Hawaii‟s DisAbility Network Ke Ala Holomua “Making Choices” I. Preparing for the Session A. Setting up the Room 1. Attend to accessibility and diverse needs a. Make sure facilities are accessible: parking; path to meeting room; path to restrooms; restrooms b. Refer to registration forms to see if anyone has requested accommodation due to disability. Allow adequate time to arrange for accommodations like sign language interpreters, note-takers, etc. c. In setting up the room, be responsive to needs of individuals with diverse abilities. For example, leave adequate space for wheelchairs to maneuver easily; make visuals large and easy to read; locate refreshments where they can be easily reached. 2. Arrange the room to welcome people and support learning a. Try to find a room that is uncluttered and tidy. Otherwise, tidy up the room you do have so that participants get the impression you care and value them. b. Arrange chairs and tables so the instructor can easily “walk the room” to speak personally with people and keep movement going in the room. c. Offer water and cups (perhaps with lemon). B. Teaching in a Context of Hawaiian Culture The people of Hawai‟i operate from deeply held spiritual values. These values honor the gift of Creation through respect and nurturing warm relationships with others. You can call upon these values to create an environment of aloha and openness for all those who attend your workshop: Ho’oaloha: Welcome guests in as they arrive and be friendly Ho’omalimali: When you start the session, make each person feel comfortable; nurture an atmosphere of respect and trust Ho’omanauwanui: During the introduction, give each person an opportunity to share; take time to listen and be patient. Ho’omana: As you begin the content of your session, become open to achieve oneness with all those who are gathered. You and your guests will then be able to achieve a deep level of understanding with one another. C. How to Handle Group Dynamics 1. Be aware that some participants may have barriers to full attention and participation. Demonstrate understanding without taking responsibility for solving someone‟s personal problem. If someone talks at length and begins to monopolize the conversation, you may want to offer words like: “What you‟re saying is important, but it would be better if you share this individually with your counselor.” OR “I‟m sorry, I‟m going to need to interrupt you. We have to watch the time and make sure everyone has a chance to share.” 2. If someone starts to complain in an inappropriate manner, you can redirect the conversation by saying: “It sounds very frustrating for you. That‟s a good thing to bring up with your counselor.” II. Equipment and Materials Needed A. Equipment Overhead transparency projector or flip chart if projector is not available. B. Materials 1. 2. Name tags Attendance Sheet 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. III. IV. Pens for all participants Door Prize tickets Door Prizes Ball of Yarn Key to Resources (for the Island) Transparencies T-1 to T-6 Markers for flip chart Hand out H-1 and H-2 Evaluation Forms Announcement flyers about other workshops Learning Objectives A. Participants will recognize that individuals with disabilities have a voice, and will include the family member with disabilities as a fully participating adult in making life choices. B. Participants and families will identify their choice-making process. C. Participants and families will identify community resources which can assist them to meet their vocational and independent living needs. D. Participants will develop a working strategy to make choices about their vocational and independent living needs. The Lesson Display T-1 A. B. As participants enter, show Ho‟oaloha 1. Attendance – Make sure each person who attends the session has his/her name recorder on the attendance sheet 2. Check for accommodation needs requested. 3. Offer name tags 4. Door Prize ticket – give everyone a ticket for a door prize drawing Total time 120 minutes Attendance sheet Name tags Ho‟omalimali – Make People Feel comfortable and Session Introduction Allow 4 minutes 1. Welcome to the workshop, „Making Choices.‟ Thank them for taking the time to come. 2. Handle comfort needs: a. “This workshop is scheduled for two hours. We will have a brake at the half-way mark.” b. “Restroom are located . . . “ c. If refreshments are provided, say whether people should help themselves at any time, or whether they are for the break. d. Speak to individual needs due to disability: “We want everyone to participate as fully as they would like. If there is any way we can make the workshop more accessible for you – by speaking louder, or explaining something in a different way, or moving your seat, or anything else that would make your participation more satisfying – please let us know at any time throughout the workshop. 3. Now introduce yourself(ves) as workshop leaders. Share you name, the nature of you association with persons with disabilities, and why you‟ve chosen to lead these workshops. Also feel free to share something personal about yourself as a way of making people feel comfortable. 4. Next introduce the first activity, in which participants will introduce themselves. (Practice Ho‟omanauwanui) Allow 15 mintues “Now, to begin, we would like to use this yarn as a way to get to know one another. Let‟s get in a circle; stand if you would like. I‟m going to begin this activity by holding the yarn and introducing myself. I‟ll say my name and one thing I like to do in my leisure time. Then I‟ll keep hold of the end of the yarn, and toss (or take) the ball to someone else in the circle. You‟ll then introduce yourself, hold the yarn, then take or toss the ball to someone else until we have gotten a chance to know everyone here. Okay, nay questions before we begin?” Hold up yarn ball Conduct Activity. At the end of the activity, everyone should be holding a piece of the yarn, creating an intricate web of relationships witho one another. while everyone is still holding the yarn, make the following points for learning: “What does it look like we have here? A spider web? A kind a network?” “What can this web teach us? -- That we are all related to one another as part of one community, in all the richness of our diverse abilities. -- That we are all important; each of us holds a piece of our community as part of the web of relationships. -- That each of us has something to say, and each of us has something to contribute to others in our community.” “In the time we have together today as we explore more about making choices, we would like everyone to keep in mind that: -- Each of us in this room has a way to express ourselves; -- Each of us is worthy of our time to be listened to; -- Each of us is capable of making choices that affect our own life. “We have a richness of experience and viewpoints among us. Different cultural traditions, different family styles, different ways fo Have last person holding the ball to begin re-winding the yarn back into the ball as you continue speaking. Then thank the participants for sharing and ask them to take tier seats. communicating, and different ways of getting our needs met. We also have different ages represented here and different abilities.” “As we consider life choices with and on behalf of individuals with disabilities, it is important to be aware that as our family member makes the transition out of high school, he or she needs to begin to accept an adult role in making life choices – being an equal partner or leading in choice making activities.” C. Share the Purpose of Today‟s Session in the Spirit of Ho‟omana Allow 3 minutes “These are the things we hope you will learn from your time with us today…” Remove T-1 Display T-2 Handout H-1 Read aloud the learning objective while participants have a chance to look at them. D. “We have already addressed the first objective. Now let‟s move on to the second.” Remove T-2 Display T-3 Identifying Choice Making Process Allow 20 minutes 1. Identifying Factors in Making Choices Explain: “In our first activity, everyone shared a hobby or leisure activity they liked. Now I‟d like for us to just go around the circle and tell one reason you like the hobby or leisure activity you named. I‟ll go first:” “I like to take walks in my neighborhood because I feel energetic when I‟m done.” Share own experience. “Who wants to go next?” Round robin 5 min. Purpose: “As you can see, everyone has a hobby they like and a Remove T-3 reason they like it. Now as we begin to talk about making choices Display T-4 for services to meet your vocational and independent living needs, remember: “You are an expert at making choices. You have likes and dislikes. You have reasons to make some choices over others.” Engage in questioning of group, and write answers on flip chart. “Now consider what kind of work or occupation you might like to pursue. Will you want a vocational program to assist you in training for a job? Will you want a vocational program to assist you in finding a job? In assisting you to obtain reasonable accommodations? Let‟s assume you decide you want a vocational program to assist you. As you consider which vocational program might be best for you, what factors would you consider in making your choice?” Invite participants to write responses on chart, or write their answer on chart. Common Factors Affecting Choices About Programs and Services: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Availability C convenience Quality Cost Location Who you know Professional reference Personal reference Tradition Conclude: “You can see there are several reasons why people make the choices they do. Different people weigh these factors differently according to what works best for the.” 2. Responsibility for Making Choices “Now let‟s look closer at why it is important that you become the chief choice making about services that affect your life. AS an adult in our community and as a person with a disability, you have a right and the responsibility to learn: Display T-3 WHAT choices for services are available to you, HOW you can get those services, and WHAT TO DO if needed services are not available.” “During our time together, we will learn about what choices are available to you on this island to meet your needs for vocational rehabilitation and independent living. As we learn about hose choices, it will be important to begin to view yourself as a customer in the market place of services for adults with disabilities As a customer, you are expected to” Remove T-4 Display T-5 “Take an active responsibility for choosing services (In adult services, you must actively seek services, providers are not likely to seek you out); Accept the risks that come with the choices you make; Accept the consequences for the choices you make (Recognize mistakes are part of the learning process in taking responsibility and taking risks); Recognize you won‟t always get exactly what you choose – compromise is important; And one more thing… Let me illustrate this last point: We‟re going to draw for a door prize now before we take a short break.” Draw for door prizes “Now what do you think we were trying to illustrate about choices in holding this door prize drawing? Sometimes in life, no matter how well planned your choices are, there are factors beyond your control. Like the winner of the door prize, sometimes you are just lucky, and things go well for you. Sometimes, however, even with your best effort, you are just unlucky, and things don‟t go Remove T-5 well for you.” E. BREAK Allow 10 minutes F. Identify Community Resources Allow 10 minutes 1. Where People Get Information Begin by asking the group: “Now I‟d like to ask you, where do you get information about jobs or about meeting your living needs?” Write answers on chart or board Jobs – newspaper, family members, church, friends, signs in store windows, State Employment Services, school Living needs – family members, social worker, pamphlets, school, TV, Ask-2000. “We get information from many sources in our community. some are more formal organizations and resources, some are very personal – family and friends, some are through networking. It‟s important to remember that some of our best resources for information and ideas are the people we live with and our friends.” 2. Using the Key To Resources “We would like to provide you a really useful resource for Pass out books information about all kinds of services on our island for people with disabilities. It‟s the Key To Resources, and it is produced by the State Commission on Persons with Disabilities. Let‟s just go thought the Table of Contents together so you can get an idea of the information the Key contains. Read together Now let‟s just go to the section on Employment so we can see what information is provided. Note information available Note where to call for more information Ask if anyone in the group has used that agency. If so, point out to the group that this person can be a very valuable resource – encourage networking with others. G. Working Strategies for Choice Making 1. Allow 10 minutes Steps for Making Good Choices “Now that we have found at least two valuable resources right in this room, the Key to Resources and each other, let‟s begin the first steps to making good choices that will meet your needs for vocational rehabilitation and independent living.” “Here are the steps we suggest you follow to begin making choices for your life and your future: Pass out H-2 Display T-6 Ask yourself what kinds of things you would like and not like. Create one goal in each area that will take into account your likes and dislikes Write the first step to get more information on how you can reach your goal. (The first step may be to call an agency in the Key, or talk with a counselor or someone you know who has a similar goal.) 2. Activity to Apply Steps “Because of our limited time today, we‟d like you to choose just one area to apply these steps. We encourage you to complete the rest at home or with a friend.” “We will now break up into small groups so you can help each other. Remember, as a person with a disability, you need to learn to become the primary choice maker in matters affecting your life. Make sure you use your choice making voice.” “If you have any questions as you do this, we‟ll be floating around to provide help. Any questions before we begin? Okay, let‟s take 20 minutes for this part.” 3. Lessons Learned from Activity At the end of the activity, bring the group together to find out what they have learned. Just ask for comments from two or three participants. Allow 20 minutes H. 1. Conclusion Summary of Today‟s Lesson Allow 5 minutes “We have just touched the surface about the importance of individuals with disabilities learning how to make choices for services that will affect their lives.” “We would encourage you: Complete your goal sheet you have stated today Use this goal sheet when you go to an IPE meeting or IWRP meeting so you can actively participate in making choices Keep on the track of learning and growing by registering for more workshops through Hawaii‟s DiaAbility Network. 2. Evaluation Allow 5 minutes “Before you leave, please complete and return these evaluation forms. They are very important: Distribute evals Read together They will help us improve the workshop for others We are required to provide the results to our funding sources” 3. Departing “Thank you very much for your time and involvement today. We look forward to seeing you again at another workshop sponsored by Hawaii‟s Disability Network.” collect forms