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Get to the Core of It, Part II: Peer Support

Presented by Amina Donna Kruck, Director of Advocacy Programs, and April Reed, Volunteer Coordinator, Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL), Phoenix, Arizona, on May 19, 2010

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About the Training

Get to the Core of It is an on-demand training series on the four-core services of Centers for Independent Living.  Each presentation in the series features CIL staff and programs that are especially successful at providing excellent services to their communities. The five-part series explores best practices and innovative approaches to the four core services and is presented as follows:

• Part I: Information & Referral
• Part II: Peer Support
• Part III: Independent Living Skills Training
• Part IV: Individual Advocacy
• Part V: Systems Advocacy

The second episode in the series, Peer Support, features two presenters from ABIL – Arizona Bridge to Independent Living – a Center for Independent Living in Phoenix, Arizona.  ABIL's volunteer-based peer support program serves as an exceptional model for CILs of all sizes. 

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this on-demand training, participants will have knowledge and resources which will enable them to:

• Describe effective volunteer peer support program elements that can ensure successful service delivery, including peer mentor and mentee recruitment, mentor matching and match supervision.

• Describe the far-reaching benefits of a successful program for the CIL, mentors, mentees, and the community.

• Describe the role, tasks, and scope for mentor, mentee and CIL staff in a volunteer peer mentor program that optimizes success.

• Describe topics for peer mentor training that will increase mentors’ ability to support, coach, and guide their mentees.

About the Presenters

Amina Donna Kruck is The Director of Advocacy Programs at Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL) in Phoenix, Arizona. A Professional Licensed Counselor with a Master’s of Counseling from Arizona State University, Amina has overseen the development of ABIL’s volunteer Peer Mentor program since 1991. Amina has been an activist in the Independent Living movement with ABIL since 1990 with 24 years of peer counseling experience and has worked in the correctional and mental health fields prior to joining the ABIL team. Amina facilitates the Healer Within Women Wellness Group, Disability Liberation/ Attitudinal Barriers workshops and has taught a multi-disciplinary university course “Perspectives on Disability.”   Amina is the Project Director for the statewide AZ Freedom to Work - Social Security Work Incentives Planning Assistance Program since the Ticket rolled out.  ABIL’s Advocacy program addresses individual issues, provides monthly advocacy workshops and advocates to effect community/ system’s change.  Amina is vice chair of the AZ Disability Advocacy Coalition and the designated lobbyist for ABIL.  She is the recipient of the 2008 AZ Capitol Times Leadership Unsung Hero award, the 2004 National Council on Independent Living Region IX Advocate of the Year award and the 2001 Paralyzed Veterans of America Arizona Chapter Dick Sloviaczek Barrier Buster Award.

April Reed is the Volunteer Coordinator at Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL) in Phoenix.  She coordinates the ABIL Peer Mentor and General Administrative Volunteer programs, which includes recruiting, training, and matching mentors with consumers working on independent living goals.  Reed facilitates disability presentations to schools, the monthly mentoring and discussion group for mentors, mentees, and consumers and coordinates volunteer activities, including a monthly volunteer group and staffing of community information tables.  Previously she was ABIL’s Information and Referral Specialist.  Reed is a Licensed Masters Social Worker, receiving her Masters degree in Social Work from Arizona State University in May 2005.  She is a member of the planning committee for the Arizona Disability Expo, and Vice-Chair of the Arizona State Rehabilitation Council (SRC).

Transcript and Resources:

• PowerPoint presentation (PPT file)
• PowerPoint presentation (Accessible HTML file)
• Transcript of the Program (MS Word doc)
• Additional Information & Materials posted on the ILNET Wiki

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Presented by CIL-NET, a program of the IL NET national training and technical assistance project for Centers for Independent Living (CIL-NET) and Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILC-NET). The IL NET is operated by ILRU, Independent Living Research Utilization, in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) and the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL).

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