Summit brings Self-Advocates together
Twenty-six self-advocates and three support people from around the province came together, from June 15 to June 17, to participate in an informative Self-Advocate Summit. Under the leadership of Shelley Nessman, Kim Lyster, Aaron Johannes, Susan Stanfield, Karla Verschoor, Barb Goode and Jule Hopkins with keynote speaker Norman Kunc, the self- advocates were able to further develop their leadership skills and contribute to CLBC’s learning on support networks and ageing. The summit opened with a wonderful message of welcome and encouragement from CLBC’s Board Chair, Denise Turner.
The goals of the summit included:
- Self-Advocates learning how to be help others to use and understand the CLBC Plain Language Support Network booklet.
- Self-Advocate being able to assist others and themselves in building their support network.
- Self-Advocates experiencing and learning how powerful their stories are and the difference it will make in helping people to understand their needs and interests.
- Self-Advocates having the opportunity to provide CLBC with valuable information on Ageing.
Amy McMillan and her mother Sheila were two of the attendees at the Self-Advocate Summit and share their thoughts on the experience.
Amy McMillan talks with Kim Lyster at the Self-Advocate Summit.
Amy says:
“I thought it was awesome and I had so much fun meeting so many different people. It filled my heart with so much joy. I had a blast.
I learned a lot at the summit. Do you know how it feels when somebody makes you upset and makes you mad? CLBC really helped me to learn and tell my story about how I feel about things that happen in my life and in my friends’ lives.
My story became more real. Shelley Nessman helped me to see what kind of things I can do to help people understand me. I also know that I can help people to open their eyes. I got to talk about how important it is for people to know how to speak up and be heard. I know that can be scary, but we can do this.
Barb Goode said in the book she wrote that sometimes it may not be that easy to do the right thing, but it is important to try. She also taught me that we have the right to tell our stories and what it means to live with our disabilities, and that it is important for people to know what matters to us.
The Self-Advocate Summit asked me to help other self-advocates to make friends and find supports and supporters that will help them to be treated better, be safer and be cared about. This is important that people have other people in their lives that like them and care about them. I like being myself, but when I was 10 years old I used to hate myself. Now, one thing that I do know is that I have a disability but it does not matter. I feel that people like me and I found that I am more like them than I am different. I may be a young woman but I know how it feels to feel alone, but if we pick up our selves and help others then we can change our lives. That‘s my story, and the Summit helped me to tell it.”
Sheila says:
“Amy was thrilled to be invited, along with a friend from Ladysmith, to the Summit. I had recently retired from work and was pleased to be able to accompany her over to the mainland.
When we arrived and went down to the first session, I decided to just stay to listen to the speakers, as I had heard Norman Kunc speak years ago and had enjoyed listening to him.
Sheila McMillan and Amanda Arnet exchange thoughts and ideas.
Following the speakers, I was asked to help facilitate discussions at our table with others whom I had just met on the needs of individuals with disabilities as they age. The content of Norman’s speech, as well as the exchanges between the self-advocates at the table, engaged me in a way I had not expected. I was honoured to be included in discussions and to listen to the struggles and successes of the self-advocates in their journey to find respect, to be valued, to be heard and to build meaningful relationships within their community. It was a huge reminder of such universal core values that are so important, but that we often let happen only by chance.
It was very refreshing as well to be part of such a meaningful exchange between CLBC staff and Spectrum Society Staff who work from their hearts, and self-advocates who so willingly share their valuable stories and experiences. The connections and friendships I shared at the Summit over the three days, was a truly unexpected and rewarding experience.”
The organizers of the event sincerely thank all of the self-advocates and support people who worked so hard at the Summit and make the commitment to help spread the word about the importance of support networks and informal safeguards.
