The News

Text Box:     One of SPEAK’S activities has been the endorsement of peer mentoring within the partner agencies. Peer mentoring is a method of teaching and learning through a deliberate pairing of a more skilled or experienced person with a lesser skilled or less experienced person. The experienced person is the mentor, and the inexperienced person is the mentee.
    Using a relational model, SPEAK has trained over 45 DSPs as mentors so that they are able to support and empower the mentee. A DSP mentor can model good skills in supporting those who receive services. They can help a mentee problem solve and navigate the service system; offer constructive feedback and insight about the responsibilities and the workplace; and help the mentee build confidence in his/her abilities.
    Peer mentors are used in various settings and situations. They are used on college campuses, high schools, churches and are quite successful in assisting people with acquired disabilities such as spinal cord injuries and brain injuries. Mentoring aids the “newbie” by sharing knowledge and experience, but it also decreases feelings of isolation, gains access to information and resources, offers a place to bring anxieties and concerns. Mentoring can also be helpful in socially connecting others and enhancing their ability to network.
    Many of the models of supports and services that are offered consumers occur in small settings. There are many advantages to this, but one of the difficulties is the isolation that the DSP experiences. Having access to a peer mentor can fill that void. Mentors and mentees can maintain contact through e-mail, telephone or in person.
    Finally, peer mentoring can be advantageous in all types of work settings. Peer mentoring offers a low cost way to train newly hired employees. Mentees may feel more comfortable learning from a peer than in a hierarchical setting. Mentors also stand to benefit from the unique relationship. Mentoring gives mentors a

Text Box: chance to sharpen their social, communication and leadership skills.

SPEAK’S trained Peer Mentors:
Cedar Lake Residence:
Heather Walker, Danyel Tingle, Lisa Johnson, Brittany Keyser, Stephanie Pauley, Rhonda Spruell, Kevin Molloy, Theresa Wigginton, Terri Smith, Bonnie Meadows, Latie Kipfer, Sheree Stucker, Lisa Cox, Tonya Knebel, Nancy Dwenger
Community Living:
Theresa Ramsey, Tanisha Thomas, Magnolia Sanders, Karen Gootee, Judi Chapman and Joan Williams
Day Spring:
Diana Schulte, William Lee, Noel Hawley, Russ Owens, Phil Rhodes, Amy Hoffmeister, Donna Williams, Erica Franklin, Sarah Jeter
Dreams with Wings:
Joyce Wilson, Sarah Tackett, Nicole Beeseon, Barbara Jones, Sharon Foree, Jackie Asbell, Lisa Bustos, Chandra Schagene, Eveyln Francis
ETA:
Betty Moore
Harbor House:
Erica Desmond
Mattingly Center:
Marian Montgomery, Crystal Yocham, Vicki Winningham
Seven Counties Services:
Vicki Walker, Tarita Hayes, Yolinda Kellogg, Alex Gibbons, Dee Troub
Zoom Group:
Paulette Campbell, Ashley Noe, Joyce Robinson

LaGrange Networks, a community based day program for individuals with intellectual disabilities, celebrated its 15th year anniversary with an Open House on July 6, 2007, at the programs location at 8040 new LaGrange Road. LaGrange Networks is part of the Developmental Services Division of Seven Counties Services which creates small group and individual activities that provide new learning opportunities in a variety of daily living and social skills and new experiences through community integration.
    Over the last 15 years we have served 35 associates and have had 36 staff members. As many of you may recall at this year’s SPEAK banquet, Seven Counties received an award for staff retention. The five member staff we have at this location has been employed for 15 years, 8 years, 7 years, 5 years and 1 1/2 years. This consistency has given the associates a safe, comfortable and stable environment in which to spend their day. On any given day, you may find associates cooking in the kitchen, writing newsletter articles on the computer, exercising in the main room or holding small group discussions on money skills and personal budgeting. When not at the Networks Center, staff and associates are making forays into the community - visiting libraries, pet stores, parks, malls and ballgames.
    We got to visit with some old friends who have moved to other day programs or other jobs. There were some people we had yet to meet that came to the Open House from other agencies. The time flew by quickly. We put together a video, showcasing some of the activities we do throughout our days, which played throughout the 2 hours. We also spent a lot of time getting some of our artwork ready to display during the Open House. We have an associate that has her own web site that shows the beaded jewelry that she makes. While we had the web page pulled up on the computer, she decided to get her inventory out and actually made several sales that day. We prepared photo montages of some of our favorite photos, special events as well as photos from years ago. There was something for everyone to see and enjoy.
    I was so excited to see the turn out and share our celebration with so many people in our neighborhood and in our community. The staff has worked hard over the past fifteen years to make dreams come true for our associates. It doesn't always happen fast, but it does happen.
-Ruth Reed, Site Manager

Monthly at Harbor House, staff and participants collaborate for an end of the month, birthday celebration. Each celebration is held on the last Friday of the month and is usually based around a theme that our folks can get excited about and involved in. For the month of August, staff member Sarah Beck organized a Jazz and Blues Festival. Sarah along with fellow staff member Stephanie Colbert worked with participants on learning songs to perform at the festival. Participants participated in making costumes for their performance as well as coming up with a day full of activities. When August 31^st came around, participants made a Louisiana style lunch for everyone that consisted of smoked sausage, fried potatoes and green beans. Participants performed a show for staff, guests and peers that included songs from various artists.

Janice Joplin, Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin are a few of the transformations that were made. After the performance, Sarah set up several stations for the participants to enjoy. Included was a sand art booth, face painting table, beading station, ice cream bar and a cool down, splash area. The day was a huge success and smiles were on everyone’s faces. Next month, we will be having a country western day and it is sure to be a success as well. The creativity of our staff and participants definitely shines through on the last Friday of every month!!

-Erica Desmond, Program Manager

Dear Beth,

In my last employee evaluation my supervisor shared that I need to improve my ability to address conflicts with those I work with. Beth, could you help me figure out how to do that. I don’t know where to start.

Signed,

Help!

Dear Help,

    Life is full of conflict and there is no expiration date on how long a conflict can affect you or another person. So, clearly we should do all we can to avoid them or resolve them as swiftly as possible.

    One of the first things you need to establish is if you are contributing to the conflict at hand. Cinnie Noble, a lawyer and mediator, has identified a series of conflict engagement behaviors that may help you. They include:

- Embracing differences and learning from them
- Taking responsibility for your part of what happened
- Seeking to understand the other person’s view, before
articulating your perspective
- Eliminating blame from the conversation
- Preventing defensiveness or feeling the necessity to justify
yourself
- Facilitating discussion of both the other person’s and your
own concerns, needs and feelings
- Being present, flexible and open
- Attending to “the other person’s” distress
- Reaching out
- Forgiving the other person and yourself, and
being resilient

    As a way of beginning to shift from unproductive conflict behaviors, examine how you engage in conflict and determine how you can improve:

- Identify the distinct feature or element in the
problem
- In what ways does this particular element or
aspect have an adverse impact on your work
                      with co-workers, those you serve or your per-
                      sonal life?
- What are you doing or saying related to this characteristic
   aspect that may get in the way of fully understanding and
   working with the conflict in front of you, in your work?
- How may your neutrality and effectiveness be impeded due
to this aspect?
- What steps do you need to take to reach your objective, to
improve this aspect?
- What will get in your way of taking these steps?
- What will you do to overcome those challenges?

The journey to improve our ability and skills to engage in conflict is an interesting path of self-discovery.

Do you have a question that you would like to
“Ask Beth?”
Email your questions to:
brichardson@councilonmr.org
Or send them to:
Beth Richardson
1146 South Third Street
Louisville KY 40203