Advocacy and Leadership Course.

 As part of an organisation wide strategy to empower and support service users to have a direct input into issues that affect their lives a number of service users have just completed a training programme in Advocacy and leadership in Dublin Institute of technology, MountJoy Square .

This was the second time the programme was run and covers areas such as understanding self advocacy, history of disability services, essential communications skills, voter education, how Ireland is governed, inclusion and awareness of service standards. The students also had to make a presentation on a personal, unit or service change they would like to see happen to successfully complete the course.   Some of the students made a presentation on a change they are actually working on in their day unit or as an individual goal.

During the programme the students attended a variety of conferences on Advocacy and Leadership and participated in a national consultation processes examining the future direction of service provision for people with an intellectual disability.

The Programme took place in the Dublin Institute of Technology Mountjoy Square. This setting enabled the students sample student life and to socialise with other students attending the college.

 The third year of the programme has just started and it is planned that this group of students will undertake some joint projects with other students in the college.

 A formal conferring ceremony, which was attended by family and friends, was held in the college with each student receiving their Certificate from the Head of the Department of Social Science, Mr Kevin Lawlor. Speaking on behalf of the students, Dermot Lowdes commented on how they all greatly enjoyed and benefited from the programme thanked the tutors for all the support given to them and.

We would like to congratulate the students on completing the course and to wish them every success in the future.