All Belong Symposium Parents Breakout (B) - Discussion Notes

All Belong Symposium
Parents Breakout Discussion Notes

 Parents Breakout:

 Feedback:

  • “Words are how we think but stories are how we link.”
  • “Mom, I want to go in the same door as all my friends” – Micah
  • Motivation and the right person can take you through the skill.
  • Seeing disability is a differentiator not a deficiency.
  • Micah is now at teaching assistants at Syracuse University.

 

Best practices:

  • Ask for help with dignity and without apology.
  • Think college.net
  • ready for life program providing disability services to students on college campuses.
  • Be their coach – be their advocate.
  • Parents: protectors and guides shift from protecting to mentoring.
  • Parents end up meeting to be the teachers. However caregivers need to be taken care of t00.
  • How do we advocate? Who is responsible for educating advocating and building those communities? How do we get people to act now?
  • Changing the Catholic culture to inclusion. There needs to be a forward movement. Next steps to include:
    • building a website.
    • Model from the Kensington church community.
    • Parents want access to information from the parish so they can help their children through all ages of life.
    • Have people with disabilities on the committee.
    • Providing training to teachers.
  • Justin dart – a pioneer in disability history. Knowing and understanding disability history aids and advocacy.
  • Find people who know about the disability movement and ask them for help and guidance.
  • Advocacy means being honest and building relationships. Be persistent and persevere. Find your mentors.
  • com:
    • circle of friends. Form relationships. When issues arise there is already a foundation to work from. Meet on a regular basis – rooted in fun.
    • It’s okay to talk about tough stuff.
    • We don’t use the nondisabled kids/peers enough. They oftentimes have the best ideas to help.
    • We need to build a circle of friends to survive in a community.
    • Learn the importance of being able to reach out.
    • It’s rare that things happen on their own and it’s never too late to build a circle of friends.
    • By asking for help were both giving and receiving at the same time.
    • Independence is a myth – interdependence builds a community.
    • How do we get people to join the circle? They don’t always have to be the same age. Focus on strengths and interests.
    • Keep reaching out and always be assertive.
    • Start your own groups. Invite the kids and parents. Make connections and build relationships.
  • Knights of Columbus – faith in action driven.
  • Kids with disabilities want to be independent – not always want to be protected by their parents.
  • Dignity of risk-taking and making mistakes – it’s okay because we grow from our mistakes.
  • Hard to find those organizations who want to help. Uncharted territory for many parents. Toledo website: archdiocese of Toledo – offer links leading to helpful resources.
  • Reach out and ask who wants to join you – don’t go alone.
  • Without these meetings we will never live in a totally inclusive world.
  • It’s not enough to just be nice we must also figure out how to help those people feel like they belong.
  • Let’s reclaim the word “disability”.
  • “From puddles to pride”.
  • “Intelligent lives film”.