Chapter Building

To organize a SALN chapter in your area, contact us and we will provide a training workshop on “What is Self-Advocacy and SALN” and on other topics to help build a SALN chapter. We have a curriculum of six workshops described below.

A new SALN chapter needs 3 or more self-advocates who are willing to take on the responsibility to form the chapter. Members pay $5 in dues to SALN and they pay those dues to their chapter. The chapter bank account is connected to the Idaho SALN bank account.

SALN chapters should also have an adviser. Here is the job description for SALN chapter advisers and resources for chapter advisers.

Here is a description of how to Start a Self-Advocate Leadership Network ChapterPDF written by James Steed, a self-advocate in Pocatello with many years of leadership and training experience.

Curriculum of Chapter-Building Workshops

Idaho SALN has a committee working to conduct a series of workshops (at least six) to assist chapters. Self-advocates serving on that committee are Dave Dekker, Joe Raiden, Alonzo Statham, Shiloh Blackburn, and Ian Bott. Support people and advisers serving on the committee are Nora Jehn, Scott Hoover, Tina Dressel, and Jim Hansen.

There are three training teams, one in each region of the state:

  • North Idaho: Joe Raiden leads this team with self-advocates from Moscow. Nora Jehn, Moscow SALN adviser, assists this team.
  • Southwest Idaho: Alonzo Statham, Ian Bott, Noll Garcia, and Laurie Lowe are on this team. Richelle Tierney, Idaho SALN state coordinator, assists this team.
  • Southeast Idaho and Magic Valley: Shiloh Blackburn, Dave Dekker, and John Kihara lead this team. Tina Dressel, adviser for Pocatello SALN, assists.

Each team recruits additional trainers as they need them.

  • The North Idaho team is doing workshops in Moscow and Coeur d’Alene.
  • The Southwest Idaho team is doing workshops in Boise, Nampa, and Emmett.
  • The Southeast Idaho and Magic Valley team is doing trainings in Pocatello, Twin Falls, and Idaho Falls.
Idaho SALN 2014.

The committee is developing the details of the curriculum for each workshop. They will be conducted approximately one month apart for approximately six months. Additional workshops may be developed as participants seek additional assistance to build their local SALN chapter.

Below is a summary of the topics for the workshops developed as of the summer of 2014. They are subject to change in response to specific needs of the local SALN chapters:

Workshop #1 Self-Advocacy and SALN 101

  1. Introduction of training team and their involvement in SALN
  2. Introduction of participants and what they would like to learn today
  3. Presentation on What is Self-Advocacy and SALNPDF
  4. New members fill out forms to join SALN
  5. Questions and evaluation – was this helpful?
  6. What is the plan for the next workshop?

Workshop #2 Support for self-advocates and advisers for SALN chapters

  1. Introduction of training team
  2. Introduction of participants – what they have done since the last workshop and what they would like to learn today
  3. Support for self-advocates and advisers for SALN chapters (PowerPoint being finalized)
    1. What makes a good support?
    2. What are self-directed supports?
    3. What are home and community based supports?
    4. How do you find these supports?
    5. What makes a good chapter adviser?
    6. What is the adviser's role in the chapter?
  4. Questions and evaluation – was this helpful?
  5. What is the plan for the next workshop?

Workshop #3 Registering and voting by self-advocates

  1. Introduction of training team
  2. Introduction of participants – what they have done since the last workshop and what they would like to learn today
  3. Your right to vote and the voting process – (PowerPoint being finalized)
    1. What is IDVOTE 2014:
    2. Why should we vote?
    3. Can anyone vote
    4. How do you register or assist someone who needs to register?
    5. What is non-partisan voting?
    6. Type of voting – curbside, by machine, etc...
    7. Do I need to bring anything when I vote?
    8. How do I find out where I vote?
  4. Questions and evaluation – was this helpful?
  5. What is the plan for the next workshop?

Workshop #4 The national self-advocacy movement and SABE

The training team will include one or more self-advocates who attended the SABE Conference on Oct. 9-12, 2014 in Oklahoma City.

  1. Introduction of training team
  2. Introduction of participants – what they have done since the last workshop and what they would like to learn today
  3. Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) (PowerPoint to be developed)
    1. What did we learn at SABE?
    2. What did we learn from other self-advocates we met?
    3. What is happening on the national level with self-advocates?
    4. How can we take what we learned and develop it in Idaho?
    5. How did your self-advocacy journey begin?
    6. How you can help someone become a self-advocate
  4. Questions and evaluation – was this helpful?
  5. What is the plan for the next workshop?

Workshop #5 Disability Advocacy Day (DAD) Workshops

This session will be part of the DAD Workshops organized by the Consortium for Idahoans with Disabilities (CID). SALN is on the planning committee for the 2014 workshops. Self-advocates will be involved as presenters and participants along with service providers, support staff, and many others. The workshop will be from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm with a break for lunch. The agenda is being developed by the committee but will include:

  1. Introduction of CID and DAD participants
  2. Disability Advocacy Day (PowerPoint being finalized)
    1. How to be involved in DAD
    2. Who should come to DAD
    3. What you can learn at DAD
    4. How to contact your legislators
    5. How to share your story
    6. How to overcome your fears of speaking to your legislators
  3. Issue presentation and discussion (PowerPoint to be developed)
    (Approx. 1:00 hour) Lunch
  4. Issue presentation and discussion (PowerPoint to be developed)
  5. Evaluation and plan for Disability Advocacy Day at the Statehouse in February, 2015

Workshop #6: Shared decision-making and managing conflicts

  1. Introduction of training team
  2. Introduction of participants – what they have done since the last workshop and what they would like to learn today
  3. Shared decision-making and managing conflicts (PowerPoint being finalized)
    1. How to share responsibilities to make your chapter successful
    2. How to develop open communication skills
    3. How to handle conflict within your chapter
    4. How to respect boundaries and personal space of other chapter members
    5. How to get your point across without being a bully
  4. Questions and evaluation – was this helpful?
  5. What is the plan for the next workshop?