It’s My Life, It’sNow or Never

Joe Jackson, Self-advocateGretchen Jackson, WNYADD/The

Advocacy CenterJanet Austin, The Advocacy Center

Driving Force

Three older children

Joe’s life was going to parallel his siblings

Vision Statement

Joe will be a happy, productive and contributing member of his community. Joe will need to grow up and be educated with his typical peers in order to achieve this life goal.

“The Power of Vision! The ability to see beyond our present reality, to create, to invent what does not yet exist, to become what we not yet are. It gives us the capacity to live out of our imagination instead of our memory.”

Steven Covey

What I needed to learn about:

Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA)-Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

Section 504-Civil Rights Statute protecting individuals with disabilities from discrimination in programs and activities

People Skills Adult Services eventually

Effective Communication Strategiesfor All Team Members

Deal with issues as they arise Listen carefully and ask for

clarification Speak for yourself and talk directly

to the person involved with the issue Value others for who they are, not

for who you would like them to be Aim to be assertive Never underestimate the importance

of positive feedback

Team Development Wheel

FormingTesting

NormingGetting Organized

StormingInfighting

PerformingMature Closeness

Joe’s Transition PlanPostsecondary Education/Training:

Joe will be given the opportunity to attend classes at a local college. This will provide him an age appropriate environment to work on his academic goals, social goals, and daily living goals. Joe will have a job coach to work on his occupational guidance and preparation goals. Life Skills and Reading classes will address daily living skills.

Employment:Joe will have volunteer work experience through the coordination of local public sites to explore and develop work skills for eventual employment. Joe has interests in music, weather, and computers.

Community Living:Joe would eventually enjoy his own apartment. Joe likes being active in his community.

“The best way to predict your future is to create it”

anonymous

Self-DeterminationSelf-determination provides people with developmental disabilities the

opportunity—with the help of circle of support that includes chosen family members and friends to have:

The freedom to develop a personal life plan.

The authority to control a targeted amount of resources.

The support needed to obtain personal goals.

The responsibility contributing to one’s community and using public dollars wisely.

Self Determination

The Competency ~ Being able to make choices and

decisions.~ Ability to communicate~ Opportunity to experience~ People willing to listen~ Able to fail

Joe’s Person Centered Plan“Dreams”

Joe will have a strong Circle of Support/Friends

Joe will be a contributing member of his community. (“A Working Man”)

Joe will live and work in Warsaw.

Joe will be involved in volunteer work, groups, and clubs.

Joe will be a life long learner.

Joe’s Self Determination Plan

Volunteer Job Coach Educational/Residential Skills Specialist Community Integration Specialist Respite Transportation Educational Supplies Advertising

Self Determination

The Opportunity~ to make choices and decisions.~ to have a means to communicate~ to have an opportunity to experience~ people who listen~ failure is an option

Eight Quality of Life Indicators

By Robert L. Schalock

1. Emotional well-being

(safety, spirituality, happiness, etc.)

2. Interpersonal relations

(family, friends, affection, etc.)

3. Material well-being

(ownership, financial security, possessions, etc.)

4. Personal development

(education, skills, personal competence, etc.)

5. Physical Development

(health, nutrition, recreation, etc.)

6. Self-Determination

(autonomy, choices, personal control, responsibility, etc.)

7. Social Inclusion

(acceptance, status, roles, etc.)

8. Rights(privacy, due process, voting, etc.)

What I learned

Start at the beginning Leave the “traditions” outside Look to the Circle Life is changes One person at a time

Takes creativity Does not solve, or work in crisis situations Takes planning Takes time Is not easy Happens one person at a time

What I Learned Dare to dream! Never give up! You will discover a name to call it and a

way to fund it.

“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.”

anonymous

It's My Life LyricsLyrics by Jon Bon Jovi

This ain't a song for the broken-heartedNo silent prayer for the faith-departed

I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd You're gonna hear my voice

When I shout it out loud

It's my life It's now or never

I ain't gonna live foreverI just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my life) My heart is like an open highwayLike Frankie said I did it my wayI just wanna live while I'm alive

It's my life

This is for the ones who stood their groundFor Tommy and Gina who never backed down Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake

Luck ain't even luckyGot to make your own breaks

[Chorus:]

Better stand tall when they’re calling you outDon’t bend, don’t break, baby, don’t back down

[Chorus:]