1 / 21

Georgia Voices That Count:

Georgia Voices That Count:. Seven Years of Advocacy Training and Support. Introduction. Advocacy project Quarterly meetings Curriculum Support the disability community Political awareness. Activities of GVTC. Provides advocacy training Fosters peer support Shares resources

elina
Download Presentation

Georgia Voices That Count:

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Georgia Voices That Count: Seven Years of Advocacy Training and Support

  2. Introduction • Advocacy project • Quarterly meetings • Curriculum • Support the disability community • Political awareness

  3. Activities of GVTC • Provides advocacy training • Fosters peer support • Shares resources • Communicates historical context

  4. Activities (Continued) • Promotes self-advocacy and self-determination • Emphasizes lifelong commitment • Supports personal growth and achievement • Creates leaders and activists • Strengthens community

  5. What Makes GVTC Unique? • Only for people with disabilities • 80% taught by people with disabilities • Cross-disability • Collaboration of disability organizations

  6. What Makes GVTC Unique? (cont.) • Training with support • Individualized experience • Experiential training • Addresses disparities • Challenges the “disability hierarchy”

  7. Conferences and Curriculum • History of Self-Advocacy • Held in Atlanta • Tour the MLK Center • Make connection between Civil Rights Movement and the Disability Rights Movement

  8. Conferences and Curriculum • Advocating for Community Living • Held in Athens • Learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act • Learn about the Olmstead Decision • Learn about supports and barriers to community living

  9. Conferences and Curriculum • Advocating for Employment • Held in Warm Springs • Tour the Little White House • Consider why Roosevelt hid his disability • Examine the supports and barriers regarding employment

  10. Conferences and Curriculum • Leadership • Held in Atlanta • Coincides with participation in Disability Day at the State Capitol • Consider the attributes of good leadership • Graduation

  11. Circles of Support • David – to help deal with serious illness • Sheila – to help plan move back into community • Tommy – to help publish book • Annette – to help move from nursing facility

  12. Participants’ Achievements • Joy Norman • Class: GVTC #4 • Advocacy Project: create job fair for people with disabilities • Current activities: • Works with Mayor’s “Committee for Persons With Disabilities” for annual job fair • Now on Statewide Independent Living Council • Working to develop Center for Independent Living in Columbus area • Provides support to many individuals and causes • Quote: “I’m a voice to be reckoned with.”

  13. Participants’ Achievements • Margo Waters • Class: GVTC #2 • Advocacy Project: organize curb cuts • Current activities: • Testified at State Capitol regarding the Independent Care Waiver Program • Helped create legislation for the Visitability Campaign • Testified at city council regarding pedestrian accessibility • Now employed at disABILITY LINK and supporting many persons with disabilities and important issues • Quote: “Voices has empowered me to speak up whenever, where ever necessary.”

  14. Participants’ Achievements • Ryan Mercer • Class: GVTC #6 • Advocacy Project: create a website featuring resources for young people with disabilities • http://ryansresources.homestead.com/ • Current activities: • Continues to update site • Featured in Sept. ‘08 AJC article • Member of People First of Atlanta • Working on his own plans for independence • Quote: “They taught me how to stand up for myself.”

  15. Participants’ Achievements • Betty Hasan-Amin • Class: GVTC #6 • Advocacy Project: create and distribute a brochure of resources relevant to people new to independent living • Current activities: • Board member of the Interfaith Disability Connection • Current Organizing Institute participant working to connect disability and refugee communities • Active in transportation advocacy • Quote: “We are strong.”

  16. Participants’ Achievements • Whitney Walker • Class: GVTC #1 • Advocacy Project: Letter writing campaign for full implementation of the Olmstead Decision • Current activities: • Continues to write actively • Attended Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered 2008 • Member of People First of Atlanta • Quote: “Georgia Voices That Count helps a lot of people help a lot of people.”

  17. Participants’ Achievements • Barbaraann Bongiovanni • Class: GVTC #4 • Advocacy Project: • successfully advocated for accessible sidewalks, crosswalks and curb cuts in her community • Current Activities: • Appointed board member of the Georgia Independent Living Network Meeting and disABILITY LINK • developed summer camp for teenagers with disabilities to learn about self advocacy and self determination as part of The Organizing Institute • Certified Peer Supporter through The Georgia Peer Support project and actively provides peer support • Volunteers in local and statewide organizations for people with and without disabilities • Quote: "I am truly a Georgia Voice that Counts!"

  18. Participants’ Achievements • Percy Hardy • Class: GVTC #5 • Advocacy Project: Become a peer supporter • Current Activities: • Is now a Certified Peer Supporter • Recognizes that his experiences, though difficult at times, has provided him the unique ability to offer support to other people with disabilities • People First board member and active in disability community events • Overcame his fear of public speaking! • Quote: "I am now confident I have something to offer!"

  19. Participants’ Achievements • Dawn Alford • Class: GVTC #4 • Advocacy Project: a student at Georgia Tech and working on campus accessibility issues • Current Activities: • Appointed Ex Officio member of the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities • Regularly testifies at the State Capitol regarding services for people with disabilities • Undertakes speaking engagements on a variety of disability related topics including service dogs • Working towards full accessibility in her worship community • Quote: “Everyone can be a leader!”

  20. Outcomes of GVTC • GVTC has produced “positive personal growth” and “clear progress” in participants1 • Promotes ethnic, gender, and geographical diversity in advocacy training2 • Essential to “positively influence public policies that enhance the quality of life for people with…disabilities and their families.”3 • Produced community leaders with direct impact on legislative and other decision making bodies. 1 “Values in Action: Outcomes & Impact of GCDD Programs”, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. April 2008. p.45 2 Ibid., p 41 3Ibid., p 45

  21. Conclusion • Creates Self-Advocacy • Enhances existing skills • Builds confidence • Cultivates self-direction • Creates Leadership • Promotes perseverance • Fosters mentorship • Enhances public speaking skills • Creates Community • Projects have direct social impact • Strengthens disability community • Encourages inclusion and diversity

More Related