“ Improving Diversity through

Supported Employment ”

Kraftkälla Setting up, advocating and maintaining a self-advocacy

group: experiences from Sweden

Dag Hallermalm, Fredrik Samuelsson, Anna Esteban, Peter Froehlich, Mazlum

Alp

hosted by:

In association with:

• Kraftkälla (Power source) - A Self-Advocacy Group from Stockholm.

• 15 -20 members, 80% men, 20% women. Age: 25 to 50

• What is Kraftkälla? Self-Advocacy, Empowerment/self-help.

• Todays focus -Advocating and being a member of a self-advocacy group

Activities• ”We do things that we have never done

before.”

• Discussion forums• Go out to have dinner• Play bowling• We go to museums • We invite people to lecture for us• Last spring we arranged a conference on the subject;

Empowerment.

Our experiences

•Feeling safe and secure•Fellowship•Meeting new friends•Taking responsibility •Share experience•New experience •Having a good time•Focus on our ability not disability

Advocating the group-

The supporters role

•“When should you step in and give a helping hand.”•Living learning situations •Moving ”in and out” of the process – not taking over•Create structure and an allowing atmosphere•Encurage the members to think in a new way and try new things.•Encurage the members to explore their abilities.

Our Principles

•Continuity•Structure•Activities - not depending on money•Open environment- always open to new members•The members decide- they have the power•Never set up goals as a measurement of “empowerment” success.

Our Principles

•In their time – don’t stress – no beginning no end.•Saying yes! – Listen and let the group learn of success and mistakes•Reflect over your own role and work – counceling •Flexibility – do not have everything worked out from start. •Let the group develop and explore, become its own.•Support schedule- to avoid to become an unspoken leader

Looking Forward

•Independence •Growing as a group•Create network