SELF-ADVOCACY SERVICES
What is Self-Advocacy?
Self Advocacy is speaking up for yourself. It is making your own choices in life, big and small. It is learning about your rights and responsibilities. It is living the way you want to, and respecting the right of others to do the same.
Individuals with the challenge of a disability have the same rights and responsibilities of citizenship as any other member of the community. This includes the right to the opportunities and choices for a full and meaningful life. It also includes the right to participate in decisions that affect their own lives and the right to have their voices count.
The following briefly details some of the Self-Advocacy Association’s positions on some critical issues affecting the lives of people with the challenge of a disability.
Where we live:
Self-advocates applaud the current plan to close all developmental centers. Institutional care should not be an option or necessity for any individual with a disability. Smaller homes, apartments and work place locations allow many more opportunities for self-advocates to be part of their community.
Where we work and spend our days:
Like everyone, people with disabilities want to be involved in meaningful and productive activities within their community. Whether it’s going to school at regular schools, working competitive jobs or having other interesting daytime activities, we want opportunities to develop and use our skills and talents and pursue our interests.
Participating in decisions that affect our lives:
Over the last several years, self-advocates have begun to play an important role on committees and boards which make decisions that effect services that are provided for individuals with disabilities. Many Consumer Councils and local planning groups and even provider boards of directors now include members with disabilities. Opportunities for participation on such boards and committees must be increased. All government appointed committees and boards and local boards and groups must include representatives of the individuals served.
Really being part of our community:
As services have expanded over the years, many community based homes and work programs have been developed within our communities. Hundreds of provider agencies provide these support services, including the State of New York. But many of us with the challenge of a disability lead isolated lives within our communities, with few friends and associations outside of staff and other people with disabilities. We want to be fully included in the life of the community, not just with jobs and places to live but with recreational, social and spiritual opportunities as well. The “systems” focus must change. Support services that provide a bridge to community based events, associations, medical and therapeutic services, recreational opportunities and religious groups need to be developed and encouraged. Not every person with a disability needs or wants a special bowling program; many of us just need to be introduced to other people in our community who bowl or have other interests in common.
Courtesy of Tyronn Cortez Hawkins and Avdi Bruncaj, Self-Advocacy Association of New York State, Valhalla, NY
914-493-8367, hudsonvalley@sanys.org, www.sanys.org
All Rights Reserved
|