Self-Advocacy

As a child with a disability or a teacher who teaches children with disabilities, self-advocacy is very important to learn. When given the right tools, those children can become the best advocates for themselves and those with disabilities. Once the child makes the transition out of school and becomes an adult, those skills will be invaluable! Below you will find great resources on self-advocacy.

The website you can find by going to http://www.ldpride.net/selfadvocacy.htm is a great tool referencing learning disabilities and how to work with it. As a child with a disability, it’s key to know what he/she could do to stand up for him/herself and teach others about the world of disabilities. http://www.ldpride.net/chapter10.htm is the specific chapter on self-advocacy for people with learning disabilities. It’s easy to read and is easily understood by children too.

An online article that also hits on kids with learning disabilities and self-advocacy can be seen at http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/2522. It focuses on teenagers but it involves many areas such as communication, identifying support and tips on actively participating in being a self-advocate.

http://www.selfadvocacy.com/ is a website run by people with disabilities to support a nationwide movement in self-advocacy. It’s based out of Minnesota but it’s a place that wants to make a difference for people with disabilities and self-advocacy.

A useful self-advocacy tool can be found at http://www.postitt.org/activities/unit01/Section1.pdf . It’s made up of activities to help a child with a disability understand their disability and abilities, as well as their accommodations and means for becoming a self-advocate.

Some self-advocacy resources are listed at http://thechp.syr.edu/matonsa.htm. You can find other websites, articles and informational centers on self-advocacy that would be helpful for anyone wanting more.

Recreation and Leisure

People with disabilities are no exception to needing leisure activities or even a vacation! Just because some can’t tell you that they need a break from their routine in life (whether it’s going to school, transitioning out, or working), it doesn’t mean they don’t need that kind of outlet. Life can be stressful, especially when a person with a disability is transitioning in their life, leisure activities are just the solution. Sports, camps, social activities, and vacations should be a part of everyone’s lives, and the following links will help when looking for great ideas. The more active a person is and the happier they are, the longer they’ll live! So instead of dismissing any ideas of having your loved one with a disability not be a part of something fun and exciting, look into how you can easily create a great time with recreation.

http://www.blazesports.org/ This is a very interesting website where people with disabilities can get the same athletic and recreational opportunities as their peers. BlazeSports offers training, summer camps, and other recreational opportunities to individuals. Whether your child has cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, mental or physical disabilities, programs are there to include your child in the fun.

http://www.twp.south-brunswick.nj.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B48048983-074A-4A1D-9FC4-DDAEB2645BCA%7D&DE=%7BD3B57161-166C-479A-A41F-61D7E3FF19D8%7D Even though it’s located in New Jersey, this is a wonderful recreational program for adults with disabilities. It’s a great way to get people involved in activities while learning to socialize and work as a team. The greatest part about the program is that it offers weekly and monthly activities that promote support networks and friendship building.

http://www.ncpad.org/ This website is a great resource when looking for ways to promote leisure activities and recreation for people with disabilities. It not only has lists of camps, accessible places, and even stretches, but it has links to disability-specific activities and information. This site is a must-see!

The following site is useful when looking for ways to include your child with special needs with traveling and experiences. Go to http://www.makoa.org/travel.htm to see the interesting links to other resources and place to go, as well as to see useful books you can purchase.