For the last 18 months, Dublin South East have been delivering skills teaching programs in Assisted Decision Making to the people we support. Co-facilitated by Paula MacNamara and colleagues from Day Services, these programs focus on capacity building with the goal of empowering learners to believe they have the capacity to make decisions, big and small, in their lives.
Learners use various methods such as storyboarding, discussion and role playing to build their confidence in seeking support, information gathering, remembering, weighing up the pros and cons and communication. Thereby building both their decision making and advocacy skills.
The various courses are tailored to the needs of each group of learners. Some groups prefer discussion and dialogue. Others prefer storytelling and role play. Finally, one of the key goals of this training is to empower colleagues to continue this work in those everyday moments of making choices and taking control in daily life. Each time a person makes a choice it is a moment of empowerment and capacity building.
Credit to Inclusion Ireland for the provision of a suite of ADM resources. Alongside the ADM skills teaching, Paula has been using the Inclusion Ireland Speak Up Speak Out (SOSU) resources, to deliver advocacy training across our day services. Well done to Paula and team, for developing and leading this incredibly helpful program.