Join us for an informal meeting. Meet other parents and caregivers, learn about upcoming training opportunities, and learn ways to advocate for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Grab a warm drink, pull up a chair, and let’s talk about what’s coming in the new year.
Training participants will learn:
1. How communication supports and choice opportunities foster self-advocacy, specifically for non-verbal individuals.
2. Self-advocacy is especially important for students with autism and is necessary to achieve a higher level of independence, confidence, and a sense of identity.
3. Learn that advocacy from parents and guardians has been the trailblazing efforts that have made and changed policies on a local, state, and federal level.
Training participants will learn:
1. The importance of assistive technology (AT) in the lives of our adult children with autism and intellectual disabilities
2. How technology can advance a person’s capacity for learning, independence, safety, and well-being
3. Examples and applications of AT
4. Purchasing and implementing AT
Training participants will learn:
1. The importance of knowing the social service system.
2. When to plan and how to revise the plan.
3. Developing a plan is a helpful outcome that will benefit the guardianship annual reporting.
4. When to ask for services, how to ask for services, and be planful of the future for you and your loved one so no one gets surprised, uprooted, or traumatized by unforeseen life circumstances.
Hear from Partners 4 Housing on creative ways to find and fund housing for your individual with developmental disabilities.
Practicing Your Pitch – Finally! This is the time to practice telling your story in front of other advocates. You will receive the best feedback to help you refine your talking points to get your message across effectively and create change in your community.
Telling Your Story Workshop – Whether you’re fine-tuning your ask or you want to learn to advocate for change. At the end of this session, you will know how to define an issue and advocate for policy and/or system change by drawing from personal experiences to make your point effectively and memorably.
How to use the DD ETF to save for the future of your individual without impacting state and federal benefits.
Did you know planning for guardianship starts at age 17 and local rules now require that an attorney or the Courthouse Facilitator review reports before submitting them to ensure proper forms are used and they are fully completed? Learn more about the Lay Guardianship process from Court Facilitators, Becky Turbyfill and Shauna Johnson.
Training participants will learn:
Overview of Autism characteristics,
Understand learning styles, executive function, and critical thinking and its impact on independence and self-esteem.
Learn strategies that encourage independence and autonomy; building on strengths, interests, and motivations.