation.  This new concept of capability and the BC Representation Agreement Act inspired Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, which has been ratified by Canada.