Th
e Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC/CL)
develops evidence-based programs,
policies and practices that further community living
and participation among people with disabilities.
APRIL has been proud to partner with the RTC/ CL on many projects, including the development of the Youth Peer to Peer Program, which provides technical assistance to CILS across the country who are starting up or tweaking existing youth programs.
APRIL with the support of the University of Kansas will be hosting three free meetings this year to learn more about how your Center for Independent Living is serving people with disabilities in your communities. We will talk about how our organizations have changed as a result of the pandemic, and how these changes will impact what services look in the future. Let’s dive into the world of IL, before, during and after a pandemic and begin to explore what work needs to be done now to make sure everyone has opportunities to participate in the communities of their choice in the way that makes most sense for them.
Community Participation 2021 Series
Ready or Not, Here We Come Virtual World!
Online programming has been a hot topic for years, even prior to the pandemic. Whereas online programming and participation used to be voluntary, for many community members, it is now a necessity. Let’s dive into online programming and your organization. Tell us about the kinds of programming your organization had online before the pandemic. What do your online programs look like now with many folks social distancing at home? How has the idea or definition of participating in the community changed or morphed as our social environments and how we interact in them have changed to meet the demands of pandemic living?
Leveling the Virtual Playing Field
Who said going online with your programming would be easy? Let’s learn from our trials and errors and successes together for getting consumers connected to the virtual world. What are some strategies you are using to access technology and internet to get consumers up and going in their virtual environment? What about those consumers who just don’t have access to the internet? How are you bridging the digital divide for folks who might be a little scared of technology? Do you have tips, strategies, videos or other program aides that you use to get consumers online and to build their confidence? How do you ensure access so that everyone can participate in your online environment successfully?
To the Community, and Beyond!
As we move out of the pandemic and begin to look at our new ‘normal’, what will that mean for community participation? Will Independent Living find itself in a new normal with IL classes and activities being held both in person and online? What are your organizational plans for serving consumers into the future? How are you preparing your organization to pick up in person programs and still maintain the online ones that have grown through this last year and half? What barriers or gaps can we begin to work on as a community to ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate in their communities, in person or online?
To learn more about The Research and Training Center on Community Living,
please see their website at http://www.rtcil.org/cl/ or contact them at:
1000 Sunnyside Ave #4089
Lawrence, KS 66045 -7555
Voice: (785) 864-4095
TTY: (785) 864-0706
Fax: (785) 864-5063
email: