• students, both with and without disabilities
•  teachers
•  people with disabilities interested in self-advocacy
•  staff of support service agencies
•  members of the general community.

The purpose of these presentations is to promote the importance of self-advocacy for people with disabilities, general awareness of disability related issues, and to teach about the important gifts that people with disabilities have to offer which can only be received through full community inclusion and participation of all individuals in their own community.

The Self-Advocacy/AmeriCorps program addresses the basic need and right of people with disabilities to:

• Be included in all aspects of citizenship as full and contributing members of their communities
• Enrich their communities by their gifts and contributions

We accomplish this through two major educational efforts:

• Teaching people with disabilities (school age students and adults) the basic skills of self-advocacy. This includes speaking up for yourself and others by developing an understanding of both the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and community participation.

Promoting the concept of included community service throughout the system of supports provided by OMRDD and throughout all national and community service projects within New York. This training will focus on reversing negative stereotypes and misconceptions that many people still have about people with disabilities, and more importantly, focusing on the abilities and gifts that people with disabilities offer their community.

Based on the premise that "Our Experience is the Best Teacher", all Self-Advocacy/AmeriCorps presentations are conducted by individuals with disabilities and are based on their experiences, dreams, hopes and abilities. Self-advocates have learned from years of experience that it is their voices, individually and collectively, that most effectively break down barriers and build bridges within their communities.
As an AmeriCorps program, SANYS receives funding to support the efforts of individuals who serve as AmeriCorps members. Members receive a modest living allowance as a stipend and are eligible for an educational award at the completion of their term of service

Activity Areas
SANYS’ AmeriCorps members address the project with three core activities, all of which involve members sharing their experiences through various presentations to self-advocates and others.

• Teaching people with disabilities (school age and adults) and others the basic aspects of self-advocacy and self-advocacy groups, including the rights, opportunities and responsibilities of citizenship and community participation.
• Teaching people with disabilities, their families and others about the options they have for community living, inclusion in all aspects of the community and opportunities for work and volunteer service.
• Promoting the concept of included community service throughout the system of supports provided by OMRDD and throughout all national and community service projects with a disability to be fully included member or volunteer of service opportunity.

To support this effort SANYS is working with a committee made up of members of our organization, OMRDD, New Yorkers Volunteer, the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council and other state agencies serving people with disabilities.  We will receive technical assistance from the National Service Inclusion Project.
SANYS’ Board of Directors chose these areas because they match the long-term goals of the Association and have been identified by self-advocates as important issues. Various PowerPoint’s, skits, and handouts are utilized and/or developed for presentations.  Presentations will include topics on self-advocacy, topic related to community services such as choice of individualized supports for living in the community, employment and community services.  For the included volunteer service, AmeriCorps members will prepare brochures for people with disabilities and for national and community service group.