Thursday, November 3, 2022
10:00AM EST - 2:15PM EST
Schedule
Below is the schedule of sessions for Thursday, November 3.
​
All sessions will be recorded and after the conclusion of the event, the recordings will be added just beneath the session description. Registrants will have up to 1-year to access this information post-event.
​
If you have any questions, please email nyaii@nyalliance.org.
10:00AM-11:15AM EST
Opening Remarks
New York Alliance for Inclusion & Innovation & Citizen Network/CitizenFest
Keynote Panel Presentation
Alex Fox & Representatives from Shared Lives Plus – United Kingdom
​
11:15AM-11:30AM EST Break
11:30AM-12:30PM EST Concurrent Sessions
​
1. Living the Life You Want
Fionn & Jonathan Angus, Fionnathan Productions - Ireland
​
​
Fionn & Jonathan, son and father, are accidental activists. We even sued the Irish government in High Court, the first in Ire with cognitive impairment to control his own support funding.
​
Jonathan applied for the job, saying he'd give 24/7. (Hiring family can be a shorter path to goals. International travel would be impossible with purely transactional support.)
​
Our social enterprise hired Fionn, with another grant paying 1/2 his wages. His job includes studying; music & visual arts; teaching both schoolchildren & college students. Even apartment hunting was 'on the clock' work.
​
Convincing local authorities that supported independence requires a 2 bedroom place for one citizen was difficult, but we prevailed. Fionn is a great neighbor, graduating from self- to community-advocate.
​
2. Peer 2 Peer: Shared Living Providers’ Peer Support Network Successes
Joshua C. Smith, Executive Director, Green Mountain Support Services
​
5 years ago, Green Mountain Support Services started a Peer Support Network, with psychologist who created a similar program for Doctors Without Borders.
The primary purpose of the Peer 2 Peer is to offer PEER support and information to each colleague who may wish to talk with someone who has had similar work experience and is able to relate to his or her experiences. The emphasis for the P2P member is on listening. It is also the role of the P2P member to give information or reminders about additional support systems that are available to assist with work assignments and a good balance of self-care.
The Peer 2 Peer (P2P) is the non-clinical support system provided by trained SLPs for their peers. P2P members offer listening, support and information for others regarding their responsibilities and assignments. An essential part of the system is that it be composed of folks who have no interests or motivations that would conflict with their abilities to give support to a colleague.
We have seen that this program was immensely helpful for this solitary workforce during COVID and has only strengthened the professionalism and support for our Shared Living Providers.
​
3. Brooklyn St. An Intentional Community
George Fleischner, President/CEO, Nonotuck Resource Associates, Inc.
Mary Lou Accetta
​
​
Mary Lou Accetta and George H Fleischner will tell the story of an Intentional Community in North Adams Ma. The goal of Brooklyn Street Neighbors is to create a community that combines the best aspects of our childhood with insights from more recent decades. For us, this means a neighborhood where children can play safely, neighbors can count on each other, families live separately but share many resources, that promotes healthy and sustainable living, and includes a common space for regular community events. Mary Lou and George will speak to the development of BSN and the natural yet intentional integration of people without disabilities with people with disabilities.
4. Life Sharing and Social Role Valorization (SRV): Achieving a Meaningful Life
Barbara Dyer, Director of Quality & Performance Improvement, Mainstay Life Services
Additional Resources:
Friends: Connecting People with Disabilities and Community Members
​
Social Role Valorization (SRV) theory developed by Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger provides a framework for us to envision a life where people with disabilities experience freedom, dignity, and ultimately achieve the good things in life we all enjoy. The good things in life typically include meaningful community contributions, belonging & being part of something, having freely given relationships, being held in high regard, and achieving success. Good things come to people when they are seen as holding valued roles within their communities. Roles like neighbor, volunteer, family member, etc., as well as the good things listed above, are outcomes we want to result from shared living. We will discuss the application of SRV in Life Sharing to help those we support achieve a full, rich meaningful life.
12:30PM-1:05PM EST Networking Sessions
​
1:05PM-1:15PM EST Break
​
1:15PM-2:15PM EST Concurrent Sessions
​
1. Shared Living in Kentucky: Lessons learned about crafting supportive ally relationships
Hope Leet Dittmeier, Executive Director, Mattingly Edge
​
​
Mattingly Edge has assisted numerous people with disabilities to live in homes of their own with the support of a live-in or neighboring ally. Each and every situation was facilitated in a similar person-centered manner; however, each has differing characteristics. Much has been learned about the roles of all parties involved, the process of designing and facilitating supportive agreements, financing alternatives, and the factors that are most vital to success. Our presentation will include two to three people we support and their supportive allies telling their stories and family members sharing their perspective, followed by a summary of what we have learned as an organization. We will leave plenty of time for questions.
​
2. The Complex Beauty of Sharing Life
Patti Scott, CEO, Neighbours Inc and International
​
In many ways, Tyrone was the heart of his community and neighborhood. At 13 he became homeless for a period of time, and then for more than 20 years lived in a variety of institutions, nursing homes, and foster care placements. In his late 30s, Tyrone followed his vision and moved back to the community he left as a teen. There he became a homeowner, a neighbor, a student, an employer, a citizen, and an incredible connector. Tyrone's life experiences became his deep source of compassion. Over the last 10 years of his life he shared his home and life with someone, growing deep bonds as friends and family. The life they shared changed him, her, and her family - who also became Tyrone's family. This session will honor stories from Tyrone's complex commitment to share his life and home.
​
3. FamilyHome – How might shared living offer ways to move beyond traditional systems? What more is possible?
Terral McBay, FamilyHome/Supported Independent Living Coordinator, Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region - Canada
​
Founded on the values of citizenship, belonging, friendship and family, is a shared living model that provides a life many never knew, some lost, or others may be revisiting. FamilyHome is a program where adults with developmental disabilities live with and share life with a family in their community. FamilyHome is an opportunity to build a long standing relationship of support and a network of people to belong to. It creates belonging for those supported. It affords the opportunity to grow and expand a current family. It also provides government ministries an affordable option for residential support. Participants will hear stories of life in FamilyHome at Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region. This session will share some amazing possibilities for creative and innovative relationships.
​
4. Shared Living Personal Experience on Pros and Cons of this Model and How it can Sometimes Hinder Self-Determination and Dignity of Risk
Nicole LeBlanc, Disability Rights Activist, Consultant, PAL Group Coordinator, HSRI TASH
​
In this session I will share my personal experience on being in 2 shared living arrangements where one was a negative experience and the other a positive one. I will talk about how this model can be a barrier supporting people with disabilities to move out on their own. This session will cover the themes of a good match vs a bad match. Ideas for building skills for independence will be included. Share how this model can be a barrier when it comes to dignity of risk. This session will cover ideas and importance of training SLP's on self-advocacy dignity of risk, self-determination, ableism, and much more.
No Labels, No Walls
Festival 2022
Join the Festival after today's sessions!
In partnership with Citizen Network, registrants of the International Shared Living Gathering are encouraged to continue the conversations and networking by accessing the No Labels, No Walls Festival taking place throughout the Gathering on November 3 & 4.
