Michigan Disability Rights Coalition

Participation:
The right of free participation in all that affects the community interest.

Customer Driven:

The best use of resources available for supports is the free choice of what is needed by the customer. Forcing people to receive services that are not needed, because of bureaucratic requirements, teaches people that they are dependent and that they must "game" the system to get what they need. The best way to assure efficient use of supports is to focus on the use of supports for full citizenship, instead of trying to build bullet-proof entitlements.

Grass Roots Initiative:

People with disabilities must organize locally to achieve full citizenship in their chosen communities. Facilitated skill-building, at the direction of local groups, can support effective grass roots advocacy; but, ultimately, people with disabilities must take responsibility for their own futures.

Economic Self-sufficiency:

The best support for the disability community in achieving full citizenship is the creation of personal and community economic self-sufficiency. Disability benefits are not an adequate substitute.

Technology as Tool:

Michigan's disability community must seize technology as a critical tool in its fight for full inclusion. The Internet and other collaborative strategies must be a key part of our common struggle. We must lead this effort, not wait for the rest of society to deem our technology issues a priority.

"Nothing about me, without me."

Build the economic and political capacity of local groups to effectively participate in communities of choice and issues advocacy .
Create a state-wide collaborative technology infrastructure to foster long term communication between local disability groups.
Sponsor events and activities that promote sharing of best practice, collaborative planning, and the building of consensus around policy impact goals.
Find and develop economic and political resources, independent of the existing government and funding sources, that can be allocated according to the plans of Michigan's disability community, instead of bureaucratic priorities.
Mold a staff team, with a long term commitment to Michigan's disability community as a customer base—a team capable of working anywhere in the state, focusing on the uncertain and rapidly evolving disability policy future, and using collaborative technologies to supplement face-to-face networking.
Forge a partnership between board, staff and constituents for strategic development and strategic priorities.

While carrying out these projects, MDRC developed several capacities and areas of expertise :
Building meaningful partnerships with a variety of diverse organizations
Managing staff and interns working from virtual offices around the state
Flexibility and creativity
Adult and active learning style facilitation
Public policy advocacy
Linking existing projects to achieve maximum outcomes
Valuing interdependence

Informed Communities: Hosted forums around the state bringing up-to-date information on public policy issues to people with developmental disabilities and their families. Forum attendees also received training and technical assistance in developing an action plan to influence the policy issue in their community.

Connections for Community Leadership: Supported emerging leaders with disabilities through trainings, curriculum development, and peer-learning activities. Additionally, CCL provided funding to leadership development initiatives around the state and worked with both generic and disability-specific organizations to improve effective facilitation of leadership development in Michigan.

Proud of Myself: Assisted Iosco RICC members with developing a sense of disability identity and pride through a variety of interactive educational sessions. Participants shared what they learned with their Community Mental Health agency and with their local community at the annual Fourth of the July parade.

Her Power, Her Pride, Her Voice: A retreat for high school girls with disabilities that explores what it means to be a teen girl with a disability in today's world. Interactive art-based activities are used to help the girls learn from each other and teach the world how they see themselves. A large focus of this retreat is on disability identity, history, pride, and self-determination.

Including Our Neighbors: Provides training for community organizations around the state regarding inclusion and self-determination for people with disabilities, including people with high and complex support needs. MDRC provides support, technical assistance and distribution of funds to various local community-building initiatives for both people with and without disabilities.

Grassroots Organizing Workshops (GROW): Provided technical assistance to several sites around the state in community building and asset mapping. This included helping local teams of people with disabilities and non-traditional community partners working together to meet community needs.

Many Faces, One Voice: Taught people with disabilities to produce digital stories using free software and assisted them in using the stories for advocacy.

Other Programs Include:
Reforming Michigan's Long-Term Care System
Connections for Community Leadership
Finding Our Way Home: Statewide Housing Advocacy for People with Disabilities
Building Bridges with the LGBT community
Building Your Financial Future
ATXchange
Michigan AT Loan Fund
Partners Against Violence in Michigan