What is Self-Advocacy?
Self-advocacy is about people with developmental disabilities speaking up and speaking out for their rights. People with developmental disabilities have the right to speak up and to teach other people about their rights.
We believe that all people with disabilities have opinions that should be heard, even if they cannot speak in ways most people understand.
Self-advocacy is learning about yourself, your rights. Self-advocacy is learning how to speak up for yourself or for other people with the same problem, even when it is scary. Self-advocacy is learning to be a stronger person.
What is Self-Advocates As Leaders (SAAL)?
SAAL is an organization of people who want to make a difference in the lives of people with developmental disabilities. We are a group of people with disabilities who are committed to making life better for people with disabilities all over Oregon.
SAAL is an organization of self-advocates interested in developing leadership skills and becoming equal partners in policy and legislation that affects our lives.
We are people who want to be active leaders, some of us have lived in institutions. We have all faced discrimination in our lives. We want to stand up together for our rights and contribute to our communities. We want to help improve services and give people better choices.
We believe disability is just another label, and that we are more than that. We believe in the statement: "Label Jars, Not People."
Who is in charge? Who makes decisions in Self-Advocates As Leaders (SAAL)?
SAAL members direct what SAAL does. We have committees of SAAL members who oversee what we do. The key leadership group is called the SAAL Operations Team. They are self-advocates who have been involved in SAAL for a while. The Operations Team makes decisions over SAAL's finances, and other big picture plans. We have a few part-time staff people and volunteers who help us do the work. We direct what needs to be done and they support us to get it done.
SAAL's primary staff person is Executive Director Cindy Helvington. Cindy has been a member of People First and SAAL. She has learned about self-advocacy, being a leader and leading a group through her work in all stages of self-advocacy groups.
The role of staff is to support the committees and to see that things decided on at a meeting get done, working with the Chairperson and SAAL members to do it.
The role of personal assistants is to support the SAAL member in his or her role in the way that he or she needs.
What does Self-Advocates As Leaders (SAAL) do?
SAAL has many activities. We break them down into 3 areas:
1. Policy and Advocacy work (such as accessibility and voting.)
2. Outreach and Training work
3. Editorial Board
What does SAAL do under Policy and Advocacy work?
The SAAL Policy committee talks about issues facing people with developmental disabilities in Oregon (give example here). They learn about the problem and learn about ways to address that problem. They have written letters to state and local agencies when they think that is needed. They have met with state legislators in Salem. Sometimes they think that SAAL needs to teach more people about an issue and what it means to people with disabilities. They have come up with short papers (called White Papers) that will teach others about issues we have. SAAL members can use these papers when they train people.
You should look at a few of them, see what you think. (link to white papers)
. State level advocacy
. White Papers
. Get people with disabilities informed about an issue and get them to take action (rallies, letter writing campaigns)
. We often link people to boards who need people
What does SAAL do under Outreach and Training?
The SAAL Outreach and Training committee makes decisions about how SAAL will grow, and how SAAL reach out to people in towns all over Oregon. They also look at what kinds of training SAAL will provide (or do) and where. They have looked at grant opportunities (chances to get money to do a job) and have made recommendations to the Operations Team on what SAAL should do.
. Support to local self-advocacy groups
. Identify and train potential leaders
. Leadership training (what is self-advocacy, what it means to be a leader, public speaking, legislative training)
. topic training (violence, self-determination, transition from high school, and more)
. Links to other training that is happening
What does the SAAL Editorial Board do?
The Editorial Board makes decisions about the printed information SAAL puts out. These include:
.The People First Connection (a showcase of writings by people with developmental disabilities).
.The SAAL Newsletter (a way of getting information out on training, political action and opportunities)
.The SAAL Website
How can I get involved with SAAL?
This is a great question to ask and a hard question to answer. Below are many ways you can begin to get involved. Every one of us is different, interested in different things. They are all important.
1. Sign up for our network. You will get our Newsletter and the People First Connection.
2. Write a short story, a poem or an article for the People First Connection. You have your own way of seeing things, share it with others!
3. Think about ways you can be a better advocate for yourself or for your friends. Find a friend to talk to about helping each other out (Maybe you can help each other at your plan meetings.)
4. If there is a self-advocacy group in your area, attend some meetings, get connected. Whether you join them or not, stay connected.
5. If there is no self-advocacy group, but you know people are interested in starting one, contact SAAL for ideas.
6. If you want SAAL to talk to other self-advocates or professionals in your town, please contact us. Tell us what you would like to see in your area.
7. If SAAL is coming to your area to do a training, try to come. It is a great chance to meet other people in you area, to meet a SAAL trainer, and to hear about what's happening.
8. Sometimes there are chances to attend statewide conferences in our field. Find out about them. (Think about going... But you would need to do some planning and figure out how to pay for it and to set up the supports you need.)
9. Go to a board meeting in your area. This could be a meeting of your provider, the city council, a local brokerage, or something that you are interested in.) Find out what the board does. What kinds of decisions do they make? What is a board member responsible for?
10. If you like what you learned about the board, or if you think they need the voice of a self-advocate on board, think about applying to be a board member.
11. If you have a lot of experience being a board member and are interested in working on a statewide board, let us know about it. What issues have you been working on, how available are you? SAAL is often asked to find people who know about certain issues to get involved.
12. Maybe you are the perfect person to fill an opening on a SAAL committee. Learn about what the committees do and apply for the one that you think you fit best.
13. Sign up for legislative training. Find out how to share your ideas with a legislator.
14. Meet your state legislator. Ask them where they are from and why they wanted to be a representative.
15. If an issue comes up that needs you to act, contact your legislators and let them know how you feel.
Where do you get your money from?
Self-Advocates As Leaders is a project of the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities (OCDD). (www.ocdd.org) They receive Federal funds through the Developmental Disabilities Act. The OCDD has an agreement with Portland State University's Regional Research Institute for Human Services to support SAAL. SAAL also receives funding from the State (Oregon Department of Human Services, Seniors and People with Disabilities or “SPD.”) to provide training to persons with developmental disabilities.
Does SAAL provide services? (Is SAAL a provider agency?)
No, SAAL is not a provider agency. We do not provide services for people with developmental disabilities. We often will work closely with local and state agencies, when we have the same goal.
SAAL has been able to reimburse committee members in the past, for the travel and personal assistance services they need, when traveling on SAAL business.
