Why should we form groups of deafblind or multidisabled persons ´ siblings ?

1. Whyshouldweformgroups of deafblindormultidisabledpersons´ siblings?

2. Every family has to face different problems in different moments of their lives When parents face a disability in their daughter or son, their whole lives turns into a new direction But brothers and sisters also go through many uncertainties in our lives

3. My name is Julieta Picasso Cazón and these are my sisters: Fátima, with 37 years old and Pia, who is 30.

4. Fátima is deafblind person and to build a relationship, to understand her and to understand myself as being her sister was a long path that just in adult life is beginning to develop Not every sibiling needs to go through this path. But my history, my pain and my joy, and above everything, the love I have for my sister, led me to think about forming groups of deafblind sibilings

5. In 2009 I travelled to Guatemala, where I met the Bonilla family and FUNDAL, with whom I worked First meeting Second meeting

6. Thatexperiencemade me realizethat: Sharingbetweensibilings • Heals • Comforts • Strengthens • Relationshipwithoursibilingsisconsolidated

7. Thanks to the Perkins International Program and the DB and MD persons´ parents association form Argentina the sibiling´s goups began to grow

8. First Argentina Meeting of Siblings (2009)

9. Achievements Obstacles The distance was a hindrance for mantaining the group working together • We consolidated quickly the group to begin working • We shared easily personal experiences, expressing things that we like or dislike from our siblings, parents or family in general • We have a plan of activities • We worked on a Blog • Some members are still working together

10. I realizedthenthatthepathwasgoingto be reallylong and hard

11. New strategy Makeworkshopstomotivate and guide sibilingstoformgroupsontheirown. Thisway, weaimtocreate a network of integratedgroupsthat can work in anautonomousway Thefirstmembers of thisnetwork are: Provincia de Buenos Aires -Yolanda Ramos- Córdoba -Aurea Soza-

12. Sibiling´smeetingJune 2012, Córdoba, Sullai

13. How are we building the network? • Proposals will be sent to each member of the group in Córdoba • Continue with meetings in schools in Buenos Aires • Continue updating the Blog • Motivate each group to cultivate comunication via Facebook. • Simultaneously, time we are developing the meetings between siblings of FATIMA school´s pupils

14. 2009

15. Since 2010, toghether with Silvia Sola (Psychologist), who works as a volunteer, we aim to develop a space of activities that works with more continuity

16. 2011 July December

17. 2012 September October We will open FATIMA for the siblings to invite them to share a day with the pupils and learn the activities and modes of comunication they developed

18. One last proposal • Siblings from 0 to 9 years old: develop more tools for communication to motivate conjoint activities • Sibilings from 9 to 18: The same as the prevous group, adding activities that involve the exchange of experiences • Sibilings from 18 and up: The same as the previous group, adding more complex affective exchanges (problems in relationships, differences with parents regarding siblilings, the future of our siblings,, etc.) • There will be also activities with siblings of all ages

19. ¨ Thebrothers are united, becausethatisthelaw of thesoul¨Martín Fierro