Everyone Has A Voice

A new group at Auburn Day Hab is empowering people to stand up for themselves. The self-advocacy group formed a year ago, and is comprised of about 15 program participants. Facilitated bimonthly by Service Instructor Lea Church, the group grew out of a need for a mutual support system.

“A few of the individuals consistently came to me with concerns, problems or wants that they had,” Lea explained. “They felt frustrated about not being able to do certain things, or because they felt like they were not being heard.”

After taking an advocacy class at Day Hab, several folks decided to form a new self-advocacy group. They meet every two weeks to plan activities, talk about what advocacy means to them, share success stories, and explore ways they can advocate and volunteer together out in the community.

The group also gets together occasionally for a fun activity like bowling, cooking class, or a movie. They have elected officers for the club, with the intention that every person at Day Hab has a voice through them.

“I’ve noticed their communication skills have increased,” said Lea. “Just the fact that they wanted a group photo to be taken is big. They came up with that idea, believing that if more people were able to see that this group exists, maybe others would join and be inspired as well.”

When asked why being a self-advocate is important, some members responded: “to be independent,” “help me make friends,” and “stand up for myself.” One participant proudly shared that she has successfully advocated for a new cell phone, and another pushed for new, different services.

“The most prominent change I see is that their mindset is different,” concluded Lea. “Instead of thinking about how ‘I’ can accomplish something, it’s now more how ‘we’ as a group can accomplish it. We now have individuals who are taking what they learn from the group and advocating for changes in their own lives.”