SELF-ADVOCACY FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES STACEY L. GARDENHIRE - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ENCOURAGING THE ELEMENTS OF SELF-ADVOCACY FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES STACEY L. GARDENHIRE GEORGIA ADVOCACY OFFICE 150 E. PONCE DE LEON SUITE 430 DECATUR, GA 30030 404-885-1234 404-378-0031 SSMITH@THEGAO.ORG

GEORGIA ADVOCACY OFFICE THE GEORGIA ADVOCACY OFFICE(GAO) IS THE PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY SYSTEM FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

GAO VALUES GAO PROMOTES:  INDEPENDENCE AND LOYALTY  VISIBILITY, VALUE AND VOICE GAO VALUES:  KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE  WHAT PEOPLE NEED  REAL HOMES  MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS  EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES

DISABILITY AWARENESS DISABILITY AWARENESS IS RAISED WHEN THE LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING IS INCREASED. VALUED SOCIAL ROLES -COMMUNITY (HOMES, FAMILY, CHURCH AND OTHER ACTIVITIES) -EDUCATIONAL (SCHOOLS) -EMPLOYMENT (COMPETITIVE, INTEGRATED SETTING) DISABILITY AWARENESS IS RAISED WHEN ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS ARE DECREASED. -LACK OF UNDERSTANDING -LACK OF KNOWLEDGE -LACK OF RESOURCES, SUPPORTS AND SERVICES

VALUED SOCIAL ROLES WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT? VALUED SOCIAL ROLES ARE DEFINED AS ALLOWING THE STUDENT TO BE DEFINED BY THEIR VALUED ROLE, RATHER THAN THEIR DISABILITY. WHEN WE CAN APPRECIATE THE STUDENT’S VALUED ROLE, WE CAN UNDERST AND BETTER THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-ADVOCACY. VALUED SOCIAL ROLES IS ONE OF THE ELEMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SELF-ADVOCACY.

VALUED SOCIAL ROLES ACTIVITY JOHN IS A STUDENT AT DOWN IN THE DUMPS HIGH SCHOOL. JOHN IS A STUDENT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. THE TEACHERS STATE THAT JOHN’S FAVORITE ACTIVITY IS T O CLEAN THE TABLES IN THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA AFTER LUNCH. JOHN LIVES AT HOME WITH HIS PARENTS AND THREE SIBLINGS. THE FAMILY ATTENDS POVERTY LIVING CONGREGATION A FEW MILES FROM THE HOME. JOHN IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED BECAUSE OF HIS DISABILITY AND HE IS NOT INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES WITH THE OTHER TEENAGERS BECAUSE OF HIS BEHAVIOR ISSUES. JOHN WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A JOB WITH POOR BURGER RESTAURANT, BUT HE HAS BEEN TOLD THAT HE IS NOT ABLE TO WORK DUE TO HIS DISABILITY. JOHN’S NEIGHBORS ARE ALWAYS STARING AT HIM AND MAKING INSULTING REMARKS. THEY IGNORE HIM WHEN HE WALKS BY.

EXAMPLES OF VALUED ROLES JOHN IS A STUDENT AT BEST DAYS HIGH SCHOOL. JOHN IS A MEMBER OF THE BASKETBALL TEAM. JOHN IS THE EQUIPMENT MANAGER. JOHN LIVES AT HOME WITH HIS PARENTS AND THREE SIBLINGS. THE FAMILY ATTENDS HIGHER LIVING CONGREGATION A FEW MILES FROM THE HOME. JOHN PARTICIPATES IN THE YOUTH GROUP. ON WEEKENDS, JOHN WORKS FOR HAPPY BURGER RESTAURANT. JOHN HAS BEEN EMPLOYED WITH THIS RESTAURANT FOR A YEAR. WHEN JOHN IS NOT WORKING OR ATTENDING ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU MAY OFTEN FIND JOHN WALKING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD GIVING A CHEERFUL WAVE AND SMILE TO THE NEIGHBORS AS HE PASSES BY.

HOW MANY VALUED ROLES CAN YOU IDENTIFY? JOHN IS: HOW MANY VALUED ROLES DO YOU HAVE? -A STUDENT -A SON -A BROTHER -A CHURCH MEMBER -A BASKETBALL TEAM MEMBER -A NEIGHBOR -AN EMPLOYEE

VALUED ROLES AND ADVOCACY VALUED ROLES AND ADVOCACY GO HAND IN HAND. TO ADVOCATE FOR STUDENTS, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND WHO THE PERSON IS AND WHAT THE PERSON NEEDS. UNDERSTANDING A STUDENT IN THEIR VALUED ROLES ALLOWS FOR THE BEST ADVOCACY EFFORTS. KNOWING A STUDENT’S VALUED ROLES ALLOWS THE ADVOCATE TO EDUCATE OTHERS WHILE WORKING TO FIND A REMEDY TO THE SITUATION.

SELF-ADVOCACY SELF-ADVOCACY ALLOWS A STUDENT TO HAVE A VOICE. SELF-ADVOCACY IS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. STUDENTS WHO LEARN THE ELEMENTS OF SELF-ADVOCACY AS A TOOL ARE MORE VOCAL IN ADDRESSING WHO THEY ARE, TAKING A STAND FOR WHAT THEY WANT AND MAKING IT KNOWN WHAT THEY NEED. THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THEIR OWN IEP MEETINGS, THEY CAN LEAD THEIR OWN TRANSITION PLANNING PROCESS AND THEY CAN MAKE DECISIONS FOR WHAT THEY WILL DO AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. THEY LEARN TO REQUEST ACCOMMODATIONS.

WHAT THINGS DO WE ADVOCATE FOR? REAL LIVES -QUALITY OF LIFE REAL HOMES -INDEPENDENCE, LEAST RESTRICTIVE SETTING REAL JOBS -COMPETITIVE, INTEGRATED SETTING

ADVOCACY IN TRADITIONAL ADVOCACY, A COMPLAINT IS GIVEN TO A PAID PROFESSIONAL WHO WORKS FOR AND WITH YOU TO BRING RESOLVE TO THE COMPLAINT. ADVOCACY CAN BE DONE ON AN INDIVIDUAL, SYSTEMIC AND LEGAL BASIS.

SELF-ADVOCACY SELF-ADVOCACY GIVES A STUDENT THE FREEDOM TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. SELF- ADVOCACY ALLOWS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, HAVE VISIBILITY AND MAKE ONE’S OWN DECISIONS. SELF -ADVOCACY ALLOWS A STUDENT TO CONTROL HIS OR HER AFFAIRS. SELF-ADVOCACY ALLOWS A STUDENT TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES IN SPEAKING UP FOR THEIR OWN NEEDS, DESIRES AND OPINIONS TO OTHERS. IT INVOLVES REPRESENTING YOUR OWN NEEDS, PROBLEMS, AND OPINIONS TO OTHERS.

SOME GREAT ASPECTS OF SELF-ADVOCACY SELF-ADVOCACY ASPIRES FOR GREATER. SELF-ADVOCACY IS VERY DIVERSE, YET REWARDING. SELF-ADVOCACY CAN BE VERY BROAD BUT VERY POTENT. SELF-ADVOCACY FOSTERS SELF-WORTH AND INDEPENDENCE. SELF- ADVOCACY EDUCATES, RAISES AWARENESS AND PROMOTES CHANGE. SELF-ADVOCACY IDENTIFIES SELF-NEEDS AND SELF-DESIRES. SELF-ADVOCACY GIVES AN INDIVIDUAL THE ABILITY TO HAVE PERSONAL PREFERENCES AND CHOICES. SELF-ADVOCACY BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS AND EMPOWERS EVERYONE.

SELF-ADVOCACY SELF-ADVOCACY SHOULD BE INSTILLED AS YOUNG AS POSSIBLE SELF-ADVOCACY SHOULD HAVE NO LIMITATIONS SELF-ADVOCACY SHOULD GRANT ACCESS SELF- ADVOCACY SHOULD BE USED IN ALL ASPECTS OF A STUDENT’S LIFE

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-ADVOCACY EDUCATIONAL SETTING EMPLOYMENT ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY/AUGMENTATIVE DEVICES ACCESSIBILITY/ACCOMMODATION MEDICAL LEGAL -THESE ARE JUST TO NAME A FEW! WHAT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES CAN YOU THINK OF?

FOUR STEPS TO SELF-ADVOCACY FOR STUDENTS 1. DEFINE THE PROBLEM • WRITE IT DOWN • DISCUSS IT AND POSSIBLE STRATEGIES WITH OTHERS • MARY’S STORY 2. DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN • ONCE STRATEGIES ARE PICKED, WRITE DOWN CONCRETE STEPS • BRING ON OTHERS TO WORK WITH YOU — THERE IS POWER IN NUMBERS

FOUR STEPS TO SELF-ADVOCACY FOR STUDENTS IMPLEMENT THE PLAN • GATHER INFORMATION • KEEP A LOG OF STEPS TAKEN • IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A “PAPER TRAIL” • BE FLEXIBLE — ACTION STEPS CAN CHANGE • ROLE PLAY • EACH TIME YOU SPEAK WITH SOMEONE, KNOW WITH WHOM YOU ARE SPEAKING AND WRITE DOWN NOTES OF THE CONVERSATION.

FOUR STEPS TO SELF-ADVOCACY FOR STUDENTS EVALUATE HOW YOU DID ONCE YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THE STEPS OF YOUR ACTION PLAN, EVALUATE HOW WELL IT WORKED. EVALUATING HOW YOU DID WILL HELP YOU IDENTIFY WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR FUTURE SELF-ADVOCACY EFFORTS. REMEMBER THAT EACH SELF-ADVOCACY EFFORT IS A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE, AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AS YOU PRACTICE.

SELF-ADVOCACY TIPS FOR STUDENTS 1. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF • YOU ARE WORTH IT, AND YOU CAN DO IT 2. LEARN FROM OTHERS • EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS • DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK