Client Rights and Advocacy 19

Week 21 | Nov 2-6, 2020

Theme: World Music — Skill Building: Making Decisions

Self-Advocacy, Rights & Responsibilities


Theme Activity—Dancing music (10-15 min)

Look at these examples of cultural dance and modern dance music—culture is always changing and developing

Connection Between People's Dance and Music

  1. How did those examples make you feel?
  2. Did you want to dance?
  3. Dance and music are always changing. People often combine their traditional music and dance with newer sounds and moves. 
  4. What is your favorite music to dance to? 
  5. How does your body let you know it wants to dance? 

<Body Break>

Start some music with a beat and dance your body break away. 


Show and Share (5-10 min)

your favorite dance step. Can you teach your group the step? Is it designed for single person dancing or to be done with a partner? Do you know any traditional or ballroom dance steps? 



Skill Builder 01 (5-7 min)

College options for people with differabilities


Choose one of these colleges or universities and explore the disability services offices. 

Choose one or more of these questions and look up the answer/s on the web page of the school you chose.

  1. How can a new student find out more about these services?
  2. What kinds of help can you get if you are blind? Deaf? Have trouble taking notes? 
  3. Can they help you take an online class? or use a computer?

Revealing that you have a differability (8-15 min)

In order to get support you have to tell the people at the college about your differability and work with them to choose what kind of help you need.  

  • colleges can't ask you if you have a differability, you have to tell them
  • you have to show that your differability is real with high school IEPs, your hope ISP, or private testing
  • the information you give them is private -they don't tell others on campus.

Watch this video

Video demonstrating how to work with a professor to work out accommodations.


It's Your Choice

By sharing that you have a differability you can get help with tests, taking notes, doing homework, and getting around campus. 

  1. Some people choose not to use the services. Why do you think they do that?
  2. Which option do you think would work for you? 

<Body Break>


Skill Builder 02 (10-15 min)

Self-advocacy in a board and care or group home


Read the Spaghetti Dilemma together 


Most adults get to choose most of their meals so people living in group homes should get similar choices. Discuss the following ideas with that in mind.

  1. Did the roommates get any choices about the lunch options for the week?
  2. Which of these statements is an assertive way to advocate for your choices without being mean or wimpy?
  • I hate spaghetti! I'll eat whatever I want!
  • I understand we don't want to waste food, but that's too much spaghetti for one week. Can we freeze it for later and have better lunches?
  • Stay silent, then throw away the spaghetti lunches and ask friends or co-workers for food from their lunches. 

Choose When and How to Advocate


Remember on Monday we talked about preferences, wants, needs? Our wants are very important to us, even if they aren't needs. Part of being an adult is the freedom to pursue things we want. When you live in a group home, you still have the rights of an adult, and that includes choices over things like food, clothes, entertainment. etc. 


Skill Building 

Staff at a board and care home may not be used to residents asking for more choice. But you can still do it.

  1. Stay calm and ask "Can we set a time to talk about this without interruptions?"
  2. Think of what you want to say ahead of time. You can make a note to help you remember.
  3. Say "I feel that ___________. I want ________________ because____________. " 
  4. If they say no, ask why.
  5. If you don't agree with their reason, ask a leadership counselor at hope, a friend or family member, or your social worker to help you set a new time to try again.
  6. You can also write a letter to the staff and send a copy to your social worker
  7. Stay calm and be persistent by trying again.

In future skill builders we'll learn more about this topic. 


Review/Planning

What did we learn today?

What are we doing this afternoon?

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