3/21/19 -

Determined, Developed and Delivered - Sounds like a Stevie Wonder song, right?  Oh, wait, that’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered...I suppose only those of us of a certain age remember that!  Anyway, I’m actually not talking about a song at all, but the development of a new program that our chapter of The Arc is really excited about.

You may know that we started our LifeAbility program for adults with I/DD about a year and a half ago.  What’s LifeAbility?  It’s a fun, interactive program where the intended audience is in the driver’s seat.  Interested participants determine the topics that they’d like to cover.  A team of people comprised of self-advocate leaders and subject matter experts and our community outreach folks, work together to develop something that will be fun and engaging for everyone.  Then, on the big day, the program is delivered by people with disabilities who share their knowledge, experience and stories with their peers in a high-energy, laughter-filled two hours.  We’ve covered topics that include everything from Communication to Health and Wellness to Travel, and the evaluation results have said it all – people love LifeAbility!

Given LifeAbility’s success, we knew we had to expand.  And what better group of people to participate than teens!  High School is tough, and being a high schooler with a disability only complicates things. 

It’s our desire to bring teens with I/DD together for their own LifeAbility, empowering them as subject matter experts, peer mentors, and learners.  We plan to use the same format, so we know the topics will be relevant (they will be determined by teens), accessible (developed with teens) and relatable (delivered by teens).

Please help us create Teen LifeAbility by clicking here to make a donation of any amount!