Pat Hall, Director of Citizen Advocacy
The Council on Developmental Disabilities
established the first Citizen Advocacy program in Kentucky
in 1975, and has supported advocates (unpaid local
citizens) and protégés (people with intellectual
disabilities) for over 30 years. The Citizen Advocacy
program arranges and supports relationships between persons
with intellectual disabilities and ordinary citizens in the
community. Over the years, the Council’s Citizen Advocacy
program has recruited advocates to fill a wide range of
roles: payee or conservator, legal guardian, friend, mentor,
and adoptive parents. At present, thirteen advocates fill
the role of legal guardian, five advocates are payees for
SSI, two advocates oversee trusts and over fifty advocates
are involved as a mentor and friend. Most advocates
are quick to acknowledge that they have received far more
from the relationship with their protégé
than they have given. The
greatest challenge to the Citizen Advocacy program continues
to be the recruitment of advocates. In our society
there is a tendency to assume that paid professionals are
needed to address the needs of persons with intellectual and
developmental disabilities. While this may be true in some
circumstances, Citizen Advocacy asks ordinary citizens to
become involved. Many people possess a variety of skills
through their experience in family, work, faith community
and community associations. This experience often makes a
real difference in the life of a person with a disability.
Who are Citizen Advocates?
Citizen Advocates have a desire to
make a difference in the life of a person with intellectual
and developmental disabilities. They are:
-
People who believe in the right of
all people to be treated with dignity and respect.
-
People with high expectations
about what people with a disability can achieve with the
right support.
-
People who demonstrate to the
community by their attitudes and actions, that people
with a disability have the same needs, interests, and
rights as any other member of the community.
-
People who can put themselves in
the shoes of the person with a disability and ask
themselves, “If that were me, what would I want?” and
work to achieve that vision.
-
People who are prepared to make a
personal commitment to stand beside one person, and to
ensure that the person’s needs are understood and
responded to in an effective manner.
How can having a Citizen Advocate benefit the person with a
disability? An advocate can:
-
Safeguard the person with a
disability from neglect, exploitation and abuse.
-
Create acceptance and inclusion
through sharing freely given relationships.
-
Provide a voice, free of conflict
of interest, to represent the rights, needs and
interests of the person.
-
Offer continuity, stability and
security through long-term relationships.
-
Increase the person’s power and
control over their lives.
-
Change community attitudes, and
promote understanding of the issues faced by people with
disabilities living in our community.
Please call Pat Hall if you would like
to learn how you can become a Citizen Advocate.
Citizen
Advocacy Faith in Action
is funded by the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation and is operated by the Council on Developmental
Disabilities.
Would you be willing
to give a little bit of your time and talents to make a big change
in the life of a person with mental retardation?
Citizen
Advocacy Faith in Action is a way for you to enter into a caring,
personal relationship with someone who can benefit from your skills,
friendship, and interest.
Citizen Advocacy Faith in Action
enables you to help others by simply doing those things that you do
normally and naturally…things like being a friend, sharing ideas,
offering help with ordinary, everyday activities.
In only a
few hours a month you can help someone feel valued and cared for and
make a huge difference in his or her life. You will be amazed at how
good it feels to make the world a better place for someone in need.
The Citizen Advocacy Faith in Action office provides all the
training and support you may need to serve as a volunteer caregiver.
If you are interested in offering your talents to make a
wonderful difference in someone’s life, please call 584-1239 now.
Pat, Sarah or Susan will look forward to hearing from you.
Citizen Advocacy Faith in Action relationships take many different
forms, depending upon the needs and interests of the persons
involved.
Volunteer caregivers
may help by:
-
Being a friend
-
Making a weekly
phone call
-
Offering respite
care
-
Taking a friend
shopping
-
Offering
practical advice
-
Teaching a new
skill
-
Providing
transportation
-
And much more!
The gifts and abilities you take for granted can make all
the difference to someone who needs your help and friendship.
