What if we redefined disability? What if instead of a “lack of” or a “different from”, we defined disability as a community with shared history and significance? How would this change of perspective transform our understanding?
If disability is a community, then it warrants a right to autonomy. A right to choice, control, equity, and meaningful outcomes. For an empowered community, autonomy means having the right to decide what agencies and individuals provide service to us, a choice of who we will live our lives with, and a dominance over our daily routines.
At SNSC, this is the work we do; We create programming with the intention of amplifying voices in our community and creating safe spaces where we can all belong and thrive. A significant portion of our staff are individuals with disabilities, including me, our Executive Director. Although we are a part of this community, we understand that our experiences do not guarantee the right to make decisions for others. Rather, we leverage our personal understanding to build an inclusive community through programming that is aimed at enriching the lives of individuals with disabilities and promoting autonomy for our shared community.
Current Special Needs Support Center Highlights
Explore the convergence of SNSC programming with our missions and values, connecting voice and identity to community.
- Music Programs: Jamar chose to sing Deck the Halls in Music Lab by pointing to it on a communication board. Kesha chose to sing Beat It by Michael Jackson by yelling out the song in Music With Rick. Arty chose to sing a Red Hot Chili Peppers song by writing it down and giving it to his caretaker.
- Art Lab: At Art Lab, the group voted on what they wanted to create. In December, there was a strong community voice in favor of creating holiday cards for their family and friends. The Art Lab instructors planned their lessons around these desires.
- Cooking Club: Participants started emailing Carmen to tell her they wanted the Cooking Club to come back. (It had stopped with COVID.) It restarted again in December. During each Cooking Club event, the participants vote on what they would like to cook next time.
Each of these snippets are small examples of voice defined as “choice”. Alone they are not enough. Under the guidance of Carmen Lachle, our Adult Program Coordinator, we are bringing in a definition of voice that is more than choice – it is autonomy.
New: Special Needs Support Center Adult Programs
Carmen Lachle’s newest adult programs focus on amplifying voices to foster autonomy for individuals with disabilities.
- Peer to Peer Group: During the Fall, Carmen worked with a participant who wanted to have a peer to peer group for individuals on the autism spectrum who are able to work and be independent. The group decides together what activities they would like to do. This has led not only to some fun events, like holiday crafts and movie night, but SNSC saw a significant uptick in new participants. We found that this need that was not being fulfilled elsewhere.
- Event Planning Committee: This month the first Event Planning Committee is launching, planning for the next dance. The goal of this committee is for the participants to engage in all levels of the planning for events, from what events we hold to the details of executing the plan. It’s not surprising they want to plan our next dance; it’s our most popular event of the year! Prom 2024!
- AVA Art Show: Mark your calendars- October 11th-November 9th we will have an art show at AVA art gallery titled “VOICES”. Each piece of artwork will be created by people with disabilities in our community around the theme of voice, identity, and community.
These two newest groups point SNSC in the direction of our mission, creating an inclusive and equitable community in which individuals with disabilities maintain autonomy. We are not voices for others; we are the voices that need to be heard.
Want to Get involved? Sign up for our adult programs here!
Looking Towards an Equitable and Inclusive Future
SNSC’s future points to embedding disability rights as a cornerstone of the diversity, equity, and inclusion framework. It is the loss of everyone not to take care of, embrace, and desire all of us to be part of our community. We are working towards a future in which all of us are included in all community spaces and community events. This requires anticipating the needs of all people, not simply the majority. In an Enabled Upper Valley, all of us are written into the future.
By Dr. Kendra LaRoche, Executive Director