The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is pleased to announce the release of our white paper, “Planning Accessible and Inclusive Organizing Trainings: Strategies for Decreasing Barriers to Participation for People with I/DD.” A major component of ASAN’s work is developing the leadership and advocacy skills of individuals with I/DD. One way that self-advocacy is taught is through leadership and community organizing trainings, where individuals can learn about the societal problems facing their communities and gain strategies on how to address these systemic issues. Without trainings that are accessible and inclusive to people with disabilities, the disability rights movement is weaker due to a lack of access to organizing tools. In turn, this makes all other movements weaker for lacking the perspectives of the disability community.
This paper is informed by our own experience with creating and facilitating leadership academies over the past 6 years. It addresses the barriers posed by inaccessible trainings, as well as strategies for doing accessible trainings from the initial planning and applicant stages all the way through post-training follow-ups.
To read our new white paper, click here.
This white paper was developed thanks to generous funding by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation.
