SELF ADVOCACY WHAT IS IT AND WHY?

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SELF ADVOCACYWHAT IS IT AND WHY?

• Julie Petty, Self Advocates Becoming Empowered
• George Neal, People First of Alabama
• Vicki Turnage, Advisor

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What is Self-advocacy?

• Self-advocacy is a movement. It is led by people
  with disabilities. This movement is based on a
  simple idea individuals dont have to change to
  fit society. Rather, society must change to treat
  everyone fairly.
• The goal of self-advocacy is to reshape society.
  We want to bring basic civil rights and equality
  to all.
• Advocating for Change Together

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Why Self Advocacy?
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Perspectivepoint of view, how you see something
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What Self Advocacymeans to us!
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People First change my life!
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George Neal
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How has Alabama supported Self-Advocacy?

• Helped us start our organization in 1986
• Supported us with an Advisor
• Funding of the organization
• Grant writing
• DD Council
• Robert Wood Johnson

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Alabama Continues

• Wrote a Systems change grant which funded
• Office of Consumer Empowerment
• Joe Meadours
• Leadership training for Board and Local chapters
• Development of plan for grassroots organizing
  teams
• Coordinator and five regional organizers

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How has Alabama supported Self-Advocacy?

• Board support to develop
• Position statement on issues
• Strategic plan
• Supports, encourages and promotes our involvement
  in policy making committees, state and national
  conferences
• Funds our state conference, newsletter and our
  website
• Involves us as partners in other grants,
  conferences and presentations

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Alabama continued

• Supported our participation on the planning
  committee for the National Self Advocacy
  conference
• Supported the National Conference through funding
  of the program materials
• Presents at conferences with us (state and
  national)
• Secured long term funding for our organization in
  the state budget

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Self Advocacy Organizations

• National
• State
• Local

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Self Advocates Becoming Empowered

• National
• SABE for short
• 9 Regions
• 18 Board Members

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SABE Meeting September 2006
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SABE Goals

• Eliminate institutions through the use of Money
  Follows the Person legislation, mentorship by
  self-advocacy organizations to individuals to
  assist in the choosing the support they need in
  the community.
• People with disabilities will be educated and
  educate others about issues that are important in
  their lives.

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Goals continued

• SABE will be a political power house to work on
  legislation that effects people with disabilities
  lives
• Equal employment opportunities for equal pay for
  all people
• People with disabilities will have self-advocacy
  at all stages of their lives with funding to
  support state, local and national self-advocacy
  organizations.

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Goals continued

• SABE will support affordable and accessible
  housing for all people in the community

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• What can you do
• to support
• Self Advocacy?

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SELF ADVOCACY

• FEEL THE POWER!