Communities Of Power:
Community
Building Tools
|
Americans with Disabilities Act|
Voting |
Our Voices: Full Inclusion.
Meaningful Involvement in Policymaking.
Tell Our Stories.
The lived consumer
experience must be represented in decision making. Our stories and presence at
the public policy table will bring the reality of our lives out of the
"professional" and into the personal. But to be effective we must be prepared
to move beyond our personal stories.
Coordinate Our Message.
We can improve the
impact of our stories by talking with each other about common experiences and
the impact of public policy on all our lives. We can make our point stronger by
pointing out how policies impact not just our personal lives, but all of us.
Educate Ourselves.
You can find an amazing
amount of information through the Internet. If you don't own a computer, or
have internet access visit your local library. Under the Americans with
Disabilities Act, libraries and other public access sites have a responsibility
to have computers which are accessible. We can share what we learn with each
other, offer information about new ideas and projects around the country. When
we come to a meeting with our homework done, we can contribute ideas that are
both rich in background and rich in our lived experience.
Get Comfortable and Get Known.
If you are
shy about getting involved, practice! Find out when your city council or county
commission or local community mental health board meets and start sitting in
the audience. You might invite a friend to do this with you. Get a book on how
meetings are run. Once you feel more comfortable, plan to speak during the
public comment section. Talk to board members before and after meetings.
Arrange to meet with them at their office; share your concerns. Get to know
them; let them get to know you.
Find a Coach.
Once they find you're
interested, you may be invited to serve, too! If you agree, ask them to assign
one of the other members to be your coach to help you understand how to work
within the group. Meet with your coach outside the meeting so you can learn
about the history, the politics, and the background of the other participants.
When people with disabilities get involved, policymakers will make more informed decisions-because we'll be the policymakers!
