Disability Concerns Workshop

The Disability Concerns Workshop is a downloadable program prepared by Jennifer Yound for UMCOR Health. It is intended to assist clergy and laity in local congregations. By using it, they will gain a background that will assist in creating a welcoming environment for people with disabilities.

The workshop covers six topics which can be presented together or as individual sessions. The first part is a PDF leader's manual. The second part is a series of PowerPoint® presentations used to conduct the workshop. Topics are:

• Access
• Attitudes
• Disability and the Church
• Disability Basics
• Language
• Programming

The workshop materials also include a survey, "Attitudes toward Disabled Persons," and several articles about inexpensive ways to make a congregation's facilities accessible, planning accessible meetings, communications and etiquette, and copies of articles referred to in the workshop. All materials needed to conduct the workshop are included.

Downloads for Disability Concerns Workshop

• Disability Concerns Manual

Presentation Material

• Access
• Attitudes
• Disability and the Church
• Disability Basics
• Language
• Programming

Handouts

• Attitudes toward Disabled Persons Form
• Example of ATDP form
• How to score ATDP
• Pre-class Survey
• Post-class Survey
• More than 50 ways to make your parish accessible with little or no cost
• Ideas for celebrating Disability Awareness Sunday
• Accessibility Checklist for Event Planning
• Disability-related excerpts from the 2008 Book of Discipline
• Communication and Etiquette with people with disabilities

Resources

• Kathie Snow, "Developmental Age vs. Chronological Age"
• Kathie Snow, "Religion and Disability: Are All Welcome?"
• Kathie Snow, "The Case Against 'Special Needs'"
• Words with Dignity