What are the best practices for communicating with people with disabilities in peer support?

Start by acknowledging your own biases around needs. Choose to look at a disabled person as a person first, then acknowledge that they have specific needs, just the same as you have specific needs. There needs might be different to yours, but you want your needs to be considered in the way you engage with people and the world, just the same as they do. Now you are more ready to have a conversation with them and be respectful of adjusting to their specific needs as you can relate it back to yourself.

It's important to understand that not everyone has experienced the medical system similarly. Historically, in the US, the Black community has experienced abuse in the medical system through things like the Tuskegee experiments and the actions of J. Marion Sims. As a result, it's critical that we understand that disabilities do not "begin" when someone receives a diagnosis and can sometimes exist for decades before being formally diagnosed.

It seems such a good approach. I think that it would be very important to have a direct connection in order to know very well a person. I think that it would be to realize a direct approach.

Listening is probably the most important thing, but for it to be effective we need to put aside our own biases first. People with "disabilities" often develop advanced skills to compensate for what they cannot do. A case in point is an ex colleague who was blind but is the best data base administrator that I have ever worked with. Braille, a set of headphones, a great memory and a can do attitude was all he needed.

Also, it can be helpful to avoid performative listening which is not intended to go anywhere or serve anyone but yourself. This of course sits on the back of genuine empathy and constant reflexivity.

Listening actively is especially important in the context of disability because how someone identifies with their disability varies from person to person. For example, someone with ADHD might view their disability through the lens of being neurodivergent and is simply a difference of what's already in the world. Or, they might view their ADHD as something that disables them - that their disability means they literally do not have the ability or that their ability is severely impaired. These are important details of how disabled people identify that are specific to each individual.

As an ADHDer I have to be careful with this.I have a tendency to talk too much and go over those barriers of sharing too much. If I, or someone else is overdoing it, don’t judge them but instead speak openly with them so that they know.

An important facet of sharing is the environmental context in which you share. While a topic might not be appropriate to begin talking about in a quiet team setting, that same topic might be very appropriate when shared in the context of a peer support group. This is especially true in instances of trauma. In peer support groups, you have the environmental context to discuss what you're going through, and the mic is yours. Sometimes, sharing authentically is a skill that needs to be exercised before it becomes strong. Peer support groups provide the exercise you need to learn and share the story of "You".

This is very key especially when carrying out activities/interventions in the general public. People tend to assume that everyone can use whatever medium of communication is being used. Our "unknown biases" if not deliberately addressed may hinder proper communication. Always remember that there is a possibility of someone who can't see, hear or move freely and therefore your activities should be cognizant of this realities! Adapt Flexibly!

Communication is two way. When working well, both sides do what they need to in order to bridge the gap. Disabled people use a range of tools and techniques to do this, but little happens in return. Everyone needs to take responsibility to ensure that communication successfully takes place. This can be by ensuring you are following good practice when creating documents, to learning how to make lip reading easier, and speaking with non-ableist language. Ultimately it takes respect and a bit of learning.

With a disability framework, I somewhat have a problem with the premise of this. The best peer support you can give is to involve a person in your peer groups. Peer groups have the natural thing of varying opinions, etc. Ultimately, the best thing you can do is to treat them as a person, not a special class of person (“disabled person”). We need to normalise disability as a normal part of the human condition.

Remember that empowering someone else means helping them develop their own opinions, expectations, and goals for themselves - not to impart your own onto them.

One thing I found helpful is to not only tell but show peers that they can be successful in building support networks for both their personal and professional life. People tends to assume that if they have mental health issues that there life is over and they can no longer be quote and quote normal and that type of thinking is not only wrong but unproductive. My goal just like others who work in mental health field is to empower the peer to empower themselves and I am blessed to be on both sides of the issue of being able to help both the peers and their loved ones

Furthermore If every 10 people support 1 disabled person, notable strides could be achieved. Rather than assigning blame, emphasize individual contributions to foster societal inclusivity. One goal of DivyangKala .is to ensure every willing disabled person in India has remote work opportunities. We strongly uphold the notion of not emphasizing 'DIS' in our 'ABILITIES' and are optimistic that numerous #Multinational corporations will endorse us. Furthermore, increased visibility of disabled individuals in public spheres is imperative for fostering positive #Perceptions & #SocietalChange.

Hire only if you/organisation is ready, don't hire just for the sake of hiring. Accept and work consciously on self bias. Be respectful and provide assurance on inclusive behaviour of firms/teams. Create a peer and support group. Listen to the thoughts and actions where possible and having real impact, don't go overboard but be clear in communication. Rest is all magic':)

Some strategies I use that have not been mentioned: 1. Encourage the participant to share how they feel about the conversation and my support. 2. Allow the participant to lead the conversation. I can share, but I must not dominate the conversation; I just facilitate it. 3. I try to stay away from offering solutions. I take more of an approach of shared-decision making.

In my experience, it’s best to approach your peers with an open mind, and even more room for feedback. I cannot tell you how many times I was humbled by a friend who had corrected me for a term that I used incorrectly, or even an outdated one I had to update in my vocabulary. Being agile and flexible enough to reframe, rephrase, relearn, and apologize - as we continue to learn and grow our collective knowledge and bridge gaps for inclusion.

In my experience, it has been with kindness and a genuine understanding of the needs of the client, and always keep safety in mind!

#LinkedIn family I can connect with you everyone can take one challenge work for it for the betterment of the community at large As the Founder of DivyangKala - The Talent House of Differently Abled People , I perceive the pursuit of #Inclusive environments for the #Disabled in #India & #Worldwide as a distant aim. Many confront hurdles in self-assurance & self-worth due to societal stereotypes ingrained from #Childhood. Integrating special schools with regular ones cultivates empathy & enriches the overall character of individuals with disabilities. As someone with #cerebralpalsy, I advocate for #Empowering the #DisabledCommunity, affirming our #Capabilities.