Irish Wheelchair Association’s Self-Advocacy course ran over nine weeks with five members from IWA’s Lucan community centre, culminating in a presentation by the participants to a packed room today. Over the course, the participants gained a deeper understanding of what advocacy is and how it can benefit their lives. They learned about the importance of having your needs and wishes heard.
“The power of IWA’s Self-Advocacy course is supporting people to find their own voice.” Says John Fulham, IWA Public Engagement Manager and Self-Advocacy Course Facilitator.
IWA Members, Ross, Sue, Sam, Ray and Katie all completed the course successfully with each person taking away some positives they can implement in their daily lives. Presenting to a room full of people is a daunting task but Ross took to the task with enthusiasm focusing his presentation on Liverpool Football Club. At IWA, we could adopt “You’ll Never Walk Alone” as everyone is supported in their journey by our skilled and trained employees. Presentations on The Dubliners, The Beatles and on Sue’s passion for rescuing dogs in need of a good home all followed.
“I love coming to presentations to see people talking about what they are passionate about. It’s the first step towards advocacy. Getting your voice heard. Making sure that people understand what you want, this could be an everyday life situation with your family or friends, it could be about the service you receive from IWA, or it could be about public bodies or councils.” Says Joan Carthy, National Advocacy Manager, Irish Wheelchair Association.
Some of the strongest outcomes from the Self-Advocacy course in the past have led to members living independently, securing employment or making decisions about their future. Sowing the seeds of belief, providing knowledge of how and encouraging people with disabilities to use their voice is critical to IWA’s strategic objective of empowering our people. Congratulations to Ross, Sue, Sam, Ray and Katie for embarking on their Self-Advocacy journey.
