The Pacific Alliance on Disability Self-Advocacy (PADSA) was a project run by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. We assisted self-advocacy groups in California, Oregon, Washington and Montana with technical assistance and training. Technical assistance often means working one on one with a group to make their organization stronger.
We helped self advocacy groups study their strengths and growth areas, develop goals, and then pursue those goals. Most of our work focused on increasing organizational capacity [a group’s ability to do something]. Topic areas focused on fundraising, building strong leadership, utilizing technology more, and improving communication skills.
These resources were produced as part of our PADSA work.
Published Resource Guides include:
Owning Your Organization: Working with Advisors and Facilitators
What is a facilitator or advisor? What do they do? How do I know if an advisor or facilitator is the right fit for my self-advocacy group? Owning Your Organization: Working with Advisors and Facilitators has answers to these questions and more!
Download Owning Your Organization: Working with Advisors and Facilitators.pdf
Same Old Story: Strategies to Combat Media Misrepresentations
Who are the people in the media? How do you fight prejudice about people with disabilities in the media? Check out Same Old Story: Strategies to Combat Media Misrepresentations to learn more about how to advocate for better representation of disability in the media.
Download Same Old Story: Strategies to Combat Media Misrepresentations.pdf
Legislative Advocacy 101: Getting Your Voice Heard
What is the difference between lobbying and advocacy? What is an elevator speech? How do you testify with your state legislature? Legislative Advocacy 101: Getting Your Voice Heard has answers to all these questions and more.
Download Legislative Advocacy 101: Getting Your Voice Heard.pdf
Working Better Together: Embracing Good Conflict and Solving Bad Conflict
Are your self-advocacy organization’s members fighting with each other? Are your self-advocacy organization’s leaders not getting along and working well with each other? Then, you might be interested in this resource guide on working better together.
Download Working Better Together.pdf
Project Management
Was your self-advocacy organization awarded a mini-grant with PADSA or does it have another project it is working on? Does your organization want to make sure their project runs smoothly and is done well? Then, you might be interested in the webinar on project management.
Download the Project Management Resource Guide.pdf
Making a Plan to Win: How to Run an Advocacy Campaign
What is a campaign strategy? How do you advocate for an important issue? It can seem overwhelming and confusing, but this guide here is to help you and your self-advocacy group understand what a campaign strategy is and the steps you take to create a strong advocacy campaign.
Download How To Run An Advocacy Campaign.pdf
Download Companion Toolbox.pdf
Starting a Non-Profit is Like Having a Baby: 8 Questions Your Group Should Ask Before Starting a NonProfit:
Many self advocacy organizations want to become formalized non-profits recognized by the state and local government. Being a formal nonprofit gives groups more credibility, and allows them to have full autonomy over their decision-making process. At the same time, running a non-profit requires a lot of responsibility that running a project or group does not. We encourage groups to come together to make sure they have all the information so they can make fully informed decisions.
Download Starting A NonProfit.pdf
Color Communication Badges
Color Communication Badges are a tool that can be used to make conferences and events more accessible. Participants wear a green, yellow, or red tag to let the people around them know how much they want to communicate. Read our guide to learn more about how to use them.
Download Color Communication Badges.pdf
Fantastic Facilitation: Leading Effective, Inclusive Meetings
Want to lead a meeting? This guide explores facilitation basics, like how to put an agenda together, when to let people know a meeting should take place, and how to lead a group. It is a must-read for new self advocates who plan to run meetings.
Download Fantastic Facilitation.pdf
Getting What You Came For: Using Meetings to Advance an Agenda
“Getting What You Came For” is an advanced guide that explains strategies you can use when meeting with someone about a topic that is important to you (e.g. legislative visits). It includes tips on targeting your time, creating a “pitch” that uses logic and emotional connection, and staying on topic. ASAN recommends groups to read this guide together before attending important meetings.
Download Getting What You Came For.pdf
Intro to Policy Guide: Did You Know that Anybody Can Write a Law?
The policy process can be overwhelming at first. Our “Intro to Policy Guide” explains the basics: how laws are made, how you can get involved, and who you will need to get to know and work with. Read this if your group wants to change or make a law, or if you want to work with your state government.
Download Intro to Policy Guide: Did You Know that Anybody Can Write a Law?.pdf
Consulting and Coordinating: Funding Your Work Through Fee-for-Service Projects
As your group grows, you may want to start working on paid projects for other organizations. “Consulting and Coordinating” lays out what you need to know before you start.
Download Consulting and Coordinating: Funding Your Work Through Fee-for-Service Projects.pdf
Strategic Partnerships: Building a Relationship with DD Network Providers
What is the DD Network?How can it help you? How do you get connected? Read “Strategic Partnerships: Building a Relationship with DD Network Providers” to find out.
Download Strategic Partnerships: Building a Relationship with DD Network Providers.pdf
Accessible Event Planning
Does your self-advocacy organization have events? Do you or your self-advocacy organization want to learn how to make your events accessible to people with disabilities? This resource guide has information to help with that.
Download Accessible Event Planning.pdf here
State Level Advocacy
Does your self-advocacy organization want to advocate on the state level? Do you want to learn how to advocate on the state level? This resource guide has information on how the state government works. It also has information on how to advocate at this level.
Download State Level Advocacy.pdf
Using Trello as an Organizing Tool
Trello is a great way to organize! But what is Trello? How do I use its boards, lists, and cards to organize? This resource guide has all the information you need. It includes specifics and examples.
Download Using Trello as an Organizing Tool.pdf
Self Advocacy Through Media Website
Self-Advocacy Through Media is a website focused on social media and how to use it to self-advocate.
Click here to go to the website.
Conflicting Access Needs
What are access needs? What happens when those access needs don’t work together? Learn more in this resource.
Download Conflicting Access Needs.pdf
Being Non-Partisan
What is being non-partisan? What does being non-partisan have to do with elections and voting? Why is it important for certain types of organizations to be non-partisan? What are some examples of being partisan or non-partisan? What are some voting and political activities my organization can still do? Learn more with this resource.
Download Being Non-Partisan.pdf
Social Media 101
What is social media? What are some examples of social media? How do I use those social media sites? How can I use them to advocate? This resource guide covers those items.
Best Practices for Inclusion of AAC Users
What is alternative and augmentative communication? What are the best ways you can include people who use assistive technology to communicate? This guide will explain AAC and provide tips on how to best include AAC users.
Download Best Practices for Inclusion of AAC Users.pdf
Key Parts of Fundraising For Your Group
This short guide covers some must-know parts of fundraising. These key parts include asking businesses to sponsor events, ways of getting donations online, and more.
GoToWebinar Resource Guide
A webinar is like a conference presentation you might attend, but online. This guide covers one tool to host and attend webinars, GoToWebinar. The guide includes detailed how-to information for using GoToWebinar.
Download GoToWebinar Resource Guide.pdf
Federal Level Advocacy
What are some key parts of the federal government? How does the federal government create laws? How does the federal government create other rules and regulations? Do you and your self-advocacy group want to influence federal-level policy? This resource guide has the answers to those questions and more.
Download Federal Level Advocacy.pdf
SMART Goals Guide
How can you and your group create goals that make the best action plan possible? This guide explains SMART Goals. SMART goals are a way to create those kinds of goals. But what do the letters in SMART stand for? What are some good things about using SMART goals? What are some examples of groups using SMART goals? You can download the SMART goals guide to find out!
To help self-advocate leaders gain more advocacy and group organizing skills, ASAN and the Pacific Alliance offered a series of free webinars. Our goal was to provide one webinar training per month.
2015-2016 Webinars
Conflict Resolution
Are your self-advocacy organization’s members fighting with each other? Are your self-advocacy organization’s leaders not getting along and working well with each other? Then, you might be interested in this webinar on conflict resolution on April 21, 2015. Trena Wade, the PADSA’s California State Coordinator, and Kris Guin, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s Technical Assistance Coordinator, presented.
Legislative Advocacy
Is your self-advocacy organization interested in working with your state legislature to make new policies that will help people with disabilities? Do you want to learn how to talk to your legislators? This webinar talked about all these parts of legislative advocacy on May 19, 2015. Nicole LeBlanc, Green Mountain Self Advocates’ Advocacy Director, presented.
Social Media
Do you or your self-advocacy organization want to learn how to connect with people online? Social media is a helpful tool to connect with people online. This webinar covered social media on June 30th, 2015. Savannah Logsdon-Breakstone, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s Social Media Coordinator, presented.
Who Gets to Be A Facilitator?
Does your self-advocate group want to hire a facilitator? What should you look for in a facilitator? What should a facilitator’s role be? You may be interested this webinar that covered “who gets to be a facilitator” on July 28th, 2015. Trena Wade, PADSA consultant, presented.
Event Accessibility
Does your self-advocacy organization have events? Do you or your self-advocacy organization want to learn how to make your events accessible to people with disabilities? This webinar on November 24th, 2015 might be what you want. Natalia Rivera-Morales, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s Leadership Programs Coordinator, presented.
State Level Advocacy
Does your self-advocacy organization want to advocate on the state level? Do you want to learn how to advocate on the state level? This webinar was about advocating at the state level on December 22nd, 2015. Kit Mead, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s Policy Intern, presented.
Self Advocacy Through Media
What is the media, including social media? How can you self-advocate through media? Do you or your organization want to advocate through media? This webinar answered all those questions and more in January 2016. Beth Haller of Towson University in Maryland presented.
Federal Level Advocacy
Does your self-advocacy organization want to advocate on the federal level? Do you want to learn how to advocate on the federal level? This webinar was about advocating at the federal level on February 23rd, 2016. Kit Mead, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s Technical Assistance Coordinator, presented.
Intersectional Advocacy
What is intersectionality? Why is it important? How can I include people with many different identities in my advocacy? This webinar focused on intersectional advocacy on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Finn Gardiner, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s Boston Community Coordinator, presented.
Building A State Advocacy Group
How do I build an advocacy group that is statewide? How can I rebuild an existing organization into a statewide advocacy group? This webinar was about building a state advocacy group on Tuesday, May 17, 2016. Kellie Ellerbusch, Kathy Hoell, and Travis Schaffer of People First Nebraska presented.
Growing Your Membership
What are some different ways I might get more people in my group? What are some activities I might plan to get more people in my group? This webinar was about growing your membership on Tuesday, July 26, 2016. Finn Gardiner, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s Boston Community Coordinator, presented.
2014 Webinars
Beginner’s Guide to Project Coordination
Self Advocacy groups can get funding by signing up to coordinate projects. This is often done by contracting with a funder to accomplish a certain task, like checking accessibility of polling places, hosting a training series, or holding focus groups. Groups have told us that they want to develop more project coordination skills. We will talk about how to run, staff, and organize a project. Topics include creating a project proposal, timeline, budget, how to implement your project plan, and strategies for overcoming challenges that may arise.
Delegation is like Matchmaking: Why and How Your Team Should Delegate Tasks
Self Advocates often try to do everything themselves, but we become more powerful when we can share responsibility and tasks. This webinar will examine how groups can practice delegation (assigning tasks to others) and talk about models of power sharing within groups. These guidelines and techniques will help lead to more effective leadership skills, group management and group dynamics.
What to Do When Your Allies Aren’t Really Your Allies
April 2014: This webinar will explore the roles for allies within self-advocacy organizations. The following questions will be addressed: What do we mean by ‘allyship?’ What are the roles of allies within self-advocacy organizations? What happens when ‘allies’ do not listen to our requests? Power dynamics and conflict resolution within self-advocacy groups and organizations. How do we ensure self-advocates voices and experiences are centralized?
Same Old Story: Strategies to Combat Media Misrepresentations
April 2014: Often times, media will say negative things about people with disabilities that end up harming our community. This webinar will explore community organizing strategies and effective messaging to respond to negative portrayals and perspectives of people with disabilities.
Beyond the ADA: Accessibility & Neurodiversity in Our Movements
April 2014: When many people think of accessibility, the ADA checklist is often referenced. Recently, more disability-based organizations like ASAN seek to open up dialogue on how we can expand accessibility to include neurodiversity and adopt a more universally designed approach.This webinar will train self-advocates in how to make their groups more accessible.
Getting an Insider’s View: A Conversation with Special Hope Foundation’s Executive Director Lynne O’Hara
March 2014: Lynne O’Hara is the Executive Director of The Special Hope Foundation, a family foundation with a mission to promote the establishment of comprehensive health care services for adults with developmental disabilities. As the founder of the organization, she worked with a board composed of family and community members to build funding capacity and increase effective grant making. She is a member of the Disability Funders Network and Association of Small Foundations where she has presented on Strengthening Organizational Infrastructure. Lynne will give self-advocates tips for approaching foundations. Note: There will be a lengthy Q&A session. Priority for questions will be given to self advocates who attended How to Ask for Money: Creating a Fundraising Strategy. Hand-outs: Dos and Don’ts of Grant Writing, and Tipping.
How to Ask for Money: Creating a Development Strategy
February 2014: Join the ASAN President and Co-Founder, Ari Ne’eman in in this webinar How to Ask for Money: Creating a Fundraising Strategy. Topics Include: Different ways to raise funds, the basics of grantwriting, and fundraising tips for your self advocacy group. You can view the slides for this presentation here (part 1) and here (part 2).