We all benefit from the support of trusted relationships when making decisions. However, too often people with developmental disabilities are underestimated and not given the opportunity to make choices for themselves. Join us to learn how we can shift our mindset and actions to support opportunity for people with disabilities to take the lead in their own lives!

This webcast will:

• Help families rethink how they support their family member to communicate and make their own decisions
• Show ways to support the decision-making journey starting with small choices
• Help families understand the impact of assuming capacity and providing clear information to people with intellectual disabilities 
• Support your ability to honour diverse communication methods beyond words.
• Provide real stories from families who changed the way they think about communication and how that opened them up to new possibilities 

A live Q&A will follow the webcast.  The webcast will be recorded and made available for one month following the live event.

Selena Blake
Selena is known for walking alongside people with disabilities and their families who strive to build good full lives steeped in contribution and anchored in community. She spent many years working with families who have young children, seeing how we all grow into decision-makers. She also noticed that confidence comes with being listened to and heard - especially for those deemed to be without spoken language. In more recent years, she has become disturbed to witness choice being used by paid people in place of real decision-making, and unabashed choice-making leading to harsh consequences that land squarely and inequitably on people with disabilities, further underscoring the power imbalances. This is of particular interest to Selena who has long worked on social justice initiatives that are considerate of the complexities of intersectionality. Her efforts span over twenty years. In 2017, she joined Durham Family Resources and began working on a project called Ways of Knowing which grew into the Recognizing Capacity Project.  She is dedicated to continuing to explore the ways in which we all make decisions, especially as it relates to the strong relational ties that assist in guiding and anchoring a vision for a good full life.

Laura Powell
Laura started her working life in what was then called the special needs division of a regional careers service in the UK. Here she quickly became aware of the limited alternate post-school “choices” offered to certain young people, instead of the typically imagined opportunities of further education, internships or employment. Laura then worked for nearly a decade in Ireland with agencies serving people with an intellectual disability, in direct support, management, and quality roles. In 2019 she came to work at Durham Family Resources and has been coordinating their Recognizing Capacity Project. She is interested in exploring the ordinary ways all people give and receive supports for decision making, and how many more people’s capacity can be recognized and understood.

Tracy MacGillivray
Tracy has two sons, both of whom she considers to be a huge blessing to her family and community. In this webcast she will be focusing on her youngest, TJ, and her family’s journey up to this point in helping him to discover who he is. Coming to understand, hear and augment TJ’s voice has led them to ensure that he has a home of his own, that he is a valued member of his church and community, and that they follow his lead closely on many medical issues that require his attention. Tracy is interested in sharing her learning and reflections with other families, hoping to encourage others to find ways to enable their loved one's voice to be better heard.