Self-Advocacy Workshop for Teens

**If you would like to attend this event, please contact Monica Martinez for a pre-screening session at mmartinez@xminds.org**

Location: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville, 100 Welsh Park Dr., Rockville, MD 20850

Cost: $120 for members; $150 for non-members.

Facilitators:

Monica Martinez, xMinds President, and Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates Special Education Advocate Trainee
Jamell White, Ph.D., LCSW-C, therapist with over 19 years of experience working with with children, adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum.

By the end of the workshop, your teen will have a clear understanding of his/her disability and how to describe it; will be able to identify his/her learning strengths and challenges; to name at least two accommodations on his/her IEP; provide an example of how one of these accommodations looks in an education setting; and will understand what an IEP meeting is about and how to participate in one.

Who can participate?
This workshop is open to 13 to 15-year-olds who have an autism diagnosis and attend a diploma track school program. There will be a short phone screening interview to ensure each participant can benefit from the workshop. Parents do not participate in the workshop, but must be reachable by phone.

What is required?
Participants must: (1) be aware of their diagnosis, (2) be interested in gaining a deeper understanding of their individual challenges and related IEP accommodations, and (3) be interested in advocating for themselves in classrooms and IEP meetings.

What if my child can only attend one session?
 Participants are expected to participate in both Saturday sessions to get the most benefit from the workshop. Registration will be limited to 10 participants.

This is a Workshop-style event