The Self-Advocacy Alliance for Change
Under contract to the Illinois Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, HSRI has partnered with self-advocates to develop a consensus based plan to identify a vision for self-advocacy and a framework for action. Our effort, originally entitled Illinois Self-Advocates in the Lead, or I SAIL, is to assure that people with developmental disabilities lead every stage of the project from data gathering to building the consensus plan to presenting it to the Council. By investing in self-advocates in the planning phase, this design provides great momentum for implementing the plan later.
HSRI is also working with local leaders to implement the consensus-based statewide Alliance Action Plan developed in 2006-2008. With current funding (phase II), HSRI is providing support and resources to a local lead organizer and team of self-advocate representatives to coordinate implementation of the Alliance Action Plan.
The Action Plan is geared to three key outcomes:
- a network of self-advocacy groups will be established,
- self-advocates will take local action to improve their lives, change local services practices, or contribute to their community, and
- self-advocates will work together to promote statewide changes in disability policy and practice affecting their lives.
You can visit the Alliance for Change website here: www.selfadvocacyalliance.org
