Hold the date for the Arkansas People First State Conference June 13-15, 2003 at the 4-H Center in Little Rock !

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Free Training Opportunities

Eric Treat Talks About Mentors

Susan Board is Reaching Her Own Greatness

Reaching My Own Greatness 

Waiver Mentors

Hold That Date 

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Please send it to:

Arkansas People First

104 Arkansas Union

Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703

        (V) 479-757-4015 - (Cell) 479-409-3390 - Fax: 479-575-7445

         Link here to e-mail at: peoplefirstark@yahoo.com

Free                   Free                   Free

Now that we have your attention... During the next six months,  Arkansas People First will be offering free training opportunities for self-advocates and support people.

  One of the trainings is called Reaching My Own Greatness. People First of Washington designed the training and will come and teach it to five self advocates and five support people. Those people will then be responsible for taking the information back to their area to teach others. RMOG is great for many reasons.  First, it pairs a self-advocate with a support person and teaches teamwork. No one is in control, teams learn to work together. Second, it helps develop individual self-advocacy skills through fun activities. Third, it  can help your chapter grow stronger; or if you don't have a chapter in your area, it can help you develop the skills to start one!

  Waiver Mentors is the other project APF is hosting. In this project, 15 self-advocates will learn about the waiver program and how to be mentors to people who use the community wavier option. APF will give people the opportunity to learn mentoring and leadership skills thru Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.   For example: if your friend has a wavier worker and needs help getting their worker to do their job, this training will teach you how to help. Some people with disabilities may feel more comfortable talking to others with disabilities, so it is important that people with disabilities receive this training. It is very important that people with disabilities known they have choices. Some people who live in the community are still not being respected by people who support them.

  APF is excited to be able to bring these opportunities to self-advocates through the DDS PASS Grants. If you are interested, please fill out the inserted application form and return it  to the address on the form by February 8, 2003 . Call APF with questions @ 1-888-488-6040.

  Mentors are people who help you make decisions, discuss issues with you, and support you. "I think it is very important to have mentors," said Eric Treat, State President for Arkansas People First. "Your mentor may have gone through what you are going through, or are about to go through, and can help guide you."

  That is why Eric thinks it is very important to learn how to be a mentor. "You never know when you might have a great opportunity to help someone." Eric believes that mentors should be upstanding people who are active in organizations and are doing things that they are interested in doing.

  Anyone interested in talking with Eric about mentors or about Arkansas People First can call him at home at (501) 327-8384, on his cell phone at (501) 517-5006, or link here to email him at: ettreat@yahoo.com.

  If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please fill out the PINK application and return it to the address listed on the bottom of the application form.

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Susan Board is Reaching Her Own Greatness

Susan used to work at a restaurant. She decided she needed to go back to school to get her GED after her boss asked if she was interested. She said yes and has been working toward that goal for the last 13 years!

  Susan keeps working toward this goal because she has faith that she can make her dreams come true. She has the help of her mentors (people who support her), and she gives her troubles to the Lord. "Look for someone you look up to when you need help reaching your goals," Susan said.

  "If people want to make something of themselves, they need to understand themselves for who they are.They have to want to improve themselves and their lives and they have to speak up for themselves before anyone can help them."

  If you would like to talk with Susan, you can call her at home at (501) 336-9214.

If you are interested in the Reaching My Own Greatness program, fill out the BLUE form and return it to the address listed on the bottom of the form

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Reaching My Own Greatness

If you are:

Up Beat

Outspoken

Excited

Committed

 A self-starter

I f you have:

Knowledge of self-advocacy

If you are:

Active in an Arkansas People First Group

Willing to practice, ask questions, and do

written and oral exercises

Willing to train others with support.

If you are available for training on:

AND

May 16-18 in Little Rock

Please fill out the application to be considered for the Reaching My Own Greatness Training and return it to:

Arkansas People First

Kim Worlow

PO Box 85

Henderson , AR 72544

You may also fax the completed application to (870) 488-8004.

  If you have questions about the program, please call Kim Worlow at 1-888-488-6040 or email her at worlow@mtnhome.com.

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Waiver Mentors

If you are:

Patient

Understanding

Responsible

Respectful

A Good Listener  

If you have:

A can do attitude

Someone who is paid to help

you in your home

Experience as a mentor

Experience working with a mentor

If you are:

Interested in learning to be a good mentor

Willing to support others

If you are available for training on:

AND

Please fill out the application to be considered for  the Waiver Mentors Training and return it to:

Arkansas People First

Kim Worlow

PO Box 85

Henderson , AR 72544

You may also fax the completed application to (870) 488-8004.

If you have questions about the program, please call Kim Worlow at 1-888-488-6040 or email her at worlow@mtnhome.com

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Hold the date for the Arkansas People First State Conference June 13-15, 2003 at the 4-H Center in Little Rock !

Arkansas People First

104 Arkansas Union

Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703

        (toll free) 1-888-488-6040   (V) 479-575-4015 - Fax: 870-488-8004

         Link here to e-mail at: peoplefirstark@yahoo.com