NCARF Weekly E-News

Disability Rights NC as North Carolina's federally mandated protection and advocacy system is required to provide the public an opportunity to comment on its annual priorities or 'targets' for its resources. This year, because of the devastating impact the state's economy will have the lives of people with disabilities, Disability Right NC is conducting a series of Listening Sessions around the state. A schedule of these session is listed on our website. These sessions will help inform our Board of Directors as they identify our 2011 - 2013 Targets.

The Listening Sessions will include a brief presentation about Disability Rights NC and our reasons for 'listening' to our constituents. We will share with the participants our current targets and talk about capacity. The participants will then be asked to identify critical issues. Please see attached document for the dates and locations around the state where these sessions will take place.

We will be using a modified World Caf� Model asking three questions of each group - What has Disability Rights NC done to improve the ability of people with disabilities to live in the community? What still needs to be done? If there was only one thing that Disability Rights NC could do (because of resources), what should it be?

Each group will have 15 minutes to answer each question. A group facilitator will use a round robin technique to ensure each person at their table has an opportunity to talk. Group facilitators will be responsible for recording all of the comments.

Once the groups are done, we will ask everyone to answer a couple of questions:

1. Every person with a disability deserves....
2. In the future, I believe NC will...

For example, someone might answer, "the right to live in their own home if they choose." If someone agrees with the statement made, they can just agree with that person instead of making their own statement.

Once everyone in the room is committed, we will move to the next question.

Please help us get the word out by sharing this e-mail with your membership. Individuals needing accommodations (including a sign language interpreter), should contact Mavis Jones at 919-856-2195.

Vicki Smith
Executive Director
Disability Rights NC
2626 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 550
Raleigh, NC 27608
Phone: 919-856-2195
TTY: 1-888-268-5535
Fax: 919-856-2244
vicki.smith@disabilityrightsnc.org
www.disabilityrightsnc.org