1. Michigan Community Service Commission
Statewide Inclusion Team
Promotes and supports full participation of people with disabilities
in all aspects of national service programs
through collaboration between
individuals with disabilities; disability advocacy and service
organizations; and Michigan's national service programs.
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© 2008 McCreedy, McAdam All rights reserved

2. Embracing the Talent and Diversity
People with Disabilities
People with disabilities bring unique life experiences and
perspectives, both of which positively impact the diversity
and quality of services provided by nonprofit
organizations.
Using a partnership with Michigan’s AmeriCorps as an
example, this workshop will provide information about
the benefits of inclusion, outreach strategies, and how to
assure successful inclusion of people with disabilities in
the organization.
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3. Our Fundamental Belief
You will better achieve your organization’s mission
when you have volunteers, service members,
and staff members with disabilities.
Purpose of this workshop
You’ll discover some new ideas that may help you achieve
more successful inclusion of people with disabilities
in your organization.
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4. Slide 4
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5. Disability Culture- Dr. Carol Gill, U-Il, Chicago
The elements of our culture include, certainly,
our longstanding social oppression,
but also our emerging art and humor,
our piecing together of our history,
our evolving language and symbols,
our remarkably unified worldview, beliefs and values,
and our strategies for surviving and thriving.
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6. Disability Culture- Alternative Core Values
Dr. Carol Gill, U-Il, Chicago
http://www.independentliving.org/docs3/gill1995.html
quot;Values that undergird our political struggles,
that are reflected in our art, conversations, goals and behaviors.”
1) An acceptance of human differences (e.g., physical, functional, racial,
intellectual, economic/class).
2) A matter-of-fact orientation toward helping; an acceptance of human
vulnerability and interdependence as part of life.
3) A tolerance for lack of resolution, for dealing with the unpredictable and
living with unknowns or less-than-desired outcomes.
4) Disability humor - the ability to laugh at the oppressor and our own
situations, to find something absurdly hilarious in almost anything, however
dire.
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7. Disability Culture- Alternative Core Values
Dr. Carol Gill, U-Il, Chicago
http://www.independentliving.org/docs3/gill1995.html
quot;Values that undergird our political struggles,
that are reflected in our art, conversations, goals and behaviors.quot;
5) Skill in managing multiple problems, systems, technology and assistants.
6) A sophisticated future orientation; an ability to construct complex plans
taking into account multiple contingencies and realistically anticipated
obstacles.
7) A carefully honed capacity for closure in interpersonal communication; the
ability to read others' attitudes and conflicts in order to sort out, fill in the
gaps and grasp the latent meaning in contradictory social messages.
8) A flexible, adaptive approach to tasks; a creativity stimulated by both
limited resources and experience with untraditional modes of operating.
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8. • Implicit biases are pervasive.
• People are often unaware of their implicit biases.
• Implicit biases predict behavior.
• People differ in levels of implicit bias.
– Implicit biases vary from person to person - for example as a function of the
person’s group memberships, the dominance of a person’s membership group in
society, consciously held attitudes, and the level of bias existing in the immediate
environment.
– This last observation makes clear that implicit attitudes are modified by
experience.
http://www.projectimplicit.net/generalinfo.php
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rights reserved

9. Diversity helps you achieve your mission
1. Organizations will be positively changed when people with
disabilities are in all roles—volunteers, service members,
staff, and leadership.
2. Increased success when organizations reflect the groups
they are serving.
3. People with disabilities bring unique strengths, skills, and
perspectives to the workplace, reflecting the core values of
disability culture.
4. Disability pride developed in youth is a keystone to future
success—is this important to your organization?
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10. Disability Outreach
• Make the commitment
• Think about your culture
• Review descriptions of your service opportunities
or jobs
• Recruiting
• Prepare for success
• Disclosure, Accommodations, and Undisclosed
Disabilities
Learn as you go!
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11. Antoinette Adkins
Downriver CARES AmeriCorps
“My first challenge was to pick a placement that could accommodate me. Fortunately, there were many to choose
from.
With the help of a great program director, I was able meet the challenge head on and find incredible placements! I
have enjoyed being a part of the AmeriCorps family. Serving adults with various severe mental illnesses - teaching
them life skills - has increased my desire to go back to school to achieve my Ph.D. I have formed friendships I never
expected, helping me to grow and learn about myself too! AmeriCorps is an experience I will never forget.”
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rights reserved

12. • Membership diversity training that includes disability
issues promotes awareness - we need to move beyond
awareness - interactive exercises are key.
• Building community relationships are key for recruitment
and ongoing support for members with disabilities, service
teams, and management.
• Awareness, values, and experiences are fluid, impacting
each of us throughout the journey.
• Vision - Members with disabilities make the commitment
to service and move into organizational leadership.
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rights reserved

13. www.DiverseAbility.com
Cathy McAdam and Ginger
mcmcadam@comcast.net
313-563-1412
Kathy McCreedy
kmmccreedy@chartermi.net
989-631-8867
Megan Sargent
Training and Inclusion Coordinator
Michigan Community Service Commission
sargentm1@michigan.gov
(517) 241-3494
MCSC Statewide Inclusion Team
http://www.michigan.gov/mcsc/0,1607,7-137-8074_22503---,00.html
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