Girl Guides & Disability Awareness

[OneLittleSpark]

Hi all, I was hoping to take a sounding from everyone here on something I'm thinking of doing with my Guide unit (Girl Scouts, for all Americans out there ). I started working with my unit as a Leader a few months back, and am really enjoying myself. I want to organise some of the meetings next term, and was thinking, as a lot of the girls have been curious about my disabilities, I might organise a 'disability awareness' evening. The thing I don't want, is to give the rather patronising impression that a disability makes you helpless.

Because everyone has a different 'relationship' (can't think of a better word) with their disability, I wanted to get some opinions and ideas. So, some random questions:

Would anyone find the idea of such an evening offensive or patronising? Obviously, I'm going to be careful to handle it properly and am not going to give lessons in patting people on the head .

Is there anything about your disability that you think more people should be aware of? I plan to cover a range of disabilities, not just 'the big three' of sight, hearing and mobility. I want to look at some of the conditions that aren't so obvious at first glance, such as Autism, depression and dyslexia (that was just a random selection, not my entire curriculum!).

Are there any activities that you feel could help communicate your disability to a group of tween and teenage girls? I'm hoping to borrow a few wheelchairs, to let them get the feel of those; give them an introduction to British Sign Language; have some group discussions on the nature of disability (i.e. it could be anything, affecting anyone, at any time)

They're a really good group of girls, and are very good at handling the harder issues (for instance, they're currently doing work on Shelter, a charity for the homeless, and are discussing even the tough stuff), so I think they would respond well to this. I just want to make sure that this is a constructive exercise, and gives them a helpful, non-patronising and positive impression of disabilities.

All opinions, ideas and inputs are very gratefully received!

 

[peemagg]

I think something that would be good for the girls is to let them get a hands on feeling of what it is like for a disabled person. See if you can get various aids that a disabled person would use (i.e wheelchair, go blindfolded, crutches, etc). Then take them out on the town and have them use them in public. I think experiencing the other persons point of view does more than just talking about it.

I don't know how you could explain other "invisible disabilities" though.

I have what would be considered a "invisible disability". I have a disease called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). It is a disease of the nerves. I have it in my foot. I don't know how you could explain it to the girls, for I am confused about it myself. I do need to use a cane or scooter to get around when needing to walk any distance or stand for periods of time. It is mostly burning pain and hypersensitivity to touch.

I think you have a great idea though teaching the girls about disabilities. Good luck with it.

 

[bookwormde]

For non-visible disabilities particularly neurovariations, I am not sure that an “evening” would be effective without significant prior information about nerovariations. With that said if you can find “someone” who is truly well informed in this area to make a presentation ahead of time that would be great. Some advocacy or support groups have self aware and educated “aspies” who are willing to do this in an informative and “entertaining” way.

bookwormde