Finding and Building Friendships

This module shares some ways that you can find and make friends.

Friendships can make a big difference to your life. Friendships can make you happier, healthier, and help you to live longer.

This module features presentations from a range of leading professionals and self-advocates, including Beth Mount, Steve Dymond, Harvey Pacht, and Dave Hasbury.

After finishing this module, you will be able to:

  • Describe a range of ways to find and build friendships.
  • Explain the different skills needed to make and keep good friends.
  • Understand the basics of keeping yourself safe when making new friends.

About Friendships and Community

You may have a lovely home in a nice community, but you could still be lonely. Some people with disabilities have experienced abuse and discrimination, and have been not allowed to have ordinary opportunities to be part of community life and to form friendships.

Building friendships and community can be a difficult, slow process, but everyone can be a great citizen and form wonderful friendships and loving partnerships. This module will introduce you to friendships and community.

This module features presentations from many leading professionals and self-advocates, including Dave Hingsburger, Lynda Kahn, Margaret Cushen, and Steve Dymond.

After completing this module, you will be able to:

  • Explain some of the challenges of developing friendships and community.
  • Discuss the different ways that people think about friendships and community.
  • Describe what friendships and community mean.
  • Explain the value and importance of friendships and community.

Understanding and Promoting Rights

This module presents a clear and matter-of-fact approach to the rights of the people we support. Beyond describing and defining rights, this module gives the user first hand knowledge and expertise on how to maintain and promote the rights of the person they support.

This module includes video presentations from Dave Hingsburger, Simon Duffy, Gary Kent, Roger Crown, Steve Dymond, Sam Sly, Doreen Kelly, Fredda Rosen, Margaret Cushen, Bernard Carabello, and Beth Mount.

 

On successful completion of this module, learners will be able to:

 

    • Define what rights are, and understand the difference between legal and moral rights.
    • Describe the disability rights movement.
    • Describe human rights as developed by the United Nations.
    • Explain how to support the rights of the people you support, including those with multiple and profound disabilities.
    • Explain how rights interact with responsibilities, decision-making, risk, power and control.
    • Detail how, why, and in what circumstances rights may be limited or taken away.
    • Describe the different types of advocacy and the six important principles and other skills that relate to advocacy and your own role.
    • Explain how to help people make choices.
    • Describe the benefits and role of person-centered planning.