Toolkits

In addition to the curriculum, "My Voice, My Choice," we offer toolkits and training on other topics, including:

• Self-Determination and You
   
• Planning and Giving a Presentation: A Guide for Self-Advocates
   
• How your Organization Can Sponsor Self-Advocates as
  AmeriCorps*VISTA Members
   
• Using Medicaid to Fund Trainings for Self-Advocates
   
• Working Together for Change

Click here for more information on ordering these toolkits.

Self Determination and You

If you have always wanted to take control of your life and make your own decisions, then take a look at our NEW Self-Determination & You toolkit.   This toolkit shows self-advocates how to:

• Speak up for themselves and others,
   
• Help others to speak up for themselves,
   
• Be the BOSS of their own live, and
   
• Be more active in the community
   

You will get a workbook and a CD with a slideshow (viewable with Adobe Acrobat Reader). Instructors and Advisors can use the slideshow to teach groups.

Planning and Giving a Presentation: A Guide for Self-Advocates

It can take a lot of time and hard work to put together a good meeting and a good presentation.  This toolkit illustrates how self-advocates can:

• Work with a planning team,
   
• Plan and give a presentation, and
   
• Organize a meeting.

This toolkit has 75 pages of text- including sample agendas, flyers and worksheets.  Specifically, it teaches self-advocates ways to share information with their audience, how to be good presenters, and the ten steps to planning a presentation.

In addition, this toolkit will help self-advocates plan the logistics of putting on a meeting.  Self-advocates will figure out:

• How much everything will cost,
   
• Where and when the meeting will take place,
   
• Who will come to the meeting, and
   
• What materials are needed for presentation day.

How your Organization Can Sponsor Self-Advocates as AmeriCorps*VISTA Members

Self-advocacy organizations are finding new ways to fund their activities and build capacity. Some organizations are using a national service program - AmeriCorps*VISTA.

Through AmeriCorps*VISTA, organizations are training self-advocates to teach people about self-advocacy and self-determination.

Everybody wins with the AmeriCorps*VISTA.

• Self-Advocacy organizations will benefit.  Trainings will build enthusiasm for their efforts and increase the capacity of their organizations.

• Self Advocates are paid a stipend to teach others about self-advocacy.  As you know, many self-advocates are already doing this type of work, but they are not being paid for their time.

• People with developmental disabilities in your state will learn about self-advocacy.  This will empower them!  They will learn how to get the services and supports they need.
   
• Developmental disability state agencies and planning councils will benefit because partnering with self-advocates and AmeriCorps*VISTA is a cost-effective way to promote self-advocacy.  In addition, such action is consistent with the policy direction many states are taking with the 2001 Developmental Disabilities Act.

If your organization is interested in learning how self-advocates can become AmeriCorps*VISTA members, then this toolkit is for you!

Using Medicaid to Fund Trainings for Self-Advocates

Use this toolkit to learn how your state developmental disabilities agency can use Medicaid to fund trainings on how self-advocates can make best use of Medicaid services. We also show how self-advocacy organizations may be hired to provide these trainings. By having the state hire your self-advocacy organization, self-advocates can develop a project where they:

• Learn to become trainers,
   
• Teach other self-advocates about their services and supports,
   
• Teach providers about self-determination and choice,
   
• Help people improve their lives, and
   
• Help their state run a more effective system.

Working Together for Change

For self-advocates to live the life they want, some things have to change. A person may want a new job, different services, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a new place to live, or something else. Sometimes people want to change things in their own personal life. Other times, people can work together as a team to change things for lots of people. The purpose of this toolkit is to help you and others make change around one issue that affects a lot of people. Using this toolkit, your group will:

• Choose an issue to work on,
  
  
• Identify partners and build partnerships,
  
  
• Develop an action plan,
  
  
• Put your plan to work, and
  
  
• Evaluate your results.

Click here for more information on ordering these toolkits.