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"Outreach Presentation “Creating the Connections”

HOW DO WE DO THIS?

• call, call, call.

• call back, call back, call back.

• ask questions, ask questions, ask questions.

• network with school staff, case workers, parents, and friends.

• be involved in your plan.

• thank the person you requested information from; send thank you note.

• keep a record of your contacts.

• write letters to individuals/organizations you are requesting information from – be specific in your letter as to what service/information you are seeking. Include name/address/phone number where you can be reached. Thank them for being helpful. Also, include a short paragraph in the beginning of letter telling a little about yourself.

• meet with school counselors to ask questions/get ideas/contacts. Be polite, specific, clear as to what kind of work you want to do.

BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE

• speaking up for yourself – being polite, specific, understandable and reasonable.

• Practice.

STEPS TO DEVELOPING ADVOCACY SKILLS

• define what you need as opposed to what you want.

• know what your rights are.

• know your responsibilities.

• keep appointments.

• follow through.

• give information honestly

• know the “system” and the procedures

• keep good records.

• ask questions.

• phone calls – follow up.

• meetings – follow up with action plan.

• keep a job log.

• know the key rules and key people.

OTHER TIPS FOR A GOOD SELF-ADVOCATE

• be an active participant in the decision making process.

• set realistic goals for what you need to achieve.

• gather information you need about other solutions and alternatives.

• Listen and speak to the issue.

• be clear about emotional aspects since the way a person feels can affect how their decisions are made.

• have a realistic idea of who you are and what your strengths/weaknesses are.
   

Message from the Outreach Coordinator

AbleData.com

I am planning on moving in a couple of months so I searched the internet for assistive devices that might help me. I have MS with left side hemiparesis and, due to a broken ankle and leg, I am unable to walk. I was looking for items to make my life easier for myself and for others and found AbleData.com. The information on this website kept me reading for hours. This website adds over 1000 products to its database yearly. When I visited the website, 115 products had recently been added.

Products are divided into categories. Each product you want to “search”, e.g., Door Openers, brought up lists of products and allows you to “click” on more information about each. Each page also offered information on related products and provided product reviews you could read or add your own. I was amazed with the number of products in many different categories and the information available on each.

A few of the products that caught my eye were CD Strippers, a device that helps you get those horrible pegs off to open a CD; Door Closures, shows 22 additional products; Foot Cursor, foot operated mouse; Hanging Baskets, provides information on means for individuals with wheelchairs to carry items; Pool Ramp, enables individuals walking with cane or using a wheelchair to enter an in-ground pool; and, a Pool Lift, enables a person in a wheelchair to use an in-ground pool.

The products are divided into 19 categories. Some of the categories are Communication, Home Management, Prosthesis, Personal Care, Recreation, Transpiration, Wheeled Mobility and Workplace.

There is also a Rehabilitation Services Center, 20 State Specific Organizations, Conferences, News Items and an Information Center that links to other sites.

I found most of the information. I was looking for on AbleData.com. A visit to this website is well worth your time, probably several hours of your time.