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Self-Advocates
Important Links and Documents | ||||
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How to Speak Up and Be Heard - Self-Advocacy Tip Sheet |
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Self Advocacy Video Lessons |
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Welcome, Self-Advocates! Did you know?... A self-advocate is someone who:
While self-advocates may call upon others for support, they remain in control of their resources and how they are directed. The MDSC believes that every individual with Down syndrome can become not just a self-advocate, but a strong self-advocate. We do this by making the empowerment of self-advocates a major component of all our programs for teens, young adults, and adults. This includes the following: AIM: Teen & Young Adult Program
We hope you will participate in one of MDSC’s programs for teens and adults, but we want you to know that you can start practicing self-advocacy right now! Want to learn more about self-advocacy? Here are some helpful resources: SABE - Self Advocates Becoming Empowered is the national self-advocacy organization and works hard for the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities throughout the United States. M.A.S.S. - Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong’s mission is "to empower self-advocates through education so we can make choices that improve and enrich our lives." How to Speak Up and Be Heard: Self Advocacy - Tip sheet from UMass Medical School's Transitions Research & Training Center Self-Advocacy Online - Video clips covering different self-advocacy topics and stories from real-life self-advocates Becoming a Stronger Self-Advocate - The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) has information about what self-advocacy is and how to strengthen your self-advocacy skills People First Language - Kathie Snow, author of “Disability is Natural: Revolutionary Common Sense for Raising Children with Disabilities”, provides guidelines of appropriate language Spread the Word to End the Word - A campaign to end the use of the R-word |