Welcome to Advocating for Ourselves

Supporting families and individuals to new levels of advocacy.

Purpose
Advocating For Ourselves is a training and technical assistance project designed to support empowerment of families and individuals with disabilities to become more informed and acquire the necessary advocacy skills to effect system change.

Goals

• Facilitate the development of a District-wide self-advocacy network.
• Provide training and technical assistance to consumers and diverse audiences.
• Collect and disseminate information to assist consumers to advocate on their own behalf.

Activities
Through A Father's Eyes: Training and technical assistance to support the development of a well-informed cadre of advocates who provide the unique perspectives of a male parenting a child with disabilities.

Advocating for Ourselves - Policy Initiative: Training and technical assistance to support advanced advocacy and competency-based leadership training focused on the adoption of a Katie Beckett Waiver for the District of Columbia.

Lighting Our Own Path: This training is designed to enhance the ability of adolescents receiving special education services and supports to better understand their role so that they can participate in the development of their educational programs, including planning for life beyond high school.

Engagement of Latino communities: Conduct engagement activities within Latino communities in the District of Columbia to build the capacity to effectively advocate by decreasing cultural and linguistic barriers.

Funding
These activities are supported by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities