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Empowering people with disabilities to live an incredible ordinary life.
Episodes
Friday Feb 17, 2023
Friday Feb 17, 2023
Spencer and his mom Elaine joined me in this conversation to share how they went from butting heads with each other to collaboratively creating an Awesome Ordinary Life for Spencer.
For them, it felt like other people were picking up their lives after COVID restrictions eased, and they were stuck in isolation.
Spencer shared that he didn't want to leave his bedroom and was on the edge of depression.
Elaine and I started to work together, and Elaine learned to shift from being the caregiver to the coach. When Elaine started collaborating with Spencer, they took some big steps forward.
One big step forward was starting Spencer's support circle of friends, which is a group of people in intentional, reciprocal and freely given relationships with Spencer.
Spencer's confidence has grown; he's exploring his interests in community, and even landed a paid part-time job!
P.S. Want to create an Awesome Ordinary Life with your loved one?!
Click the link below to join our free upcoming workshop:
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
Lorna Sullivan, a global disability leader who is making significant changes inside the New Zealand social system. Lorna is the founder of the International Initiative for Disability Leadership (IIDL) and Director of Mana Whaikaha. I had the pleasure of learning from Lorna when she was part of the faculty in Michael Kendrick's Optimal Individualized Service Design Course.
In this podcast, we cover a wide range of topics, including:
- doing away with deficit-based assessments,
- enhancing a person's mana (explanation inside the podcast),
- the power of holding a positive vision,
- the rights of people with disabilities,
- tools for social inclusion,
- and much more!
About Lorna Sullivan:
Lorna became involved in being an advocate for people with disabilities by accident. She began her study in the field of Psychology, where she was first exposed to people with disabilities who she didn't know existed because they were hidden from the rest of society.
Lorna realized the damage that is done when a group of people, through no fault of their own, are marginalized from the rest of society and have no mechanism to find their way back.
Lorna shares, "If we continue to view disabled people as human tragedy and the best we can do for these people is to care for them; we will continue to deny them every aspect of life that we hold to be valuable."
Lorna helps us understand people with disabilities are the same as every other person, the same human needs, aspirations, and desires. She is on a mission to include people in all areas of society.
Lorna on Inclusion
Paraphrasing from the podcast, Lorna shares:
There is a fear of rejection, and in many cases, actual rejection is true.
My experience has been society wants to engage with people that have disabilities, but they don't know how to. We need to give them [people] the tools to do that [engage].
The best tool that we have to create more inclusion in society is to keep people close. If a person with disabilities is with other valued people in the Community, it makes it easier for other valued people to communicate with a person with disabilities. It normalizes the person.
Tweetable Quotes from Lorna:
"Never resort to the special, unless you have exhausted the ordinary. If we start in the special, we will always end in the special."
"The only thing that will change the trajectory of the lives of people with disabilities is where you have strong families, with strong vision - you have competent disabled people. Where you don't irrespective of the capacity of that person, you have dependency."
"Holding a very strong vision for a positive, meaningful, and full life isn't a trivial thing. If you don't hold this vision through the hard times, you will get blown anyway the wind is blowing."
This podcast with Lorna Sullivan is jam-packed with wisdom and is a must listen!
Also, if you like ideas discussed in this podcast, you are going to love the upcoming FREE Masterclass Workshop Series that guides families to build a strong vision for a positive, meaningful and full life that Lorna was talking about! Click Here to Sign up for free.
Love & Respect,
Eric
Resources:
Mana Whaikaha website: https://manawhaikaha.co.nz/
The International Initiative for Disability Leadership (IIDL) website: http://www.iimhl.com/iidl-homepage.html
Thursday Nov 29, 2018
Thursday Nov 29, 2018
In this episode, you will learn all about Personal Support Networks! You might have heard of support circles, circles, microboards, or aroha's (there are probably names I'm missing), but theses are all forms of Personal Support Networks. Rebecca Pauls, Director of Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN), shares with us with us what a Personal Support Network is, how they can benefit you, and how to go about building one.
Rebecca is the Director of Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN), a Vancouver-based social enterprise that partners with families and people facing social isolation to secure their future by mobilizing relationships and leveraging community assets. Since joining PLAN three years ago, Rebecca has led a complete re-design of programming to integrate principles of person-centred planning, ABCD, narrative therapy, and independent facilitation. After demonstrating the strength and flexibility of this community approach, Rebecca is regularly invited to consult with organizations about how it can be scaled and applied to population groups across North America.
You can listen to this conversation in its entirety by clicking play on the player below, OR by clicking one of the following links to listen on your favourite podcast player; iTunes, Spotify, and Google Play.
How did PLAN Originate?
Rebecca shares:
“PLAN is an advocacy group in BC, which started with a group of parents that came together and founded PLAN 30 years ago. These parents believed their sons and daughters could contribute and be included in the community. The work of PLAN is charting a new path that is full of opportunity for people with disabilities. They are thinking about the present, but also the future. What happens when we are gone? This is when the idea of personal support networks really began to mobilize.”
One of PLAN’s ultimate aims is to create a Good life for families, which includes; Friends and relationships, making a contribution, being empowered to make choices, a place to call home, financial stability, parents have peace of mind. The basis of all of these things is to have people and relationships to do life together with. One of the main tools used at PLAN to accomplish this is personal support networks.
What is a Personal Support Network?
We all have a network – a group of people we depend on for companionship, support and decision making. This typically includes our family, friends, and neighbors, but also professionals like counselors or financial advisors. This group can be considered your “Personal Support Network”, and it reflects your personal interests, abilities, and needs. The specific individuals will vary by person and may change over time. Some networks will include many, while others just a few people. (Reference: PLAN website)
What is the Purpose of a Personal Support Network?
Paraphrasing from the podcast Rebecca Shares:
To ensure that no one is alone or so no one is stuck in isolation. Sometimes we hear the saying that loneliness is the only debilitating disability. A personal support network is to ensure that everyone can live in an inclusive community. There are all sorts of things people in the network can do together and accomplish. At the heart of it is recognizing that we have the support that we need to live the life that we want and dream of for ourselves.
What are you seeing for people with Disabilities that have an intentional personal support network, vs those who do not?
Paraphrasing from the podcast Rebecca Shares:
“I think the difference comes in when the unpaid relational support is involved. When there isn’t a personal support network they might live a life where they don’t have friends. When a personal support network is involved and parents aren’t able to be involved, there are people that are there to play important and specific roles. At PLAN we have mentors to support families with building and maintaining these Personal Support Networks.
In different times in a person’s life, they might depend on a person’s personal support network in different ways. When they are a young person or things are going well they might do more fun and social things. At different points in life when challenging situations come up, or there is a need for planning and advocacy it might be more formal. You can often hear these networks being called natural supports, or circle of support, or microboard (which is the most formal way of setting up a personal support network). The most important thing is not what you call it, but in the way that people are working together. It is important not only for people with disabilities, but it is more like a way of being, and a way of living our lives. It is sometimes difficult to build or maintain those personal networks. PLAN has a community connector or mentors to help keep everyone connected.
How does someone build a personal support network?
Paraphrasing from the podcast Rebecca Shares:
“We start by getting to know who the person is, their gifts, what they think about, what they like to do, and the things that they care about. We build relationships based on common interests. When we build the network we focus on gifts and the uniqueness of each person. Then we think of who are all of the people in your life and build a relationship map. If there aren’t a lot of people in your life we think about if you did have people in your life, what roles would they play?
Then we look to the community. We believe that our communities are full of welcoming places and other people with gifts. When we look to build the connections we look for groups that are already in place. The role of the community connector is to create opportunities for the person to get connected.
Turning those relationships into a network is a matter of talking about what is important. We encourage people to share what is important in their life right now. The community connector can help to create the opportunities for people together.
As we reach a time where a generational shift is happening, the parents that created inclusion across the country are reaching their 70’s the rubber is hitting the road in terms of these networks and transition.
Building networks is a little bit counter-cultural, we are getting busier, and we are living more isolated lives, we don’t know our neighbors as much as we used to. ”
You can access the resources on building personal support networks (e-books and online courses) mentioned on the podcast in the resource section at the bottom of this blog).
Who plays the community connector role?
Paraphrasing from the podcast Rebecca Shares:
“Sometimes there is a natural connector in a person’s life. In other situations, the family might hire someone to play that role (Like the service PLAN offers). Some organizations train their personal support workers to take a network approach. The supporter will ask the question, who else can we involve?
Personal support networks usually come together every month or every other month to do some planning and to talk about what the priorities are for that month, and how they can support each other.”
What do personal support network meetings look like?
Paraphrasing from the podcast Rebecca Shares:
“Some are very structured and some are very natural. We plan based on what that person is comfortable with, what the current needs and priorities are. At PLAN every 6 months we create work plans. For the next 6 months, what do we want to accomplish? Do we plan events and celebrations, look for job opportunities, or find a new apartment. Each month the community connector will send a monthly update on the progress that is made.”
On the podcast, Rebecca gives examples of what support networks and roles people play in a support network can look like.
What are you currently learning at PLAN?
Paraphrasing from the podcast Rebecca Shares:
“PLAN has done a good job helping families build networks which have resulted in friendships and community contribution, but we are starting to really work toward helping people put those networks to work. Passing the baton from mom and dad to other people in the network, before we reach a crisis point and being proactive. Identifying the key roles, and what is the succession plan. Inviting network members and transferring the knowledge to the next generation. It is succession planning, what do we need to know and how do we start to pass this along. Roles like trustee, guardian or power of attorney, or more practical things like who is going to help this person go to the bank or transportation.”
PLAN has also developed a new planning tool that works to answer the question, do families have peace of mind? This is an interesting question because peace of mind is dynamic and it changes. This new planning tool helps families to understand if they have peace of mind in the different areas of life, and it helps families to think about what they need to do to get there. Listen to the podcast to learn more about this thinking that Rebecca shares.
A final message from Rebecca, “Personal support networks are about relationships. They are about living intentionally together and supporting each other and sharing what is important to us. For me personally, because of all of the changes we see happening in families and people sadly passing away, there is a real urgency for us to begin asking the question, ‘What does this {personal support networks] really look like?’, and, ‘Are we intentionally supporting each other?’. Do we know people that don’t have any relationships?, and asking ourselves, 'what we can do?'. There are all kinds of possibilities to connect and we just need to go after them."
If you received value from reading this blog or listening to this podcast episode I encourage you to share it with someone else you feel would benefit.
You can also support this work by subscribing. This podcast and blog is supported completely by listeners and readers like you. Thank you to those that have supported by subscribing!
Love & Respect,
Eric Goll
Resources:
Safe and secure, by Al Etmanski
Online 6-week course called Personal Support Network Facilitation
Planinstitute.ca has several online resources in their learning center
If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes
The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!
Thursday Jun 21, 2018
Thursday Jun 21, 2018
Learn how people with disabilities have lived, how they are living, and what we have learned from renowned consultant Michael Kendrick.
[4-minute read, 65-minute listen]
It is my pleasure to bring to you episode #047 with well-known international consultant in Human Services, Michael Kendrick PhD. Michael is involved in consulting, education and evaluative work with many governments, private agencies, advocacy groups, community organizations, universities and colleges across the globe. His work has involved training, evaluations, strategic planning, critical problem solving and confidential advice in the areas of mental health, disability and aging with an emphasis on persons requiring long term support. Michael has also developed and delivered the Optimal Individual Service Design (OISD) course that is the most in-depth leadership level educational program available internationally at present. [I’ve taken Michael’s OISD course, and I personally recommend it.]
In this episode of the Empowering Ability podcast Michael Kendrick answers the questions of; How have people with disabilities lived?, How are they living today?, and, What have we learned? Michael also shares how we need to have a Mindshift to higher expectations and normalization for people disabilities, and also how we need to have enlightened attentiveness when with people.
This blog paraphrases segments of my conversation with Michael, if you find this read interesting you can listen to the conversation in its entirety by clicking play on the player below or searching ‘Empowering Ability’ on your podcast player, such as, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, etc..
How have people with disabilities lived? and, How are they living today?
Paraphrasing from the podcast Michael shares:
People [with disabilities] have lived under different circumstances depending on what point in history, and in what culture. It is clear that people with disabilities have been treated as inferior or of less value. They have less capacity than their brothers or sisters and so on, and large numbers of people see people with disabilities as negative. This has led to people with disabilities being treated as less human. [For example] When getting medical procedures people [with disabilities] didn’t get the same anesthetic because they were different than everyone else. Also, there are people aborting people with disabilities – this is a very strong statement that they are unwanted and seen as a burden.
They [people with disabilities] live in a world of assumptions created by other people, which has big impacts on what kind of life they get to live. Everyone is subject to assumptions about them. There are two kinds assumptions; assumptions that liberate them and assumptions that hold them back. There was a time when it was believed people with disabilities couldn’t have regular jobs in the community, and now there are jurisdictions where 3 out of 4 people with disabilities have jobs in community. There was a time it was thought people with disabilities couldn’t be in regular classrooms. We see this now. In these examples a 'mindshift' has taken place. When we change our mind, we change our world. These mindsets have shifted in the last 2.5 generations, mostly in western societies, but this is moving into other societies.
This shift started in Sweden and Denmark with the Normalization principal; simply [the idea] where devalued people should be treated like everyone else. This was later translated into the theory of social role valorization. Life will get better for people with disabilities when we pay attention to what is going on in our minds and we shift our perceptions.
There is a belief that people would be better off segregated. If they are not with us, then they are somewhere else. They would be happier with their own kind, their own kind is other disabled people. Segregated sport, housing, schooling, work – there is segregated everything. We all need support to be successful, especially in new environments and social contexts.
It is a myth that people with disabilities can’t succeed in inclusive settings.
What have we learned?
We have been too conservative and cautious about the true potentials for people with disabilities. The pessimism [of others] is the problem, not the people with disabilities.
“If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.”
- JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE
How do we hold higher expectations for people with disabilities?
If something benefits the rest of the world, it will benefit people with disabilities as well.
The application of this is called Culturally Valued Analogue (CVA). Simply, provide the same options that the rest of us have available to us. We should always do the normal thing and make it available to people with disabilities; the same activities and pastimes.
Include people with disabilities in new experiences and see what they might enjoy. Each should have the opportunity to build an interesting life for themselves. This is why the individualized option makes sense for people. This is why it is regressive to give people the same options [for example, group homes].
If people haven’t had opportunities, create new opportunities for that person. It is never too late. If people have become deprived, it is ‘overcomable’. The caution is to do it at the pace of the individual. An exploratory journey of life tasting. Even if you have been held back, you can make up for it.
Capacity for Decision Making
Some people think disability means they have no capacity at all. A truer appraisal of all of us is that we all lack capacities of one kind or another to some degree. People with disabilities certainly have capacity. They can make decisions on their own behalf, and is it better that they do that, because they will learn how to make good decisions and they will experience the consequences of the decisions that didn’t turn out to be so good - like everyone else. That is how you learn about decision making, is making decisions and practicing decision making. You can safeguard people and their vulnerabilities with decision making. They can pick their own supporters to help them with decisions in areas they feel they need support in making decisions.
People with disabilities rebel against not being able to be decision makers because they feel things are being done to them or on them, rather than with them. People are also easier to get along with when people [they] are decision makers because they don’t feel threatened, and that people [others] are there in a supportive way. Often behaviors will disappear.
There might be times were people with disabilities might not make good decisions. It would be neglectful not to support people, even when they don’t ask for it. The person might be unwilling to take support, but there are times where people can intervene, but it must be done respectfully. If people are concerned about us, they ought to be able to share their concerns about our decisions. You are not giving up the ability to influence, but you are giving up the control of the individual.
On the podcast, Michael discusses his views on circles of support, and how they can benefit an individual.
Why is investment in group homes an outdated idea?
In summary:
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It is based on the assumption that people with disabilities should live together. We [everyone else] chose to live with people we are compatible with.
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It is forced shared living.
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It creates the idea that it is the only option for people.
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There are much better options. Individualized one person at a time is much better because it gives you much more choice.
Many jurisdictions have a freeze on the growth of segregated living.
Michael’s Challenge To Everyone:
Give people with disabilities quality attention when you are with them. If you pay attention to people a lot of things about people and their lives will become more clear to you. Pay attention. Let us get instructed by them, simply by knowing the person and getting to know them better. Be really attentive to learning who they are and what their life is like. We don’t know where this will take us, but this will raise our consciousness and change us for the better. One great shortcoming we all have is that we don’t take people with disabilities seriously enough. I think the antidote to that is ‘enlightened attentiveness’ to the person and let it go where it goes. It is the most deeply respectful thing we can do, is to pay attention to a human being.
On the podcast, I give my perspective on how we can practice enlightened attentiveness and I share a story of my sister (Sarah) which is a good example of my 'mindshift' of doing WITH Sarah, instead of FOR Sarah. If you are interested in my insights take a listen to the podcast.
A big thank you to Michael Kendrick for coming on the podcast and sharing his wisdom. If you received value from reading this blog or listening to this podcast episode I encourage you to share it with someone else you feel would benefit.
Love & Respect,
Eric Goll
Resources:
Video Insights from Michael Kendrick: Click here for youtube videos
Wednesday Apr 25, 2018
Wednesday Apr 25, 2018
Guest Nick Maisey, founder of Befriend, shares his insights on building relationships and creating more inclusive cultures.
Nick is an Occupational Therapist, social entrepreneur and community builder from Perth, Australia. With the support of the Westpac Bicentennial Foundation, Nick completed a Social Change Fellowship to undertake an international information exchange, to enhance his learning of innovative, effective approaches to fostering the development of relationships and community connections.
Nick spends a lot of his time reflecting on the importance of relationships, and thinking about what we can do together to build more connected societies.
This curiosity is what led Nick to start the organization, Befriend. The inspiration to start Befriend came when Nick was studying Occupational Therapy. The story goes, Nick received an email from Tim, that roughly read, “I am a 23-year-old guy, I like watching movies, going to the beach, and learning how to surf. I don’t have any friends, I am wondering if there is anyone interested in getting to know me?”
Nick shares, “There was something simple and honest about his email. I met him (Tim)… he has taught me a lot about inclusion, and what it is like to live a meaningful life connected to others. He didn’t have a single person that he would call a friend. It struck me that we live amongst so many people in close proximity of each other, but there are so many people that feel alone.”
This started a lot of conversations between Nick and his friends, and in 2010 Befriend was started with the intention to foster a more inclusive and connected society.
Nick Shares, “The experience of loneliness for many of us comes from the feeling of being excluded. With Befriend we foster the development of new relationships, and a more inclusive culture.”
How is Befriend doing this?
Paraphrasing from the podcast Nick shares, “It is about simplicity. We take a community building approach by working with local people that are interested in building community, and we work with them to bring people together. We partner with organizations and networks where people are vulnerable, and we facilitate introductions and connections. In partnership with community organizations we help to get the word out about these gatherings, and build bridges to vulnerable people. In Perth, we have about 50 social gatherings per month across the city.
Befriend is kind of like a Meet up, which is platform for any individual that can start up a group around an interest, but with an intentional value of inclusion. Befriend focuses on teaching gathering hosts on how to cultivate inclusive cultures.
Reducing Loneliness and Isolation in Community:
In 2017, Nick was awarded a Social Change Fellowship from Westpac Bank’s Bicentennial Foundation to go on a self-development experience to further his social change venture. This was essentially a scholarship for a 3-month international self-directed learning tour that took Nick around the world and back, including stops in; Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Scotland, England, and Denmark.
On Nick’s journey he visited 58 groups to explore his curiosity in these two key areas:
1. What are effective approaches for fostering the development of natural relationships for people who have had a lived experience of being isolated, disconnected, or devalued within their community?
2. What are approaches for fostering more inclusive behaviours, attitudes and values within communities?
On the podcast, Nick shares the stories of his visits to a few of these 58 groups, and what he learned with them. Nick and I also discuss the traits we see in people excelling in the ‘community builder’ role. Take a listen to the podcast to hear these insights.
The Space In-between:
Nick came to be very interested in the space in between his two key questions: that is, what are people doing to build natural relationships for devalued people, and to foster more inclusive cultures? A theme started to emerge – valued contributions. Nick noticed that when people devalued by their community made a contribution that they were intrinsically motivated to give they started to build natural relationships, and more inclusive cultures emerged. Some examples in practice where Nick observed this were volunteer time banking initiatives, skill exchanges, community dinners, interfaith initiatives (sharing knowledge and beliefs about god across religions to enrich collective sense of faith), and neighbourhood development projects.
Nick leaves us with this call to action to build relationships and create more inclusive cultures:
“Spend time thinking about, not what we need, or others around us need. But, how can we be helpful? And, how can others around us be people be helpful? Especially (use this thinking for) the people we think of living a life of needs.”
Love & Respect,
Eric Goll
Resources:
Nick's Blog: Click Here
Befriend website: Click Here
Befriend Facebook page: Click Here
If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes
The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!
Tuesday Apr 10, 2018
Tuesday Apr 10, 2018
Welcome to Episode #042 of the Empowering Ability Podcast/ Blog. Today’s episode is about ‘Understanding the Sibling Experience, with Helen Ries.’ Before we get into the content of this episode, first some housekeeping because it has been awhile since you have heard from me.
Almost 4 months in fact.
In December 2017, I shared with you that the podcast would be taking a break for a couple of months so that I could develop new content and complete a few projects. However, life got busier than expected; with helping to run my family’s business, finishing the construction of my new house, supporting my sister to move out of my parent’s house, running my coaching practice for leaders and families working to create incredible ordinary lives for people with disabilities, and working on the adult sibling research we are going to share with you today.
Something had to give, and it was the podcast - even though I love podcasting. To give you an idea, publishing a 1- hour episode is about 10 hours of work, as I do all the recording, editing, writing, graphics, and publishing myself. So, moving forward I will be releasing an episode every 2 weeks, which is a much more manageable pace than weekly, also considering this podcast is currently free. I am a considering a ‘pay what you can model’ for those of you that are getting a ton of value from this podcast and wish to contribute to the production of the podcasts and the costs associated with it. I want this information to remain open and widely available to everyone, and this type of model will enable that. With all of that said, I have still been recording content over the last 4 months and I have some incredible conversations that I will be bringing to you over the next couple of months.
I’d love to hear from some of you to learn what has really resonated with you over the first 42 episodes. This will help me as I craft new content to bring you more of what you find valuable. Also, send me the names of guests you would love to hear on the podcast.
You can send me an email at eric@ericgoll.com.
Okay, enough housekeeping.
Today, my guest today is Helen Ries. Helen is a sibling, who supports her brother Paul, and they live together in Ottawa, Ontario. Helen also joined me on episode 9, which you can listen to here, where she talks in depth about her experience as a sibling and shares her insights. Helen is also an evaluator and consultant in the not-for-profit sector with an interest in social justice and poverty reduction, you can check out her work on her website.
Helen and I, discuss the research we have been doing to understand the life experience of adult siblings. The purpose of this research is to understand siblings so that we can better support adult siblings with resources, some of which we intend to create.
There were actually three of us completing this research, the third person being Becky Rossi. Becky just became the mother to her 3rd child, and wasn’t able to join us on the podcast – but here is a brief overview of our stories:
Helen’s Story:
All her life Helen knew that one day she would be responsible for her brother’s care. When that day arrived, it was early, unexpected and fast. The shock of suddenly becoming a caregiver still runs through her. There are moments when she remembers a time when she could go away for the weekend without planning it or when she didn’t have the nag of constant worry. It has been so far a difficult journey, but she is very proud of how her brother has thrived with her care and how their relationship has grown.
Becky’s Story:
Becky has spent the last seven years championing broad systems change through building community-based, non-traditional solutions to issues of isolation and vulnerability, both through her long-time work with P4P and as the sibling of an adult brother with Asperger’s Syndrome. Becky has a close relationship with her brother and – together with her sister and parents – they navigate the challenges and opportunities of creating a meaningful life, secure future and strong family.
Eric’s Story:
Sitting from his work desk Eric received a call from his distressed mother exclaiming "I just can't do it anymore". She was referring to caring for his sister, with a DD, 31 years old at the time. Eric had a decision to make – continue to stay arm’s length from his family, or jump in and play the role of a loving brother and loving son that he knew he could be. This started Eric's journey in supporting families with a loved one with a DD (including his own), through personal coaching and educating.
So, this is a big lead up to what we have learned, here it is….
The Sibling Life Journey
We looked at the common themes in the life of a sibling over the stages of a sibling’s life. These themes might not apply to every sibling’s life, but these are our observations from conversation with many adult siblings, and they line up well with the data we collected in a survey with over 360 adult sibling respondents.
0 years-18 years old: At a young age we get an understanding of disability, and we notice differences between ourselves and our sibling. Our parents are taking our brother or sister to many appointments and are often providing much more care to our brother or sister than they are for us. We are often asked to help out, and many of us just jump in wanting to help. This leads to siblings maturing faster than normal and developing a strong sense for caring for others at an early age. We also become our brother or sister’s protector. No one is going to mess with our brother or sister at school, or out in public without hearing about it from us. The maturity, carer, and protector are traits and values that we often carry with us throughout our lives.
18 years – 29 years old: At 18 typically siblings move out and go through a big growth and exploration phase. We get an advanced education, or head out into the working world, we try many jobs to see what we like, we travel. And our brother or sister, from age 21 on, is often living at our parents’ home with little to do and is actually in decline in terms of growth. During this time in a sibling’s life they will often describe having a feeling of guilt, as they are experiencing what life has to offer, and their brother or sister isn’t having the same opportunity. Siblings want their brother or sister to have the same life opportunities, but they don’t know how to support them to do so.
30 years – 39 years old: This stage of a sibling’s life is typically focused on career building and starting a family of their own. These things take a lot of energy and can mean a little less connection with our brother or sister and parents. This feeling of guilt can continue. We want better for our brother or sister but not really knowing how to help and use our influence. Siblings are often pushed out of the conversation my parents about their brother or sister because parents don’t want that ‘burden’ to be passed onto the other sibling.
40 years – 49 years old: Siblings have described having a ‘looming’ feeling in this life stage. More often than not, their brother or sister with a disability is still living with their parents, and the parent’s health is starting to decline due to age. Siblings can see this impending crisis coming, whether it is conscious or unconscious - it is keeping them up at night. What is going to happen when my parents can’t support my brother and sister? It is on me.
50+ years old: The parents decline to a point where they cannot provide care for their child with a disability, and someone else needs to take over that role. Many siblings step up to fill the role, all while dealing with their parents decline, their career, and their family. This can be a very challenging time period in a sibling’s life.
The Survey Findings:
There are 7 key findings that we share in the ‘Understanding the Sibling Experience’ report, here is a small glimpse into a couple of the findings that Helen and I discuss on the podcast. I recommend you check out the report, hosted by Partners For Planning (P4P), if you are interested in reading about all of the findings.
The Findings:
Where are our brothers and sisters with a disability living? Well it turns out that 85.6% of our brothers and sisters aged 20 to 29 years old are living with their parents. In comparison, the Canadian national average is 34.7% for people aged 20-29 years old. The percentage of people with disabilities living with their parents stays high well into the 40-49 year old age bracket, at 58.5%.
What are the current challenges identified by siblings? Siblings identified the mental health of their brother or sister and the mental health of their parents as the most frequent challenge they face. Followed by hosing options for their brother or sister, managing relationships, and emotional supports for themselves.
If you are interested in the other 5 findings, check out the report here.
Our Recommendations:
In our report, we outline 8 recommendations for siblings, families, organizations, and government to consider.
These recommendations include:
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A deeper study of siblings
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Adult siblings connect with other adult siblings to share their experiences
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Development of resources and tools for adult siblings
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Support for mental health of our families
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Innovative housing solutions
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Poverty reduction
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Siblings are involved in the family planning discussions
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Organizations reach out to siblings and support them.
I encourage you to read our report to learn more about these recommendations in depth, click here.
The Sibling Collaborative:
So, what is next for us? (Helen, Becky, and I)
We have done a lot of thinking about what we have learned about siblings and we have created a new project, called ‘The Sibling Collaborative’ to support siblings needs.
The purpose of the Sibling Collaborative is to ‘Connect Siblings and Strengthen Families’.
The Sibling Collaborative has a core set of values that guides our work:
Realizing Change with Compassion: We take action with the critical input and consideration of our brothers and sisters with a DD and our families.
Mutual Respect: We give people agency over their own lives, with consideration for all those involved.
Collective Solutions: We find a way forward by learning, working and co-creating together.
Unlocking Potential: We hold a big and bold vision for our brothers and sisters as well as our families. Our intrinsic creativity and resourcefulness knows no limit.
For this collaborative to be a collaborative we need others to collaborate with! We would love other siblings, self-advocates, family members, and organizations that share these values to partner with us on this journey. You can join the sibling collective mailing list here, to be updated on the journey as it unfolds.
Helen leaves us with a quote from friend to all siblings, Don Meyer, “If you want to invest in the long-term well-being of people with developmental disabilities, you need to invest in their brothers and sisters.”
Thank you for reading to today's blog! If you liked this episode, and think someone you know would benefit, please share it with them! Be a part of the change to think differently about disability.
Love & Respect,
Eric Goll
Resources:
The Sibling Collaborative Facebook Page: Click Here: Sibling Network
Join The Sibling Collaborative Mailing List: Click Here
Email: info@siblingcollaborative.org
Understanding the Sibling Experience Report: Click Here
If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes
The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!
Click Here To Listen on iTunes
Tags:
Helen Ries
Siblings
Becky Rossi
Sibling Life Journey
sibling care-giving
Sibling report
The Sibling Collaborative
Thursday Dec 14, 2017
Thursday Dec 14, 2017
Al Condeluci provides us with a 4-stage framework to build social capital (meaningful relationships) for people with disabilities. Keenan Wellar also joins us to share the experience of putting the framework into action with his team at LiveWorkPlay. This podcast was created from a segment in Episode 006, so it might be the second listen for you long time listeners, but it is so good that it is worth another listen!
Resources:
How to contact Al Condeluci:
Website: http://www.alcondeluci.com/
Contact: http://www.alcondeluci.com/contact/
Location: Pittsburg PA, USA
How to contact Keenan & the LiveWorkPlay team:
Website: http://liveworkplay.ca/
Website: https://keenanwellar.wordpress.com/
Contact: http://liveworkplay.ca/contact-us/
Phone: 613-702-0332
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Thursday Nov 30, 2017
Thursday Nov 30, 2017
Don is one of the world’s leading experts on siblings, and has supported siblings for the last 35 years.
Don Meyer, Director of the Sibling Support Project.
The Sibling Support Project is a national program in the United States, with international presence, dedicated to the millions of brothers and sisters of people with developmental disabilities. The program is supported by Washington state’s largest early intervention center, the Kindering Center.
Why Are Brothers and Sisters So Important?
Paraphrasing from the podcast, Don Shares:
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Anything we can say about being a parent, we can put ditto marks underneath for siblings. The research says siblings have parallel experiences to their parents. But, when we look at the services, and considerations that siblings get - siblings get the short end of the stick. In the USA, there are 200-300 people that have full-time jobs to support parents, there is 1 person with a full-time job supporting siblings (and that is Don).
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Brothers and sisters have the longest lasting relationship with a person that has a developmental disability. This relationship is lifelong. When mom and dad are no longer available the brother and sister’s will make sure their sibling will live a dignified life in the community.
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No one logs on more moments and minutes with their brother or sister.
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No one has a greater impact on the social development of a person with a developmental disability.
Why Are Siblings Underserved?
Paraphrasing from the podcast, Don Shares:
Siblings are off the organization’s radar screens because they not squeaky wheels. As siblings outlive their parents service providers are beginning to realize there are these brothers and sisters out there.
If you want to ensure a good long-term outcome for people with disabilities then invest in their siblings because they are going to be there in the long haul.
There is reason to believe that intervening with siblings, even young siblings, has a benefit to everyone.
How Can Service Providers Invest In Siblings?
Paraphrasing from the podcast, Don Shares:
Service providers can create initiatives that specifically reach out to brothers and sisters, and they can change their policy to explicitly invite brothers and sisters.
Provide siblings information that they think is important. Brothers and sisters have a lifelong need for information. This is a parallel that siblings share with parents.
How do siblings get their information? They are lucky if they get it from their parents. Educational materials need to be prepared specifically for siblings.
Sibshops
Don goes around the world and shows people how to start Sibshops; peer support and education programs for school aged siblings that have a brother or sister with a developmental disabilities. There are 350 Sibshops worldwide, including in the USA (250), Canada (30), Iceland, Ireland, and Japan. Sibshops got their start in 1982, and Don has been training people on how to run Sibshops since 1990. The typical Sibshop age spread is 8-13 years old. This age spread is tweaked all the time – sometimes as low as 6 years old, and some organizations even have teen Sibshops.
One of the biggest benefits of Sibshops that Don has observed is the peer to peer support and connection with other kids that are walking down a similar path. Don has met many siblings that don’t talk to another sibling until they are in their 40’s! It is unheard of for a parent to wait 40 years before meeting another parent with a child that had a developmental disability. But, this is the reality with siblings. (In my own experience, I didn’t connect with another sibling until I was in my late 20’s. Also, I recently facilitated an adult sibling meeting and it was the first time 30% of the group had ever connected with another sibling.)
Don shares, “We are giving young siblings a chance to meet young siblings, learn about the services their brothers and sisters are getting, and to learn how others are dealing with sticky situations. We have designed Sibshops to be fun, because they are for kids. We have a celebration of contributions made by brothers and sisters, and we mix content activities with recreational activities.”
The University of Washington has researched the effectiveness of Sibshops and found:
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Over 90% of respondents said they had a positive effect on how they felt about brother or sister.
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2/3 of respondents were taught coping strategies.
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94% said they would recommend Sibshops to others.
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3/4 of respondents said Sibshops impacted their adult lives.
Don Shares, “(The value of Sibshops is…) to be in the community of people who get it. To vent in a non-judgmental forum, to know you are not alone, and learn about resources and strategies.”
On the podcast, Don shares the unique concerns and opportunities that he has observed after interacting with 1000’s of siblings around the world. The list includes concerns like guilt and embarrassment, but also includes opportunities like maturity and diversity. I recommend you take a listen to the podcast to hear all of Don’s insights.
This podcast is packed full of resources for siblings, which are all listed below in the resource section.
A big thank you goes out to Don for joining us on the podcast and sharing his work and insights on siblings!
Thank you for reading to today's blog! If you liked this episode, and think someone you know would benefit, please share it with them! Be a part of the change to think differently about disability.
Love & Respect,
Eric
Resources:
Social Networking Groups for Siblings:
Sibnet Adults Click Here
Sib Teen Click Here
Sibshop curriculum Click Here
The Sibling Survival Guide, created with Sibling Leadership Network. Click Here
The Sibling Slam Book – by teen sibs for teen sibs. Click Here
Views From Our Shoes – collection of essays from young siblings. Click Here
Thicker Than Water – collection of essay from adult siblings Click Here
Being the Other One, by Kate Strohm Click Here
Riding The Bus with My Sister, by Rachel Simon Click Here
Special Siblings, by Mary McHugh Click Here
Paper: What siblings would like parents and services providers to know. Click Here
Contact Don
Email: info@siblingsupport.org
Phone: 206-297-6368
If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes
The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!
Thursday Oct 26, 2017
Thursday Oct 26, 2017
Learn what intentional community is, and the building blocks to build your own intentional community.
This week, I am re-sharing an important conversation from Episode #022 on Intentional Community, with Janet Klees and Linda Dawe.
Janet Klees has been involved in the lives of people with disabilities, their families, and allies in community for over 30 years. Until recently, she has been coordinator with the family-governedDeohaeko Support Network for over 20 years. She is the author of three books which are directly rooted in the Deohaeko experience, (We Come Bearing Gifts; Our Presence has Roots; Deohaeko Decades) and which are now sold around the world. Currently, Janet is the Executive Director with a family support organization, the Durham Association for Family Respite Services.
Linda Dawe is a founding member of the Deohaeko Support Network– a family led collective that has embodied diversity, inclusion and community since its inception in the mid 1980’s.
Intentional Community
There is a lot of discussion in the disability sector about what community is and the definitions can vary widely. The conversation can range from placing groups of people (such as people with a disability and seniors) together in a building to support each other, to a diverse group of individuals coming together to build relationships and share their gifts with each other.
Amazing community builder, Linda Dawe shares what she has learned about building an intentional community at Rougemount over the last 25 years:
“Intentional community is not something that you measure - it is something that you feel. It isn't a thing, it is in the hearts of people, and people embrace it to different degrees. One of the things that was important in creating the intentional community at Rougemount was the diversity in the residents that represented the actual community. Not placing groups of people together, such as seniors and people with disabilities. Intentional community at Rougemount started out as a grand thing, but simply it is just being in relationship with each other. People living well together. It requires effort, consciousness, and core people to hold the values of the community.
Janet Klees adds: “Simply put, community is being a good neighbor. At Rougemount people look for opportunities to be good neighbors and then talk about it, and hold up examples of it.
Intentional community isn't a building - it is a mindset! We can take the ideas with us, and many groups have. People have come into Rougemount and have seen how it works, and then brought it into neighborhoods with single family homes, and brought it into condo buildings. Rougemount is just an example of how it can work.
The Key Takeaways for me are:
1. Building Intentional Community starts with rich diversity and upholding neighbourly values.
2. Fostering Intentional Community requires us to get a common understanding of each other, and through that understanding building trust and respect. From here we can show love to each other in small little ways, and uphold those acts of love.
3. Be intentional in creating opportunities for people with disabilities to build relationship. Do not group them in housing or support.
Thank you for reading to today's blog! If you liked this episode and think someone you know would benefit, please share it with them! Be a part of the change to think differently about disability.
Love & Respect,
Eric
Resources:
Purchase These Books to Learn More Lesson's from Deohaeko:
"We come bearing gifts" by Janet Klees
"Our Presence has roots" by Janet Klees
Learn more about Deohaeko: Click Here
Learning events In Durham Region: Click Here
Book a study tour to learn about Rougemount and Deohaeko: Click Here
Contact Janet Klees: janet@legacies.ca
If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes
The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!
Thursday Oct 19, 2017
Thursday Oct 19, 2017
Learn how the OPZ family care system works, and hear Toni Smit's foster family experience. Also, hear the benefits and drawbacks of being a foster family.
Geel Belgium and OPZ Family Care:
The family care system in Geel Belgium evolved in the 1300's from the local legend for St. Dymphna. It was thought that St. Dymphna could cure any illness, and many people traveled to Geel to be cured, and ended up in the care of the church. When there was no more room left in the church families in Geel began caring for the ill. (For more on the Legend of St. Dymphna, listen to Episode #019 with Jackie Goldstein.) Today, the system provides formalized public psychiatric care and is called OPZ.
On the podcast Toni shares:
The OPZ patients can become boarders with foster families, and they have a 6 week orientation period to see how a the boarder adjusts to live with a foster family. If they do well in an orientation home then the OPZ tries to find a foster family. If a foster family is found, the boarder and foster family have the opportunity to get to know each other for a few days.
“You try to receive boarders into your family as you would your son or daughter. The idea is to give people a real home for the long term.”
Toni and her husband consider her boarders her step sons and they integrate their boarders completely into the family, and the neighbourhood.
Over the last 20 years, they’ve had 4 boarders, and they have stayed as long as they wanted. Their current boarder, Luke, has lived with Toni and her husband for the last 14 years.
Why did you become a foster family?
Toni Shares:
“I’ve always been a foster mother.”
There has always been other family members living with Toni and her partner. When Toni eventually settled in Geel her 84-year-old neighbour had a boarder from the OPZ. The neighbour couldn’t support the boarder anymore, and eventually the boarder ended up living with Toni and her husband. This was 20 years ago, and at the time there were 3,000 boarders living with families, and now there are only 300.
Why is there a decline in boarders?
Toni Shares:
"The modern way of life. The man and the woman of the household are working. 20 years ago, there were a lot of farms and often the woman stayed at home. The combination of someone always being home, and the need for help to do the work on the farm created this opportunity that was mutually beneficial. Many younger families do not even know about the OPZ, and if they do they are likely both working, and it might not make sense for them. There are also more care possibilities now that give people more choice on where they can live."
What are the benefits of being a foster family?
Toni shares:
“Love”
It gives Toni and her husband a lot of joy and happiness. There is always someone home and it helps to give them a cozy home. It gives Toni someone to talk to, and to take care of. It is also a gratifying experience seeing the boarder grow and take on a lot more then they use to.
Toni also shares that you start thinking about life completely differently.
"Mental illness is not a contagious disease, it is an illness and it can happen to anyone. My son had an accident and now he is mentally ill. He has changed completely, and has a completely different character and you have to get used to those things."
Why shouldn't someone become a foster family?
Toni is very insistent that families should not take in a boarder as a financial solution. This is the wrong reason to take in a boarder. You do receive money for the boarder, but it doesn’t cover the costs that you have.
Also, Toni shares, "Don’t do it if you can’t accept them as part of the family."
What I took away from this conversation with Toni is that, being an relationship with her boarders has given her life meaning in a way that she wouldn't get any other way. I thank Toni for coming on the podcast and sharing her life experiences as a foster family!
Love & Respect,
Eric
Resources:
Email Toni for a conversation: toni120@.com
If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes
The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!
Tuesday Oct 10, 2017
Tuesday Oct 10, 2017
Siblings supporting their brother's and sister's on friendships, dating, and dreaming big, with Melissa Janson
Today, we are kicking off our second mini-series on the podcast, and over the next few months we are going to focusing in on siblings. Siblings are often forgotten about in the family equation when there is a disability in the family, yet they can play such an important role. In this mini-series, we are going to be trying to answer a couple of questions about siblings; ‘What role can siblings play in their brother’s and sister’s lives?’, and ‘What support and resources are available for siblings?’.
If the sibling topic is one that interests you, you can listen to Episode #009 with Helen Rieswhere Helen shares her story and we have an important discussion about starting a conversation with your family about the role you want to play as a sibling. There are often so many assumptions about the roles family members are going to play. These assumptions are not always accurate and can lead to breakdowns, which is why it is so important to discuss the roles each family member wants to play. You might be surprised in how involved your family members want to be!
To kick off the mini-series on siblings, we have guest Melissa Janson on the show. Melissa works professionally in the disability sector, and is the sister to Yaniv, whom has a disability. Melissa and I discuss the role that we can play to support our brothers and sisters. We have a great conversation about friendships, dating, and dreaming big.
Melissa’s Story
Melissa (now 28) was born in Israel and moved to New Zealand with her family in 2000. Her younger brother, Yaniv (now 25), was diagnosed with aspergers when they arrived in New Zealand. Melissa and Yaniv went to the same main stream school where Yaniv was bullied, and this was frustrating to Melissa. People couldn’t see Yaniv’s gift and skills like Melissa could.
Melissa explains, “People with aspergers can struggle to pick up social ques. It doesn’t come naturally to Yaniv to come up to someone and start a conversation, and sarcasm and humor is hard.” However, Melissa goes on to explain that Yaniv is quite funny!
Melissa works professionally in the disability sector for an anthroposophical service provider that is grounded in the theories of Rudolph Steiner which takes a holistic view of the person; spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
Melissa’s family is starting to think about what the future looks like, as a family.
Building Relationships
Melissa is very close with Yaniv. Yaniv wants to know what is happening in Melissa’s life, and Melissa wants to know what is going on Yaniv’s life. Melissa shares, “Being close and connected is my focus.”
Melissa always tries to Include Yaniv in her social outings with friends. Melissa shared that, Yaniv is sometimes not sure why and can put up some resistance, but often comes along anyway.
On the podcast, I share the story of my conversation with the great Jean Vanier. Jean left me with this piece of advice, “Befriend people that have disabilities, and influence others to befriend people with disabilities.” Melissa is playing this important role for her brother.
On the podcast, Melissa shares the story of her brother’s love interest, and how she played a facilitator role to bridge the social gaps for her brother and his date. (It is a fun story, and worth a listen).
The Power of ‘Why not?’
Melissa shares, “Aiming high is something we really have to get used to doing, because I think there’s that whole bigotry of low expectations in the disability sector. As siblings, we can support by asking ‘Why not?’.
Yaniv is a painter and has a great career as a creator. He has published 4 books, and he has sold 160 paintings. Melissa shares, “People aren’t seeing him for his disability any more, they are seeing him as an artist. My other brother and I always feel like we are chasing Yaniv.”
Melissa shares, “We need to be looking at what risk can he take. I look at this positivity. From a relationship perspective when talking with my mom she didn’t think it is possible for him to have a relationship, and I responded, why not?... he is totally capable. And if he wasn’t we would facilitate that.”
Melissa also shares this risk-taking mindset from a career standpoint, “There is a lot of risk and uncertainty in the option of trying something first and learning the skills afterward. We are forced to figure it out when we are in the situation. There is risk here, but there is also a lot of growth that can happen.” On the podcast, Melissa shares the story of Abdul-Karim Bouchafaa and how his growth has taken off by following his passion and creating his career as a Motivational non-speaker.
Melissa advises siblings to stay connected with their sibling, read up, listen to podcasts, and gather success stories to overcome adversity in your family. Also, she suggests we look out for what your sibling is really passionate about, and to help them ride that wave and pursue that as a career. I am grateful for Melissa joining me on the podcast to share her story and insights as a sibling!
Thank you for reading to today's blog! If you liked this episode and think someone you know would benefit, please share it with them! Be a part of the change to think differently about disability.
Love & Respect,
Eric
Resources:
Connect with Melissa
Facebook: Melissa Janson (NZ)
Email: melissajanson22@gmail.com
Yaniv’s website: http://www.yanivjanson.com/
Abdul-Karim Bouchafaa Motivational Non - Speaker: Watch Video
If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes
The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!
Tuesday Jul 25, 2017
Tuesday Jul 25, 2017
Founder of online social media platform My Disability Matters, Dale Reardon, comes on the podcast to discuss this new platform for people with disabilities.
Dale, now 47, went blind at the age of 17 from Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, which is an inherited form of vision loss that usually begins in a person's teens or twenties. Dale has had an abundant career as a lawyer, tourist operator, and even worked for the Australia tax office before becoming a technology entrepreneur alongside his wife and creating the My Disability Matters platform.
The My Disability Matters Platform
My Disability Matters initially started as a news publishing and republishing platform for blogs of disabled people. The idea came when Dale saw a growing distrust from the disability community in disability news publisher, The Mighty. Dale says, The Mighty was publishing stories that exploited people’s disability as inspiration, also known as inspiration porn or ableism. Dale and his wife then evolved the news publishing idea into a social media platform for people with disabilities.
Paraphrasing from the podcast, “Dale found that discussing disability issues on existing social networks can feel unsafe because of the bullying and trolling that goes on. The My Disability Matters social platform provides a safe, supportive environment where disability issues can be discussed without fear. Living with disability can be lonely and isolating because of barriers such as transportation, and an online platform allows isolated people to form friendships online. Dale shares, when he was losing his eye sight a family with father and son who were blind took him under their wing and helped him to see that he would still be able to live a normal life. Dale hopes to create the space for many of these connections to happen for people with disabilities.”
At the date of publishing this blog and podcast, 1,650 people across the world so far are using the My Disability Matters platform. I encourage you to check out the platform at www.mydisabilitymatters.club. Create your free account, and start to build relationships with like-minded people.
Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
On the podcast, Dale provides an overview of Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which is a new way of providing support to people with disabilities in Australia since 2013.
Paraphrasing from the podcast Dale explains, “The NDIS is designed to give money to people who have a severe and profound disability to take care of their needs. Up until 2013, Australia used block funding (the government provided grants to organizations), and the organizations then served as many people as they could. In simple terms with the NDIS, a person with a disability will have a meeting with the government to determine how much help they need, they are then provided with the funding needed to support their disability, and they are free to hire the staff that needed without being bound to a support organization. When the NDIS roll out is complete in 2019, 460,000 people with the most severe disabilities will be covered under the insurance scheme. On the whole, there is probably about 4 million people in Australia with a disability. There are growing pains, but the hope is that the NDIS will revolutionize disability care in Australia."
To learn more about how the NDIS works, how it is helping people with a disability, and the associated growing pains tune into the podcast.
Our mini-series on housing for people with disabilities is continuing so go ahead and Subscribeto the mailing list to get all 6 episodes sent directly to your inbox!
Love & Respect,
Eric
Resources:
My Disability Matters Social Platform: Create your free account - Click Here!
My Disability Matters News: www.mydisabilitymatters.news
Contact Dale Reardon: dale@mydisabilitymatters.club
If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes
The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!
Click Here To Listen on iTunes
Tuesday Jun 27, 2017
Tuesday Jun 27, 2017
I ask Keenan, “What is the most common question you get asked in your role as Co-leader at LiveWorkPlay?”. Keenan replies “Housing – what should we do in housing?” - At the end of the podcast recording in Episode 1; “The movement to individualized support, and accessing developmental support services”,
In this week’s podcast I share unreleased audio from our very first guest on the podcast, Keenan Wellar. Keenan is the innovative Co-founder and Co-leader of LiveWorkPlay, a developmental service agency that works to facilitate community connections and relationships in Ottawa, ON.
When answering this question, Keenan takes a coach approach by asking a lot of questions in order to draw out the best answer for that family. A couple of questions that Keenan will ask are;
Where do most citizens tend to live in your community? (Let’s start there)
What are the barriers to those outcomes (living in 'ordinary' housing) ?
These are great questions to get you thinking about the best solution for you and your family. To help guide your thinking process I’ve created a FREE workbook to help you create your vision of the best housing solution for you, and to take the first steps toward implementing your solution. Click Here to download the free workbook.
Keenan shares, "If we just look at the systemic one size fits all housing solution then we are closing a lot of doors." I agree. We also might not be creating an environment for a person with a disability to flourish by taking a one size fits all approach.
Keenan also touches on the problem of isolation and loneliness for people with a disability, and how important it is to work on developing unpaid relationships. Keenan and I dive deep into building social capital topic with Al Condeluci in Episode 6; “Social Capital; Building Relationships for Improved Well-Being”
Take a listen to this podcast to get a different perspective on creating the best home for you and your loved one.
Our mini-series on housing for people with disabilities is continuing so go ahead and Subscribeto the mailing list to get all 6 episodes sent directly to your inbox!
Love & Respect,
Eric
How to Contact Keenan Wellar and LiveWorkPlay:
Website: http://liveworkplay.ca/
Phone: 613-702-0332
If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes
The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!
Click Here To Listen on iTunes