To further promote opportunities for graduates of advocacy training programs to stay involved, Partners participants in the current class, as well as alumni, and Georgia Voice that Count graduates will be sent a list of advocacy projects that need volunteers through this fall and winter. Partners in the current class will be asked to chose one or more of the following as their major project for the course.
The projects include:
Crisis Intervention Training- (at this time, for metro graduates only)
A training for police on crisis intervention. In conjunction with the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI), AADD has been training police officers on issues related to Developmental Disabilities. The CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training presents police officers with information about developmental disabilities and describes ways to effectively interact with people of varying exceptionalities. The trainings describe the challenges that police officers often face and the challenges a person with a developmental disability could face.
Unlock Volunteer at the Capitol to survey legislators during the 08 session
This project would involve coming to the Georgia Capitol during the legislative session and conducting one to one surveys with legislators on disability issues.
Attend Legislative day at the Capitol-
This project is an Advocacy 201 project for advocates who are ready to move to the next level in their training. Advocates would participate in a training by conference call and would come to the Capitol to meet one on one with their own legislator.
Trip to Central State and write an op-ed piece for your local paper (Partners current class only)
Justice and DD Coalition- GA Code project (at this time, metro graduates only)
The Coalition is a collaborative effort of disability professionals, providers, judges, law enforcement personnel, attorneys, advocates, and individuals with developmental disabilities designed to encourage the fair treatment and access to equal justice for individuals with developmental disabilities. Graduates would assist the coalition to implement an initiative to change the GA Code using concepts of People First Language.
Aging and DD trainer
Trainers are needed to increase community awareness of aging with developmental disabilities and to provide and support partnerships, sharing of resources and information to family members, providers, and local and state agencies. This would involve coming to one train the trainer event in Atlanta and then delivering one training to one of the twelve Area Agencies on Aging.
Independent Care Waiver Program Support
Graduates would be assisting as needed for home and community based services for the ICWP waiver. This could include supporting people to give testimony, distributing fact sheets and other information to legislators.
Supporting the organizing committee of Long Road Home
On June 22, 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the right of people with disabilities to live in their community through the Olmstead Decision. Each year, self-advocates and supporters have events to commemorate and show support for deinstitutionalization of people with disabilities.
Start a self advocate network in your town-self advocates only
Start a self advocate group in your community to meet, discuss and advocate for issues.
Disability Day at the Capitol
Be available to help the organizing committee of Disability day on February 21st as needed.
Start or join the a Navigator team in your county
There are twenty six Navigator teams across the state of Georgia working within communities to support families of children with disabilities. Navigator teams were started a few years ago as a connection point for families looking for support and resources.
What are other projects that you are working on? What are you hearing about across the state that we are missing?
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