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D
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PIONEERING AND
INCUBATING NEW SOLUTIONS
140
MEMBERS OF PARENTS' AND
PROFESSIONALS’ LEADERSHIP GROUPS
116
SELF-ADVOCATES
2585
IMPACTED BY ACTIVITIES
IN THE ARAB SECTOR
“NOTHING ABOUT USWITHOUT US”: Shay's Story
Shay wants to eat lunch when he is hungry, and not at the fixed
communal times at his assisted living facility. He wants the option
to go to bed after lights out, and wants to choose his roommate.
Shay wants to be
involved in every
decision that affects
his day-to-day life.
One of Beit Issie
Shapiro’s major priorities is to ensure that people with disabilities
have the skills and opportunities to be involved in the decision-
making process relevant to all areas of their lives. Our nationwide
self-advocacy program for adults with intellectual disabilities
developed together with Israel Elwyn, the Ruderman Family
Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles,
focuses on equipping this population with the skills necessary for
speaking out and advancing their rights in their local communities.
Shay became an active participant in this program.
In 2015, we established a national leadership group, comprising
representatives from the eleven local self-advocacy groups, with
a view to contributing to advocacy within the political arena.
This leadership forum provided Shay (who became a local group
representative) with additional training as well as the opportunity
to participate in various discussions on the rights of people with
disabilities at the Israeli Supreme Court and the Knesset: “The
major change we are working towards is to be listened to”, says
Shay. “...to have everyone understand that this is our life, not
anyone else’s.”
Shay participated in discussions on
the rights of people with disabilities
at the Israeli Supreme Court