An International Summit Conference on Independent Living
Washington, DC
September 21-25, 1999
___________
Evaluation Data Summary
Sessions Ratings:
1. Philosophy & Advocacy, Training & Leadership
Was this session effective in helping you learn from your colleagues?
Frequency/Percentage A. Very 17/50% B. Somewhat 14/41% C. A little 3/9% D. Not at all 0/0% E. No response 0/0%
2. Philosophy & Advocacy, Training & Leadership
How Important was this topic to you?
Frequency/Percentage A. Very 27/79% B. Somewhat 6/18% C. A little 1/3% D. Not at all 0/0% E. No response 0/0%
3. IL Services with focus on Employment & Self-Sufficiency
Was this session effective in helping you learn from your colleagues?
Frequency/Percentage A. Very 17/50% B. Somewhat 10/29% C. A little 6/18% D. Not at all 0/0% E. No response 1/3%
4. IL Services with focus on Employment & Self-Sufficiency
How important was this topic to you?
Frequency/Percentage A. Very 22/65% B. Somewhat 7/21% C. A little 4/12% D. Not at all 0/0% E. No response 1/3%
5. Personal Assistance Services & Peer Support
Was this session effective in helping you learn from your colleagues?
Frequency/Percentage A. Very 15/44% B. Somewhat 15/44% C. A little 3/9% D. Not at all 0/0% E. No response 1/3%
6. Personal Assistance Services & Peer Support
How important was this topic to you?
Frequency/Percentage A. Very 26/79% B. Somewhat 4/12% C. A little 2/6% D. Not at all 0/0% E. No response 1/3%
7. IL Funding & Resource Development
Was this session effective in helping you learn from your colleagues?
Frequency/Percentage A. Very 14/41% B. Somewhat 9/26% C. A little 6/18% D. Not at all 1/3% E. No response 4/12%
8. IL Funding & Resource Development
How important was this topic to you?
Frequency/Percentage A. Very 18/53% B. Somewhat 9/26% C. A little 3/9% D. Not at all 0/0% E. No response 4/12%
Open Ended Questions:
The part of this summit I found most valuable was:
Philosophy and Advocacy - Training and Leadership; Education & Employment; Personal Assistance
To meet top leaders
(1) The session on Employment and Education (2) Funding and Resource Development
Regional Sessions, Women's Meeting, Networking
IL services & employment Networking with people from different countries
Workshop on exchanges (MIUSA) Session on future planning
Plenary session on personal assistance Afternoon discussion on personal assistance
The philosophy of the independence living and to change experience with other colleges
Discussions on Education with Judy Heumans a representative woman of the Secretary of Education on Thursday, September 23. Sessions for women's issues on Friday, September 24th. Networking and informal discussions in _____.
The presentation and small group discussion on employment issues. Unemployment is a critical issue for persons with disabilities so it was very informative learning about the iniatives for employment in the various countries. Also the discussions on transportation and the issues related to the ADA>
Advocacy, training and all the other topics except point how all the other topics were debated at large and same tangible solutions were talked about.
IL Funding and Resource Developing
In spite Asian country have a little social resources, they can develop the IL movement.
Personal Assistance Services & Peer Support because that is our main concern back home and it is important to include people with extensive disabilities into society. Equal possibilities and full participation.
Personal assistance and transportation because I work with user-controlled p.a. back home and transportation is important for my job and leisure time. We dream of accessible busses.
(1) To meet top leaders of IL movement from different region of the world especially U.S. and Europe which the original of IL concept (2) To meet with leader of disability movement from South America and Africa where communication and relation with Asia Pacific region quite low.
Small group.
All the information received on independent living can be applied in my country.
The small group discussion The morning recap of the small group discussion Opportunities for networking & learning about other countries' challenges Witnessing the strength in advocacy among the various countries.
The Personal Assistance Services
Meeting people personally in the various breaks. Next time please reserve the big hall for these important meetings instead of referring them to the hallway.
The employment and self sufficiency topic as this topic is the most problem I face back home, non-disabled people are not getting jobs easily then the disabled people are in very critical situation. However, if they are trained, the problem decreases.
Meeting more dedicated and empowered leaders!
The small group on employment and education, first full and interesting discussion.
Advocacy
Hearing first hand of the experiences of those in other countries.
The opportunity to learn abou5t what is happening to disabled persons in other countries. Learning what we share and how we are different in economics, government, attitudes, what services and opportunities that exist and what don't as well as how services are implemented. The opportunity to meet and have social exchange. Translation wasn't provided during open session on PAS.
Workshop by Mobility International, Meeting on National Councils on Independent Living and Funding.
(1) The opportunity to meet leaders from other countries, and to learn about their cultures and issues (2) The exchange of information about the elements of our movement such as advocacy and PA Services and how these are approached in various countries.
Meeting people involved in IL.
The networking and especially the education meeting with Judy and friends and also the womens' meeting. Education must be seen as an integral part of IL. If we don't start as consumers at the beginning, the outcomes will not be as significant. PTI should merge with IL centers.
The least helpful part of this summit was:
Funding & Resource Development
(1) PAS info exchange (2) Under develop country "helping" info exchange can do
Personal assistance because in Africa, that is insured by the family members.
Speakers during meals Too much vs content
I think all were helpful to me
Technology demonstration
Plenary session on funding Poster session
Very interesting
Funding and resource development is a very important topic but we didn't seem to come up with recommendation on what we should do to facilitate this component so that it comes a reality world over.
The technology demonstration and international exchange of posters by participants. This area needed to be expanded a bit.
Personal Assistance and Services and Peer Support.
None
It is always great inspiration to meet disabled people from all over the world.
It is my first international conference so I have a lot to learn.
Morning session on Thursday, the 23rd, were not so attractive concerning IL concept.
I think everything has been very helpful.
(1) Need to include French among the key languages (2) Length of days need to be shortened. Also it would have been useful to have "tours" to local IL centers as part of the program, not as a last minute event. (3) The event should have ended Friday! IL Services with focus on employment.
The official program - especially the international reports which were mostly misunderstood.
Social/recreation opportunities were not well thought out or even offered. I feel true friendship and learning is better served when people spend leisure time together in relaxed, open, small group process. Next conference, if you would be willing, I would be happy to develop this concept further. (David Smith, North Carolina).
The small group on philosophy - no results for me. I report that we didn't discuss the development of peer counseling as an important and fundamental tool of IL. Maybe it's a topic for a next conference.
The afternoon sessions would have been better if they had been more structured. There seemed to be some difficulty controlling some of the more long-winded participants.
Not enough discussion on forms of advocacy across countries, how we celebrate ourselves (do we?), disability pride and culture. Are we doing outreach to youth and parents, educating about expectations for life for persons with disabilities for higher education, employment training, in the IL movement forms of advocacy and peer support, disability pride and culture. Unless we continue to nurture our sense of self worth and value, pride and culture and pass it on to our youth we and all movement will die. Our civil rights to access and thriving in the community can not be achieved if we don't first believe in ourselves, teach our children and each other to do the same. We must also take time for renewal and celebration.
It all was helpful.
All of the summit was helpful. My one disappointment was that this was not publicized in a way that attracted media coverage. This was an awesome gathering of leaders from all over the world - any other gathering of this scope would have received coverage. The issues discussed here need to be understood by those outside our movement. I would strongly recommend a strong media blitz for any future summits of this type.
Nothing - it was all great! It makes me appreciate what
we have...
(September 21-25, 1999; Based on 34 Complete Surveys)
©1999 ILRU Program. All rights reserved.