Transcript Self advocacy what is it?

SELF-ADVOCACY
Designed and Presented by
People First of Jefferson County
What is self-advocacy?
Self-advocacy is:
• speaking up for myself and the things that are important
to me
• knowing my rights and responsibilities
• deciding what I want and what is possible for me to
expect
• empowering me to speak-up for myself and make
decisions about my life
We do it through People First Language
• People first language means to me:
• “Labels are for jars not people”, quote from Speaking For
Ourselves member Michelle Manning at Legislative
testimony 2010.
• Example: The child w/autism (good!) vs. the autistic child
(bad)
SFO was involved in signing People First
Language into Colorado law 4/15/2010
We do self-advocacy on a national, state,
local and community level
• SABE, Self Advocates
Being Empowered
• SFO, Speaking for
Ourselves
• PF, People First
• Coffee House
• Personally
• At work
• At school
• At the
hospital
• At the doctor
• At the shops
• On the bus
Jeffco' s local PF officers are pictured
We have 3 SFO officers too
We also have a night for
social time at Coffee House
Various other activities include:
• learning about dental care,
• reviewing ballot issues including issues like a mill levy
• giving input to The Arc about our needs for the office move
Selling our cookbook which we would like
to sell to you today 
• Recipes by self advocates
Skyping across the world to New Zealand
and we will Skype with a NZ self
advocacy group in December
Advocating at legislative luncheons
to further our cause
Speaking at The Arc 2011 National
Convention in Denver
Participating in The Arc’s Aging trainings
Raising money at bazaars and bake
sales to send participants to the
bi-yearly SFO conference
Traveling to a SFO conference/camp
experience, every 2 years
What I liked best at the recent conference
SFO currently has 8 chapters
Viki, formerly a national SABE officer, is standing in the
back seat. She also presented at a aging state wide
conference on PF language. Over 800 people attended
that conference. Julie is in front seat. Both are on their
way to Alamosa for the SFO conference last summer.
SFO of Colorado is on Facebook
• https://www.facebook.com/pages/Speaking-For-
Ourselves/193027140740537
Soon to have its own web page with links to local chapters
2014 and 2015 SFO Goals
• Examine if group wants to become its own 501(c)3.
• Update officer handbook and bylaws.
• Additional goals will be developed from our January 2014
planning session.
Come join us-see fliers at back table!