Special public speaking course develops self-advocates

While all of us were spending more time at home due to the pandemic, trying to find new diversions to pass the time, a group of men and women who receive services through Bay Cove’s Developmental Services division were completing a special course designed to enhance their public speaking skills and build their confidence in becoming self-advocates. The multi-week course culminated in an online presentation where the seven individuals—with the agency program staff offering feedback and encouragement—presented brief talks on a variety of different topics of their choice.

The course, led by facilitator Brad Keddal, got its start in 2018 when the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services undertook an effort to inspire people receiving services to become speakers and self-advocates. Having seen some of the initial successes in the program, Bay Cove’s MaryJo Cooper was excited to bring the concept to our agency. “We thought it was a great opportunity to offer folks in our programs an opportunity for engagement, and a chance to build their confidence.”

The seven men and women who participated in the course learned techniques to help them become more at ease as speakers, developing such proficiency that MaryJo was inspired to develop a new orientation program and handbook that some of the Public Speaking students are involved with. “Other members of the class are becoming involved in interviewing new agency staff, becoming part of a new advisory committee and advocacy program, and these folks will also be helping facilitate Core trainings for new staff,” says MaryJo. “Many of these are paid opportunities. I thought it was a great opportunity where clients could talk to staff about what it means to provide and receive services in a respectful way—you learn it better when you hear it firsthand. It felt like a great professional development opportunity for folks on both sides.”

Bay Cove client Jenn never imagined herself as a public speaker. “I’m a shy person by nature, and I tend to be nervous around new people,” she says. 

What motivated Jenn was a desire to help other people with disabilities do what she had done: become a self-advocate for their own medical care. Last year, Jenn achieved a Level 4 designation, which allows her to be fully responsible for the medications she takes. “But some people can’t do that—they need too much assistance,” she says. “I wanted to be able to help other people learn what it takes to have that kind of independence for themselves.”

Jenn says that the public speaking course taught her valuable skills (“Look people in the eye when you talk to them, and speak loudly and clearly.”) that gave her increased confidence. “I didn’t think that I could do it… but I surprised myself.”

Heidi, who’s lived at her Bay Cove residence for four years, enjoyed the course not just for the new skill she was learning, but for how she could possibly put it to use helping others. “I can be a little shy, but I’m mostly outgoing, and this class helped me get better at communicating with people and expressing myself,” she says. “And I’m looking forward to help with training the new staff, to help them get a sense of what Bay Cove is like.”

For the presentation that concluded the public speaking course, Heidi spoke about a subject near and dear to her heart: swimming. A longtime participant in the Special Olympics, and the recipient of over 100 medals, Heidi found it easy to use her new skills to discuss her favorite pastime. “I do a lot of swimming. It’s great exercise and it takes practice—it’s not easy at all. It felt good to be able to talk about something I know a lot about, and I hope it helped some people who might want to learn how.”