IL-NET T&TA Center for Independent Living Presents…
Intergenerational Peer Support

With Kelsey Bell, Dominique Dunford, and Tyler Morris

May 17, 2023

Live captioning by Ai-Media

JENNY SICHEL:
Hello everybody, we are going to give it a minute or so just to let people come into the background. We will give it another 10 seconds or so because it looks like the attendee field is still populating and then we will get started. OK, it looks like we are leveling out a little bit so let's get started.

Hello everyone, my name is Jenny Sichel I am the operations director at the national Council of Independent living and I helped coordinate logistics for these events. I want to welcome you all to our latest webinar on intergenerational peer support. Today's presentation is brought to you by the administration for community living at the Department of Health and human services in conjunction with the IL-NET. The IL-NET is operated by ILRU in collaboration with nickel, April and the University of Montana. Giving you a brief on myself, my pronouns are she/her and I am a white female with brown hair that is currently pulled into a braid that is coming down the side of my shoulder.

I am wearing a peach orange, red top and I am super excited to be here (Laughs)! So now for a few housekeeping details. Captions are available on this webinar. You can click "show subtitle" in your zoom menu to turn them on. We also have captions running at AI media. The URL is too long to read but we will share it in the chat box.

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We ask that if you are speaking the question you limit the question to no more than 30 seconds. We also ask that you complete our evaluation, these evaluations we take so seriously. We use all of the information that you guys provide for future training. Nearing the end of the session and a couple of times throughout the session we'll put the evaluation link in the chat box. Evaluation will also open after the webinar closes.

We would be very grateful if you could take a couple of minutes out of your day to complete the evaluation. It really does honestly help us. So, I am going to give you a little brief on what you will learn today.

So we are hoping that you'll be able to describe what intergenerational peer support is and take away some effective techniques to practice it. You will understand the value of intergenerational peer support. You will understand some of the challenges that Centers for Independent Living can encounter and solve in implanting intergenerational peer support. And you will describe some best practices to connect with others in independent living outside of specific events like conferences or webinars regarding this age.

I am excited to introduce you to our panelists today. We have Kelsey Bell who is Executive Director at the Southwest Center for Independence, in Durango, Colorado. We have Tyler Morris who is Executive Director at the CIL Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida. And we have Dominique Dunford was also an executive to render at district Executive Director at ENDependence Center Northern Virginia.

Kelsey, could you give us a quick intro of yourself and a little bio.

KELSEY BELL:
Hello everybody my name is Kelsey Bell, my parents are she/her/hers. A visual description, I have speckled pink eyeglasses and short curly hair. Behind me I have a couple hanging pictures of mountain landscape. I am the executive director at Southwest Center for Independence Bay set of direct go all Colorado-- Durando, Colorado. I have been in this position for a little bit over a year and working in our sector for a little bit over 4 years.

JENNY SICHEL:
Great, thank you so much Kelsey. Tyler, you want to pop in?

TYLER MORRIS:
Hi, thanks Jenny. It is good to see all of these participants today in our session. I am excited to talk a little bit more later on. My name is Tyler Morris I am the executive director for CIL Jacksonville, my pronouns are he him, I am wearing a blue striped shirt I have a brown hair and a beard. Sitting in my home office realizing that my light is in the camera so I will just that after we are done. I have been at my Centers for Independent Living for 16 years. I've been executive director for a little over 6 now. I'm excited again to talk to you all.

JENNY SICHEL:
Thanks Tyler. Last but not least, rounding us out Dominique, can you give a brief hello.

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
Sure, my name is Dominique from the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia. We are 2 miles from Washington DC. My pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a black woman in her 40s. I have big brown hair with blonde tips, kind of curly. I am wearing a green shirt. I am in my office. You can see behind me a white bookcase and a printer.

Our center has staff of 20 people. We stand for generations, and that is about 60+ years of difference.

JENNY SICHEL:
Great, love it. OK so we are going to dive right in. And get started with our questions now that you know a little bit about our panelists. So for our first question, Tyler let's have you start it off. How would you define intergenerational peer support?


TYLER MORRIS:
Yes, I can answer that. Happy to start us off. I would define intergenerational peer support as a trusted connection between ages. Trying not to use the same words in the definition. Having that trusted connection between age groups. I think when we define it is also important to think about what it is not.

I see peer support having a higher degree of assistance, mutual assistance back and forth. Rather than maybe a mentor/mentee relationship. In the support I would say it is something that is reciprocated back and forth between the peers. And in this conversation for today between age generations.

JENNY SICHEL:
I love that. So let's go to Dominique, do you want to pop in and give us kind of your view? On this. Dominique mac sure,

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
I was talking to some of my colleagues on this to think about how we would define intergenerational peer support. I ended up with that intergenerational peer support at our CIL looks like cultural competency. We do a lot of work talking about cultural competence with regard to racial and ethnic and gender. A long spectrum of identities, that age is also included in one of those identities.

It is a cultural, social construct. If you don't mind, I'm going to give you a definition of cultural competency. I looked it up so it means it is being aware of your own cultural beliefs and values and how these may be different from other cultures. Including being able to learn about, and honor the different cultures of those that you work with. I think that captures the work that we are doing even amongst intergenerational work.

So in an organization 5 essential elements or a few essential elements of cultural competency include valuing diversity, having the capacity for cultural self assessment, being conscious of the dynamics inherent when cultures interact. And having institutional cultural knowledge. So an organization developing that.

JENNY SICHEL:
I love that, and I think it definitely does play into intergenerational peer support. Because it is those kind of differences being brought together in a way. So I like that, I like that definition. Kelsey, can you give us a little insight into your thoughts on this.

KELSEY BELL:
Definitely. I think Tyler and Dominique really summed it up what intergenerational peer support is. I really liked what Tyler said. It goes both ways, it is not quite the same as a mentorship. It goes both ways were across generations everybody is able to share their thoughts and ideas with each other and learn from one another. Having that trust is a really big key component of it to. People feel that they can share their perspectives or ask questions and not feel like they are going to be judged or not taken seriously.

That they can have those trusted relationships with peers across generations. In our organization at our Centers for Independent Living, we have a pretty broad spectrum of different generations. Some who have worked in independent living for a long time, some who are newer to independent living.

Being able to share all of the knowledge, and wisdom, and ask questions and not feel judged. Because maybe somebody's knew to independent living and they are just digging into it. They need people they can rely on to ask those questions and have these kind of conversations with.

JENNY SICHEL:
I think you just brought up a really good point. I'm going to sort of digress a little bit from the question. You mentioned about the amount of time spent in independent living. I think that can be intergenerational for a lack of a better way to say. As Wells intergenerational age. Dominique, I am actually going to call you up a little bit and see if you want to chat a little bit about that topic maybe?

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
Sure I want to make sure I'm clear that the question is round time in IL?

JENNY SICHEL:
Yes how that plays into intergenerational peer support.

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
I can give my own personal spirits, that is that I have been in ED, EC MD for a little bit over a year. Before that I was on the board of EC MV and before that I volunteered because one of my what Max has been a part of the aisle movement for a very long time. Although I volunteer with ECMV and was on the board for some time I did not identify as a person with a disability really until the time I came into the organization.

That means that I was also disconnected in some ways from the IL movement, did not understand everything. And then here I have gone into being part of leading an organization. So, I realized at that point. One of the folks in our organization is a founding member of ECMV even though I had ideas about vision and heard that from folks that have been in the organization and outside of the organization, I recognized that one of the jobs that I had was to come in and ask questions and to learn from that person. I did that to understand why we did the things we did and why viewpoints were that way, but I also recognize there was a level of deference that I needed to offer to her, Doris, for being here for so long. When folks in the community.

JENNY SICHEL:
Hold on one second, Dominique. Hold on. I think we just€¦ We just lost the spotlight on one of our ASL interpreters. I think we are good to go now! Go ahead. Sorry about that.

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
Oftentimes when I would meet other folks that were a part of the organization at some point in time they would say, "oh, I do not think Doris will mind me saying this. But Doris is the institution." So I knew I needed to go to Doris and lean on her for her expertise and she is always willing to offer that. I found myself sometimes attempting to take on a task and I did not ask Doris about it and I thought, gosh, that was foolhardy of me to think I should take this on.

So, for us the experiences that she offers her tutelage. But in the same vein, Doris and others do ask other folks also for their opinions and their insight because a lot of it guides what we do in the organization because we have some different and distance from other generations. It is valuable for us.

JENNY SICHEL:
I love that perspective and you mentioned it in our prep call and I wanted it to be brought up. Around this question. Thank you so much for that, Dominique. OK, let's move on to the next question then for our panelists. Why do we need this? Why do you feel, as panelists, that we need to practice intergenerational peer support? I just want to remind everybody watching that these are the views of our three panelists. They do not necessarily encompass all views of everybody, but we hope that our panelists today can give you some sort of, something to take back with you. Some knowledge base to take back with you even if it is just a small tidbit of what everybody thinks. Just wanted to put that out there to for everybody. So who would like to answer this question first? Let's have Kelsey come on it.

KELSEY BELL:
So why do we need to practice intergenerational peer support? From my perspective, I joined our CIL when I was fresh out of college. I was 22. And I had always been disabled my whole life but until I was in college, I did not really actually identify as disabled even though I always had been. And then when I found this community at our CIL and found other people who were disabled and had lived very similar experiences to me, it was a very eye-opening experience that I am sure many people can relate to.

At the same time, being somebody who is young coming into independent living for the first time, can be a difficult space especially if you come in not knowing all of the background, all of the, the history and the context of the center and the community. All of these things. And if we want independent living to thrive, as a movement, as a field people want to go into, we have to empower people who are just stepping into it for the first time with that knowledge and feeling welcomed and feeling like you are welcome here and you bring a valuable perspective to the table no matter who you are, no matter if you just found out about IL yesterday.

I think that is the only way for us to continue having a really powerful community of people who really believe in independent living and want to practice it in their everyday life professionally, personally. It is really so important. We do not want a culture where people who are fresh faces do not feel like, oh, this is too large of a barrier for me to feel welcome here and to feel like I understand everything.

And just one little tidbit of something we have started doing at our center, is in staff meetings doing highlights of important figures in the disability rights movement and in IL and spotlighting, "who knows who this is?" It is OK if you do not, it is totally OK if you do not. Let's talk about who this is and why what they did for IL and the disability rights movement is so important. The hope there is to empower people so that learning the context, owning history and feeling welcome does not feel like this insurmountable barrier.

JENNY SICHEL:
Very well said. Dominique.

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
I want to add to one thing that Kelsey said that I think is important and that is about empowering people. Especially those that may have just found out about the IL movement. I think it is important for us to remember that it is not just younger folks that have just found out about the IL movement. They are also in all generations. We think about who has not been at the table. I will speak specifically about in our neighborhoods. There are a lot of folks that are coming from outside of the country that are immigrants that do not identify as a person with a disability. They do not have a diagnosis. For many different reasons they do not identify as a person with a disability.

I think that we are finding that if you did not identify as a person with a disability, maybe 10 or 20+ years ago you may not have been included. That happens across all generations. So to be able to empower people, we have to make sure that we are speaking to everybody and all of the generations to make sure that we are getting everybody that was not previously at the table and I am sure that is not just for younger folks, there are a lot of identities. It is certainly not just racial, but folks in the LGBTQ+ plus and folks that have not been included that should be.

JENNY SICHEL:
Great, thank you. Tyler, you want to add anything into that? Hold on one second. I have got to spotlight you. All of the spotlight. Go for it!

TYLER MORRIS:
OK, thanks, Jenny. I think they hit the nail on the head when it came to their answers. I see the practice of peer support in general as plugging in to our sources. Right? Like, you have really great access to information on things that, well, we tried this and this is why it did not work but with your new approach this might work. So you get some really great information. I think we have a responsibility to the movement to commit to that, you know, you hear it often. Torch being passed along, but also keeping it lit and adding some gas to it to. We need it. Having the respect of those who came before us, understanding that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves and that we are here for a limited amount of time that we can contribute what we can while we are there. I think it is really important. I think of when I joined, as Executive Director, I said I had been with my CIL for 16 years. Now I am at the intersection of disability and LGBT and one of the things I have love so much about IL is that you belong. You are welcome here.

So I think that is really important as we are talking about different aged generations in different minority groups within that we continue to provide that access for people to know that they are welcome at the table and they are heard and valued as well. Different religions, ages, whatever it may be. I think about joining, like I said, and I think if I had people on speed dial, everybody can probably think of those five people as something I need to, you know, bounce this off of someone. Who is the power source that you plug into? I knew the lay of the land when it came to CILs but there is a lot more when you get to a different level of management that you are responsible for.

So I am really lucky to be in a great state where we have excellent directors and a great network and Liz Howell was on my speed dial. She is the director in Orlando, decades and decades of experience. I made it intentional to connect to those power sources and create those, not just in a mentor way, but also in a collaborative space, too.

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
So, I would just say as Kelsey and Tyler then, what we have spoken about, we did not name it. But that is also really succession planning. Is that how you think of it? Having connections with folks who have been in the movement, in our organizations for you know, 20+ years. Then being on our speed dial, teaching us our history, and then also doing the folks -- doing the same for folks who are coming in. It is a format of succession planning.

JENNY SICHEL:
I could definitely see that. And I absolutely think that all of your points are so relevant to it and, Tyler, the one you mentioned about IL really being open to everyone just hit home with me a little bit.

TYLER MORRIS:
Yeah, we are really lucky to be part of something this big. Right? Like I said, I think we have that obligation to plug-in and create that network and structure it and infrastructure it out as much as we possibly can. On the personal side, peer support, good relationships, are healthy. They are healthy for longevity and I am probably preaching to the choir here, but being intentional with those relationships, investing them just like you might go to the gym or talk to a counselor or therapist. Investing in good relationships has helped positive health implications as well.

JENNY SICHEL:
All extremely good reasons why we need to practice this intergenerational peer support. So let's move on to the next question, just so we keep it kind of going. The next question is, how do you connect with others in the movement who are outside of your generation when not at a conference or other events? How do you facilitate mutual respect and develop authentic relationships among a group of individuals from diverse cultures, experience levels and ages? And maybe let's have Tyler and Kelsey hop on and you can chat a little bit about this and then Dominique, you can come in in a little bit too

TYLER MORRIS:
Kelsey, would you like to lead?

KELSEY BELL:
Sure. I think there are so many ways to connect in the movement. Outside of conferences, webinars, those types of events. But I think it is hard to know where to start, especially after the last three years with the pandemic and things have been a lot more sideload in a lot of ways. Maybe people have not had as many opportunities to meet other people and make those connections. One thing that really comes to my mind is I am very fortunate in Colorado. We have a really strong association in Colorado or independent living. And there are nine centers in our state and I truly feel like in our state, I could reach out to any of the other eight centers and say, "hey guys, here is something I am picking about, I have a question." Whatever it is. That is not just Executive Director to Executive Director. In our state, there has also been a lot of movement to connect other colleagues to each other across the centers. Whether that is program managers, finance managers, specific kinds of ILS. There is always more room for those collaborations, too. But if you are in a position where you are wondering how to make those connections, how do I meet other people? A big part of that is maybe you are asking people at your own center or your board members, "hey, who do you know? And who could you introduce me to?" There are so many ways to get introduced nowadays whether that is linked in, other social media, or if you live close enough to other centers for independent living, to go to events together where you have that chance locally to meet folks. Asking the folks in your circle who have those connections to, you know, healthy get introduced and as somebody who is in a leadership position at my center, making sure people are familiar with the names.
I talked about the center and their director, I designate the people that work there so our staff knows who those people are and it gives it a broader context that these are not mysterious people (Laughs).

They are people with names who are in our circles and everybody should at least know those names and be familiar with that. Tyler, what else did you have to add to that?

TYLER MORRIS:
Why do you want to connect, that why connects a lot of path forward on how to do it. I think embracing that were being comfortable with uncomfortable is really important too. Putting yourself out there, you feel very vulnerable when you do that.

Thinking about it, the worst response might be "no, I cannot go with you to the event that Kelsey invited me to." Right? But you have to work up to the point where you are comfortable asking and putting yourself out there. If you see someone at an event and walk up to them, introduce yourself. That can feel really weird. Especially like Kelsey was saying with the silos of coming out of the pandemic.

I will never forget the first meeting I took in person. I swept through my shirt. I was so nervous about interacting-- sweat through my shirt. I was so nervous interacting with someone but I had to be intentional put myself back in the game.

Knowing that weird "this feels a little awkward" everyone feels it. Whether they presented or not. It gets better with time. Maybe not walking up to someone but maybe that LinkedIn message that Kelsey was talking about. Maybe it's a "hey, I saw you at in IL event". And I think once you make that relationship keep tending to it. Show up when you say you are going to show. That helps build that trust and that respect. So, there is my answer.

I don't know, Dominique are you still on, any thoughts that?

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
I do not have anything to add, I think you all did a good job.

JENNY SICHEL:
Yeah, I thought that was amazing. Let's keep the show going, you know. Let's move on to our next question which is what are some positive values or outcomes that you have seen with your practice of intergenerational peer support? Dominique, since you did not really get a chance to answer for the last question, do you want to hop on first for this one?

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
Sure, so positive values and outcomes from practicing intergenerational support. I think, I really have an example that I think captures this regarding a meeting that we had it not too long ago probably within the last 3 months. It was really between 2 colleagues a couple of us. We were sitting at the table and talking about viewpoints on disability. I cannot get very specific because I do not remember exactly what the conversation was.

One person shared their viewpoints and then another followed. They used words like "but I have this perspective". "Well, I see what you mean but¦" Emily said "hang on a 2nd, let's pause and change the language that we are using". Instead of using but Orwell why don't we use and. So someone said "I see it this way". In the next person said and "what you may not have known is this." What happened was it was a validating expense.

Neither was over the other but acknowledging that they both exist. I think that was really helpful because one person was newer to the organization, new to IL work. The other person has been doing IL work for a pretty good amount of time. What happened was that could've been a very antagonistic relationship continuing on. Both feeling as if they were not heard or don't have the right context. Don't have respect.

However, following that one of them, then newer person ended up doing an interview with a lot of people inside of the organization and found out a lot of interesting things about challenges that we have. And the 2 kind of developed some framework for what we are doing an organization now. I think it really put a lot of mutual respect. Agreeing that both of these 2 viewpoints can be held at the same time.

JENNY SICHEL:
Tyler, Kelsey do you guys want to pop in?

TYLER MORRIS:
I will add that I highly value input from folks with lived experience. So if it is being of a different age, or religious belief. I will even call friends that might watch a different news channel and me and say "what is your interpretation of this?" I think that allows for really great space and environment to create opportunity with informed decision-making, right?

Those power sources and inputs that you get. Those trusted connections. When you get that channel created, you have a really great opportunity to build yourself and professionally as well. So I have seen that informed decision-making, collaboration between or within the agency, outside of those have been really great.

A lot of our staff have gone into leadership roles on different boards whether it is AAA or continue to cater or mirrors disability counsel events. We have been intentional to support those initiatives. That has brought back a lot of great things to the agency as well because of those channels that we have invested in across generations, across different groups.

I think that is important for us to have good resource.

JENNY SICHEL:
Kelsey, do you want to add anything or kind of give an example of a positive outcome that you may have experience?

KELSEY BELL:
I think what strikes me with this question is sort of something that Tyler referred to on one of the earlier questions which is everybody has a couple of people on speed dial that you trust that you can call when something comes up or whatever. Not everybody does have that though (Laughs). Not everybody does, for me over the last year and change after I became Executive Director it was like I know who to turn to before was an executive director for questions and advice.

Then I became Executive Director and there was new situations, new questions, new challenges I had never had before. Cultivating who are those people on speed dial that I know I can call or that I can email and just say "hey, I need your input" or "hey, can I bounce this idea off of you." Making those connections is not always that easy. It can take time to continue to cultivate those and make sure it is a two-way street. Those people on your speed dial, maybe you are also on their speed dial.

I think not everybody does have that, and it does take time to figure out who can I rely on, who can I ask those questions of. Maybe that is even if you are new at your center. Do you have coworkers and colleagues in your own center that you could talk to or you could drop by their office and say "hey, I have this topic I want to run by you" I do not have a lot of specific examples.

I can say it did take me time to figure out who are those people on my speed dial, and I have enough. And I hope to have more as I meet more people across all kinds of centers all across the country. It is really valuable to have various relationships and have those people that you know you can trust and hopefully they trust you as well and value your input and insight.

JENNY SICHEL:
Kelsey I'm going to have you stay on because I have a follow-up question to that. You and Tyler both mentioned actually that you worked at your CIL prior to going into the executive director role. Can you and then maybe Tyler talk a little bit about what that was like and forming those relationships with people? I have heard a lot about the executive director role but I know that a lot of people on this call are not necessarily executive directors.

Maybe you guys could discuss a little bit about that and what that was like. As may be either a younger person or an older person. I am looking for new relationships.

KELSEY BELL:
That is a great question Jenny, for me when I started out as a independent living specialists the most valuable thing that happened for me personally for my career was getting the opportunity to go to state conferences or national conferences like nickel and getting to meet those people. I know it is not something that is in the budget for every center to send everybody to those kinds of events every year. But if it is something were especially the last few years with the pandemic you have a lot of these opportunities. It is something that is definitely worth asking her manager about.

Or some of your other coworkers about and saying "hey, are there any opportunities or conferences?" Do we have in the budget, and if not for this year is it something we could have a goal around. Are there any local, nonprofit type of retreats or networking kind of events? I think for me going to (unknown term) meetings and going to nickel. The first year that I started at my center were honestly some of the biggest helps for me making those connections to other people doing IL work.

It is something I have talked with my staff. Especially ones who started in the last couple of years during pandemic times. Here is some opportunities where you can meet some colleagues at other CILs or other organizations doing disability related work in our community. It can be hard to make those connections if you are not sure how or where but I can almost guarantee you there is somebody at your CIL, if not multiple people who if you say "this is a goal of mine I really want to meet." Mother called to do I'll work or do transitions they will have some ideas of how you can get connected.

JENNY SICHEL:
...

TYLER MORRIS:
I had everything booked and unfortunately got COVID right before. And was unable to travel. That is something that fills my well. So, I agree that those conferences, the topics are great and if you are approving it is that turn -- return on investment sending to conferences, seeing who is interested, putting it out there. This conference is available. If you are interested and maybe why you are interested. I think there is a responsibility with leadership to invest in those opportunities at all different levels of the organization. And because I have seen huge returns on sending someone to NCIL or April conference or even our local state conferences. Big return. They come back charged and ready to go, refilling that well. I think that is really important and not forgetting that now that you had that opportunity, you have the obligation to make sure that other wells are full.

I like if there is someone from our team that comes up and says, "who do you think might be a critical partner for what I am taking about?" Or, "I have been asked to serve on this board". Those conversations and creating that open gate of allowing your team to know that you support the investments of this type of collaboration. It brings some good returns, too. A lot of good conversations, but yes to conferences. Yes to networking. All of those were really critical for me.

JENNY SICHEL:
I think that is such an important topic because especially with intergenerational peer support it can be challenging to create those relationships over zoom. Or over the phone. And so I think any sort of in person event that you can get to is always extremely helpful with building relationships, thing networks, -- building networks and really interacting with our community. We are going to go on to the next question now.

This is about challenges. What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced while practicing intergenerational peer support? And let's have Dominique, do you want to hop on?

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
Sure. I have some notes about this one. A few more definitions that I will share with you that I think are important to consider. You know, that we bump up against with the challenges. That, again, also connects back to the culture and the competency piece and that is recognizing that the generations have social constructs, identities, that are inherent within those groups.

And so, first I think baby boomers are described as being fiercely competitive. That is because they had to compete for their first jobs, or their promotions, and that they may protect their turf and expect younger generations to do the same. And I think it is important for us to validate their experience and recognize the time in which they were achieving their careers and ascension. And Gen X is the first generation to emerge from school with tech skills. They benefited from a decade-long economic boom that kept hiring them, and they in turn were seen as a highly valuable commodity. Which put a lot of pressure on them in the workplace. So that this generation also is starting to begin to value work life balance. I am not just a commodity in the workplace. In ways you can get workplace balance is giving me flexible hours and a casual Friday.

They may also be skeptical to some degree because they have been inundated with commercials and TV and a lot of political and corporate issues going on. I am Jen asked. -- Gen X. I also identify with issues around assimilation thinking that is what I do when I enter an organization. The cohesive culture that is part of assimilation. Especially because I come from a corporate environment, that is important. I need to be a team player, I always need to be learning. That is something that comes, again, with being Gen X. And then thinking about someone who is younger than me. I kind of covered millennial as well but Millennials carry the stereotype of an entitled generation. But maybe that entitled generation stereotype really comes from a group that had to be survivors.

This group experienced three recessions in their lifetime. They are optimistic but they are also looking for really meaningful work because work can be brutal. I think it is important for us to remember in the organization also that we have to give folks in the space, Millennials, it is important for them to be (indiscernible) in the work. That is important for us in the community. How do we create connection for making work meaningful?

Gen Z is creating a very new work world. They are arriving with a lot of technology, very rapid, they have grown up in a social media era. How do we tap into Gen Z and that Gen Z also offers us an opportunity to be effective and efficient in a global and really social environment. That they essentially are going to be leading the way.

In our workplace it means that the work also needs to be customizable. Not only their job duties but also their schedules. Recently we were having this conversation where one person was saying that they did not really feel like folks are really connected here in the organization. I think a lot of us are having these conversations and we heard about 'silent quitting'. I am going to show up, do the work I am response will for doing. You are not my family at work. I come here to get a job done, and we need to respect that. Actually, that attitude is creating some boundaries for people to not work 40, 50, 60 hour work weeks. That is creating health for some folks especially right after coming out of the pandemic.

It is also the democratization of a lot of systems is really good for our disability and social justice area. Again, understanding some of the cultural differences and context and not thinking of it in an antagonistic way. Entitlement, wanting to much customization in the workplace, but that it helps us grow out organizations.

JENNY SICHEL:
Great, thank you, Dominic. Tyler, do you want to go up next?

TYLER MORRIS:
I will just take the time to let what Dominique said to everyone resonate. Because it was very well said. So I have nothing to add.

JENNY SICHEL:
Love it. Love it. Kelsey, do you want to chime in on anything of that?

KELSEY BELL:
I really love how Dominique some that up. That was really accurate. What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced or practicing this? Something that strikes me is that different generations have different views on what disability means culturally and for themselves. Making room to have those conversations I think is really important. In your center or in your state associations, whatever it may be.

I myself am sort of part of this post ADA generation. For those who are not familiar with that terminology, it is the generation that was born after the passage of the Americans with disabilities act. In some ways the world is not much different post ADA but in some ways it is different. Culturally, ideas around disabilities have shifted so much and even in just the last few years with the pandemic, with certain social media platforms like TikTok ideas around disability as a culture has changed. I think having space for those conversations across generations and different perspectives is really important. You can hear how other people feel, you can hear how they identify themselves and their disabilities. And have that space to talk about what does disability mean to me? What does it mean to you? Why do people feel that way?

That is something that is really quite nuanced and might not come up all the time by any means. But I think it is something to give space to. I think even in our center, there are very different beliefs and values around how people describe their own disability and describe disability and the experience. So much of that has to do with when they were raised, how they were raised, what their backgrounds are. I think if you do not give space for everybody to have those various perspectives, it can lead people to feel isolated. "Only I feel this way about disability and what it means for me as a disabled person." As independent living centers, holding space for that is very, very important.

JENNY SICHEL:
I do not want this panel to end, you guys. Everything that you are saying is so on point. From my perspective. And interesting! I hear that.

So, we will go on to our last major question here. How and where do you start? What are some tips that you can give to someone who does not actively practice intergenerational peer support? And I will let whoever wants to pop on first pop on first for this one. And if you do not pop on I am going to call on you, so.

TYLER MORRIS:
Alright, I will join.

JENNY SICHEL:
You were the one I was going to pick on, Tyler. (Laughs).

TYLER MORRIS:
So, like I said, it is not like a mentor relationship it is more like peer support. I think opening the door from both sides I think if that works out. So you have to obviously€¦ I think we have to. As the IL network, create the spaces for those doors to know where to knock. And for people to be connected. If I were looking at having some intergenerational peer support asking the question of 'why'? We know benefits creates opportunity for folks and a perspective check. Two things that you might be confident as a millennial, which I am. But have that responsibility and self-awareness to take the time to listen to different inputs. And create those channels. So asking yourself why, knowing where to get connected to those different, if not at your office, between other CILs. Or other nonprofit agencies. We have a great nonprofit center here in Jacksonville for Northeast Florida and they create for people to network like Kelsey was saying. Across departments.
We wait before the pandemic crated core connections. It was changing very quickly. Many hands make light of work. We had different inputs from different CILs. Our finance director younger, and then we had some very senior finance directors that were looking at some different fundings. So that intergenerational support happened because we were intentional in making those connections.

I would say be intentional with the connections for yourself, getting comfortable with a little bit of awkward maybe introducing yourself on LinkedIn or at a conference. But also for the folks that have been in IL for a while. Making sure that those doors are open. And that we are investing in that next generation.

JENNY SICHEL:
Thank you Tyler. Just before Kelsey or Dominique goes I want to remind people go ahead and put in your questions if you have any into the Q&A box. You can hit star 9 to raise your hand if you are using a touchscreen phone or you can also email me at Jenin NCIL.OR J. I will also put a link to the evaluation in the chat right now and we will put a link in the end as well. So Kelsey or Dominique do you guys have any perspective on how or where you start?

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
A few tips for folks that are not actively practicing intergenerational peer support is maybe to be gentle with yourself but to remember that we all have strengths that we fall onto navigate unfamiliar territory. It is comfortable for us to talk with people that look like us, semi-cuss, have similar experiences.

That is because we have narratives around different cultures, different age groups that serve and support goes. So we have to continue to challenge those scripts and be mindful of when we are operating, also when we are judging others against those scripts.

We can find a lot of strange indifference. I think all 3 of us have demonstrated that today. It has been an advantage on a success for us in our organizations. That human flourishing occurs when we acknowledge that difference because people are seeing it. We know that in the disability movement very well, that when we see people that change happens and folks light up and that it is needed. It is necessary.

From an organization perspective I think it is important for us to acknowledge this difference. Don't in our organizations pretend that this generational difference does not exist. That inequality can happen often because it perpetuates systems of neutrality. But there is no difference amongst generations. A lot of times, we (indiscernible) because of treating everybody the same. As if their perspective and experience is (indiscernible). I think that would be a failure.

JENNY SICHEL:
Thanks Dominique. Kelsey, anything to add into that?

KELSEY BELL:
I really like what Dominique said about being gentle with yourself. Giving yourself some grace. If you are listening to this webinar and thinking to yourself "maybe I am not doing much intergenerational peer support in my day today." Maybe most of the staff and volunteers at your center are at a similar age or close generations and not very representative across multiple generations.

Like Dominique said, it is very normal for people to socialize and be around people who act like them, think like them, view things like them, look like them. So, maybe if you are thinking to yourself for example that we don't really have a broad representation in our center across generations. Well, why is that?

Sid have to do with where you are advertising when you have open positions? It might be something really that simple. Are we not advertising to a younger generation of Gen Z, do we not have a workplace that is attractive and of value to a younger generation? Or maybe on the opposite end, are we not advertising or doing things to attract people of the older generations 2. I think sort of taking that self-evaluation of our you getting that intergenerational peer support? Are you giving that intergenerational peer support?

If not, what are some of the particular reasons as to why that is not happening and where can you start. I think a lot of the times where you can start is some pretty easy steps and really the first step there is figuring out where can we do better. Or where we are not really doing that right now and why is that.

JENNY SICHEL:
Love it, thank you to the 3 of you for answering my questions so candidly too. We have one question in the Q&A right now they want to throw out to the group. Oh we have a question in the chat to. Oh, there we go. Let's read the question from the chat first and then we will go into the Q&A.

How do you find groups that will help you grow in your position that are not necessarily in the same role as you are? Is that even acceptable?

Tyler I'm going to call you for this one.

TYLER MORRIS:
What I was thinking about this topic I was thinking of someone who is probably 30 years my senior. I went from a part-time position at my CIL to a full-time position I took on some marketing responsibility. At the time Photoshop was coming out and everything like that so I had a friend who made an introduction to the American advertising Federation which is a trade association. These people were creating websites and billboards and all of this stuff.

And I am like I just need to know how to put out a newsletter, right? I think that getting that correction led to someone who is 30 years my senior asking me to serve as the membership chair for the local charter. And I said sure why not. That developed into a really cool opportunity.

She had been in her role at the fairgrounds for I think 40 years. Such rich background and expense. She knew who was who in the area, and made introductions willingly and freely. That evolved into the 4th district taking on Centers for Independent Living. So it was stopping to find out what in my job what I like to learn more of or need to learn more of. Connect to somebody that can provide me of his resources Where can I resources that can teach me. I do think that that is appropriate to make those requests across and outside of maybe the IL-NET work.

That resource development is so important for things that sustain yourself. As wells to develop your professional goals. Thank you for asking that.

JENNY SICHEL:
Thank you to our audience for asking that. Kelsey, you want to chime in on that?

KELSEY BELL:
Yes, I actually really love that question. I love it so is it acceptable to you know talk about, make connections or figuring out how to grow maybe. Not necessarily making connections with people that have the same goal as you, yeah. I think being honest with yourself and honest with your managers in your CIL is really important. If you've been at your CIL for a couple of years and let's say you are in an adamant role or a support role or an independent living role. Whatever that might be and you really do feel like I want something that is a step up, I want to be a manager or coordinator.

Whatever that step up looks like, I think being honest with yourself and honest with the people in your agency who had the ability to open those doors is important. This could honestly be a difference in generation and how I view it. For me, far before I was Executive Director I was very open with my boss, our former executive director with everybody else in the agency before I was a program manager.

I was very open like "I want to be program manager, and here is why" or want to be Executive Director and here's why. And asking for those resources. Is that always going to be well received, maybe not. You cannot assume that that is going to be well received but sometimes it will be. And if it is not going to be well received within your own agency for whatever reason, you can find groups outside of your agency.

I don't know what is available in every community but it is worth doing a search online. For example, in our community there is something called Young professionals of Durango. Or something called leadership of (unknown term) County. Those are groups of young professionals or leaders or people who want to be leaders in our community who get together for networking type events on a monthly basis.

Your local Chamber of Commerce might be another way to make those connections. Defined people even outside of your center who may be have had that kind of career growth and can give you some guidance and advice and tips.

I think still being honest with yourself and honest as in these are my goals. I love working here, I like being an admin assistant or I like being independent living specialist but I really do see myself being able to be X, Y, and Z. Whatever that is for you.

I think again that might be a very generational difference for me, as someone who is Gen Z. Of really claiming that for yourself and letting people know that that is where you want to see your career growth. Nobody is going to help you open those doors if they don't know they are doors that you want open.

JENNY SICHEL:
I so relate to you on that Kelsey. May or may not have done exactly the same thing. It could be a generational thing, I am not sure. I am a millennial but yeah, who knows. I fully agree with you on that though. So we do have one question from our audience for you 3. In less Dominique, do you want to chime in on any of that?

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
I will give just one tip that I have. Mostly in my corporate work before I came to nonprofit in this center. I would say to anybody, and I will still say it as an ED that hopes nobody ever leaves the organization. Is it exact about to do that, to reach out to others. I think it is necessary. I think you owe it to yourself and now you're getting it from somebody who is a Jen asked. I think it is essential for your career that you create those connections for yourself. For all different types of reasons folks find themselves stagnant in their positions. Having people that can model different opportunities, different ways of working, in letting you see opportunities for growth is really, really important.

Since I have been at ECMV I use the traditional methods like nickel and ILRU. Then they send me to 3 other people that have done what I'm hoping to do. Also, if I like somebody's personality I am thinking "what is it about this personality that I really love" that also helps give some indication about what types of work and what styles will allow you to flourish. You have got to-- Reach Out. Sometimes you do not get the support from others, but you have to find a way to do it.

JENNY SICHEL:
Great. Thank you for chiming in there, Dominique. I did not mean to push you aside. I did want to hear from you, so thank you there. Now we are going to move onto the Q and A. I just want to remind everybody to make sure to fill out the evaluations. We have posted the English evaluation link and the Spanish evaluation link in the chat. We will have a slide following as well.

We do have one question in the Q&A box right now for you three. I think it might be a little bit of a challenging question. But I want to remind everybody, this is from your perspective. This is from our panelists perspective, they do not necessarily speak for everyone when they answer this question. So can you guys maybe give examples of how different generations perceive and relate to disabilities? Maybe talk a bit about how you perceive and relate to disability coming from your generation. Or what you have seen, experienced, anything like that. And I will let whoever wants to go first chime in. Go ahead, Kelsey.

KELSEY BELL:
One thing that sticks out to me with this question is, obviously again, I cannot speak for everybody. But as somebody who is part of Gen Z I think it is becoming much more common for people to self identify as having a disability or having a particular type of disability. It is becoming talked about much more that not everybody is able to get in with the right specialists, doctors, whatever it may be to get some sort of formal diagnosis but they know that they are living with a certain disability and it is becoming so much more acceptable to proudly self identify without having an official letter from a doctor or whatever that is.

I think that is much different. I think language that is used around describing disability is also really changing for people in my generation. It is very much like, we are not going to use words like special ed or special-needs, this kind of luggage. Not to say that -- this kind of language. Not to say that other generations do not share those beliefs but I think it is becoming much more common with younger generations. I think also, having that community and understanding that identifying is disabled gives you that community. Kind of like what Dominique was saying earlier, that is not just younger generations. That might be people who maybe have had a disability for a long time but have not had that opportunity or exposure to really identify previously who are just now coming to that.

I think in my generation it is becoming so much more normalized. Yes, I have ADHD. Yes, I am neuro- divergent. I have this going on. And for there to be less stigma, there is still plenty of stigma. Ableism is still alive and well in our culture, that is obviously not eradicated by any sense. But I think the attitudes around it have changed.

And I think my generation is at a point of feeling comfortable taking up that space. Not feeling like, I am disabled so I do not belong at school. I do not belong in college. I do not belong in an integrated workplace or I do not belong to have any of these opportunities. I think it is a mindset that is becoming less common and it is more common to say, I deserve to take up the space. I deserve to have the same opportunities that my nondisabled peers get to have. And just claiming that space and those opportunities for ourselves without feeling shame or feeling like we are not allowed to have that where we should not feel like we are allowed to have that. Being able to confidently claim those things for ourselves and those opportunities.

Lastly, not to ramble forever. But as somebody who is part of the post ADA generation, I know that the Americans with disabilities act was a humongous, groundbreaking piece of legislation when it was passed in 1990. It still has not come to fruition. There are so many places in our country where the ADA is not being followed by many businesses. And other entities that are required to. And I think that attitudes towards, come on now. It has been over three years -- 30 years. Not only is it the bare minimum, we need to do more. Attitudes around, that is nice and it is great but we need more than that and we deserve more than that. It is a different attitude.

JENNY SICHEL:
Dominique or Tyler, do you want to add anything to that?

DOMINIQUE DUNFORD:
I think one thing I see that is interesting is looking at conversations that my colleagues are having with some young folks that are transition age for interim -- interest. When they do not have autonomy and have not yet for themselves define their identity but still have their parents being very much part of that. The language that parents are using now is changing. It may not be special needs but it is differing abilities. That is really popular. To me that is saying that everybody is a little bit different and that makes you not different. And we get a lot of, we have a lot of interactions with young folks that say, "I do not have a disability. I do not want to, self disabled." -- Call myself disabled.

I do not see the disability pride that we often refer back to that is something that a lot of young folks have to be introduced to, there is a different narrative going on in the home. With good intention I believe, and with the idea of protecting, you know, kids and making sure there is integration there. But it is also harmful I think from our perspective.

That is one difference. Another difference that we talk about often, that I talk about, is really in the black community have a generational difference is impactful. For instance, in the black community, with older folks using the term 'disability' is really loaded. Because for a long time being black meant you were disabled. It was not connected to any type of impairment. It was just because of the color of our skin.

So, you know, we have to be very careful about when we are trying to engage folks who have not been part of our CIL, and specifically the black community, if they do not use the word disability that we do not continue to use that term either because the goal is not for them to adopt our language. They can identify however they want to identify but making sure that folks have the support that they need.

We do not want to turn people off. Again, we want to acknowledge how people identify. I think that is really interesting. Even having conversations with my parents about my disability. A lot of what they go to thinking about medication. Being medicated. For them, they have a heavy skepticism because of their past and experiences around doctors medicating folks and we hear a lot about how black kids that have ADHD and similar symptoms or autism are identified as having a diagnosis or given a term that is really, really negative and harmful. If it is about their behavior and how it is poor behavior and it is not at all associated with the fact that we know what type of results those are. And what results from that.

There are differences, those are some specific experiences that I have had around differences in disability identification and generations. -- In generations.

JENNY SICHEL:
Great, thank you Dominique. Tyler, any other thoughts on that? Or any parting words for people?

TYLER MORRIS:
Speaking from a personal space, and LGBT, within the community from my experience talking about things as it relates to disability, or ADHD, depression, anxiety. Inside that community, it is very relatable. At least my age group has gone through where it was not popular. I remember when there was (indiscernible) on the TV. It is open conversation to say, you know what, I am struggling today to get out of bed. There are very open and honest conversations because we have gone through that together. I think the challenge is sometimes outside of that community has opened and I think Kelsey said it earlier. Leading with that and being proud of. And to Dominique's point, not softening that with differing or whatever the language is.

And words do matter. Whether it is someone older that has antiquated language to someone who is trying to be helpful in making everybody the same when they are not. I think it is really important to start with that language and hold people accountable to that. And keep those connections going. Those are my parting thoughts.

JENNY SICHEL:
Thanks. Dominique or Kelsey, any other parting thoughts? We have about two minutes to go. And if not, we will end on Tyler's note. Which I love.

Just a reminder, to everybody to fill out an evaluation. We have the links in the chat. The links are on your screen and they will pop up as soon as the webinar closes. Thank you so much to all of our attendees for attending and we look forward to seeing you at the next IL-NET webinar. Keep that in mind. Thank you everybody and have a lovely afternoon, evening, wherever you are. Bye!

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NCIL-IL-NET Webinar Intergenerational Peer Support (USNCIL1705B - Ai-Live Premium)

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