Cultivate Learning's Podcast Channel
Cultivate Learning's Podcast Channel
Showing Up Episode 7: Disability Justice
In this episode we connect trauma informed care principles of choice and supportive relationships to create a program environment of belonging and inclusive practices with children and families with disabilities. We chat with Naomi and Kayla from the DO-IT Program at the University of Washington and Erin Bratton-Furst from Banner University Medical Center.
Guests:
Banner - University Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ
Additional Resources:
Working Definition of Ableism - January 2022 Update
Disability Impacts All of Us Infographic | CDC
Mental Health Hotlines:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
ELO podcast Showing Up Episode 7 Disabilities
[00:00:00.00] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:00:06.11] INTERVIEWER 1: Please note that Showing Up features themes of trauma,
mental health, and resilience, which may be triggering for some. So please listen to your body's
cues, take breaks, and use self-regulation strategies. Don't hesitate to ask for help. No issue is too
big or too small.
[00:00:23.45] INTERVIEWER 2: You can always reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration or SAMHSA National Helpline at 800-662-4357 or text 988 for
support. They will be available to talk with you and connect you to local mental health resources.
[00:00:39.70] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:00:48.46] Hi, everyone. I'm Rebecca, and I use she/her pronouns.
[00:00:51.76] INTERVIEWER 1: And I'm Sophie. I also use she/her pronouns. We are both part
of the trauma-informed care team at Cultivate Learning at the University of Washington.
[00:01:00.41] Welcome to Showing Up. This is a time when we talk about trauma-informed care
practices for Expanded Learning Opportunities or ELO programs. ELO programs include
basically anywhere young people spend time outside of the school day classroom setting, like
after-school care, summer camps, and skill-based programs.
[00:01:20.50] INTERVIEWER 2: But before we get started, it's time for a pup-date.
[00:01:24.37] So I know last time we talked about Gus, my dog, and how he's been working on
some social skills. But I'm happy to report that he's made a couple of new friends.
[00:01:38.08] INTERVIEWER 1: Aah.
[00:01:38.83] INTERVIEWER 2: Yeah, there's a neighbor dog named Jelly, after grass jelly,
those who know.
[00:01:46.07] INTERVIEWER 1: Ugh.
[00:01:46.49] [LAUGHTER]
[00:01:48.19] INTERVIEWER 2: It's like a Chinese drink. But he's basically like a smaller
Monty.
[00:01:54.07] INTERVIEWER 1: Aw.
[00:01:54.76] INTERVIEWER 2: --which is really cute. But they live in the building next door.
And sometimes we take walks together. And they just adore each other, which is really cute.
Yeah.
[00:02:04.15] INTERVIEWER 1: Oh, I love a doggie best friend moment, Jelly and Gus.
[00:02:06.25] INTERVIEWER 2: I know. Uh-huh.
[00:02:07.68] INTERVIEWER 1: [LAUGHS] They need their own children's show, Rebecca.
[00:02:11.17] INTERVIEWER 2: So cute. There will just be Gus and his little poodle friends,
including Monty.
[00:02:17.04] INTERVIEWER 1: Oh.
[00:02:17.35] INTERVIEWER 2: Some handicap.
[00:02:18.34] [LAUGHTER]
[00:02:21.24] How's Monty doing?
[00:02:22.63] INTERVIEWER 1: Monty, my pup, is doing pretty good. He's actually sitting with
me while we record this episode because he believes that it is too cold outside to be running
around and barking at the garbage trucks, which is his other favorite pastime.
[00:02:36.01] INTERVIEWER 2: [LAUGHS]
[00:02:37.36] INTERVIEWER 1: But cozy blanket season is definitely here. He is not a huge
fan of the Pacific Northwest rainy weather, which I'm just taking as a great excuse to soak up all
of the puppy's snuggles.
[00:02:47.77] INTERVIEWER 2: Yeah, Oh.
[00:02:49.03] INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah.
[00:02:50.86] INTERVIEWER 2: That's so sweet.
[00:02:51.85] INTERVIEWER 1: Uh-hum.
[00:02:53.20] INTERVIEWER 2: Today, we're talking all about disability and inclusion. This is
a broad topic that means many things to different people. CDC says about one in four Americans
are actively living with a disability.
[00:03:03.40] But really, anyone can become disabled at any time. So creating a more inclusive
environment helps us create a more accessible community for all. This podcast focuses on
trauma-informed care.
[00:03:13.51] And there are many components to trauma-informed care, two of which are
creating opportunities for choice and building supportive relationships. We're going to focus on
how these trauma-informed care principles of choice and supportive relationships are especially
relevant to creating inclusive environments that are supportive of all abilities.
[00:03:32.11] INTERVIEWER 1: We're going to largely reference Talila Lewis's work on
ableism and disability justice. We also want to acknowledge Rise to Resilience's founder
McKinley--theif presentation on unlearning ableism, especially. Their work in education shaped
much of our current understanding of these topics.
[00:03:50.81] INTERVIEWER 2: We encourage you to stay curious, stay openhearted, and keep
learning. Conversations around disability are both personal and community-wide. Let's keep
growing and evolving together.
[00:04:01.48] INTERVIEWER 1: Today, we're going to talk to Naomi and Kayla from the DOIT
Program and Erin from Banner University Medical Center. We're going to jump in now with
Naomi, our youth voice guest, to hear about how the DO-IT program supported her development
as a disability advocate.
[00:04:17.95] INTERVIEWER 2: Welcome, Naomi. Can you introduce yourself, share your
pronouns, and tell us about your journey to being a disability advocate?
[00:04:25.60] NAOMI: Hello, my name is Naomi. I use she/her pronouns. And my journey with
being a disability advocate really started when I was pretty young.
[00:04:37.72] I've had disabilities all my life. So it was really quite the slope of Mount Everest in
really understanding not only my disabilities but how to interact with the world. So when I was
five, I wanted a service dog.
[00:04:56.67] And so my parents said you're a little too young. So you'll have to wait until you're
12. So I waited.
[00:05:04.40] And I waited. And on my 12th birthday, I was like, OK, I'm 12. We're going to
start the process.
[00:05:10.46] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:05:18.36] I had a stroke at birth, which-- basically, I ended up having cerebral palsy. So I
worked most of my childhood in therapy. So basically, half the day was devoted in school. Half
the day was devoted to therapy.
[00:05:37.35] And through that process, I was able to gain full rotation, mobility, and a lot of
strength throughout my right side, which is the affected side. So from there, I graduated with my
service dog. Back to the story.
[00:05:59.27] And, yeah. So I went out in public. And dogs kind of stand out.
[00:06:06.02] So I would go to the mall. I would go to restaurants. And really, I started getting
questions of why is there a dog with you? Why is there this?
[00:06:15.29] And, yeah. So you have an option to really, say, give somebody a detailed story, or
you could just say, yep, this is my service dog. They help me with things. But you don't have to
go into detail.
[00:06:30.23] But one of the things they said in teen training is once you graduate, you're really
an investor, not only to yourself but to the organization. It's up to you to uphold that. And that's
where my advocacy really started to take off.
[00:06:44.81] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:06:49.19] And then, I found DO-IT. And that was a big stepping stone as well. So that was
the journey.
[00:06:59.12] INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah, I know that DO-IT is a really unique program. Could
you tell us more about what makes DO-IT special and share about the impact that it's had on
you?
[00:07:08.44] NAOMI: DO-IT is super special to me because that's really the second stepping
stone to my advocacy. Kayla and many other mentors really encouraged me to start at advocating
for myself after coming back from DO-IT Summer Study. So if a professor asked me or my
friends asked me something related to disability, I had the knowledge and had the experience to
really start creating conversations and debates around what disabilities look like to the world,
and whether that world is in person or in the media, or whatever.
[00:07:57.94] Not only can I advocate, but I can advocate on multiple platforms. We exchange
emails. So we can contact each other if we had something that we had never encountered before.
[00:08:10.27] And we could be like, "Hey, this is a challenging thing for me. Can you help me
on this?" Or, "I just got into a resume-building workshop and I have no idea what to put on my
resume, or even recommendations or cover letters." So you can always come back to DO-IT and
ask any questions you wanted.
[00:08:34.21] INTERVIEWER 2: In our podcast, we talk a lot about the importance of these
supportive relationships. And I'm curious how these relationships at DO-IT have impacted your
sense of identity and disability. So can you tell us more about that?
[00:08:48.18] NAOMI: DO-IT was very impactful for establishing relationships that weren't just
able-bodied versus able-bodied or invisible disabilities and whatnot. It really started making me
try and understand the disability community as a whole and establishing relationships with
people who also had disabilities. Because before DO-IT, I wouldn't want to interact with
anybody in my own community. I was very on the abled-bodied side of things because nobody
really noticed that I had any disabilities.
[00:09:33.50] So I just decided to just stay in my little bubble and not say anything. After DO-IT,
though, I really started looking for ways in which I could find more people to interact with in my
community.
[00:09:49.68] INTERVIEWER 1: What advice would you give to other after-school providers,
maybe not folks who necessarily work at programs like DO-IT but people who have kids in their
program that do have disabilities, and they're looking to support kids? What advice would you
give them to support those kids in their program?
[00:10:07.74] NAOMI: It may sound simple, but just be a-- give a listening ear to those who may
be silently struggling or talking about it because sometimes talking about it is a struggle. Take
the time. It's really important to me, like taking the time to actually have a sit-down conversation.
[00:10:33.01] And you don't even have to talk about disability. Sometimes, you could just talk
about something they're passionate in. And establish a channel of communication and trust.
[00:10:46.16] And be open to hearing different sides of the story. Because if you have a conflict
in a classroom, and that person may or may not have disabilities, and then having somebody who
is able-bodied. There will be a huge difference in the way they tell the story of their conflict. And
just taking the time to understand both sides, and not pushing to out somebody in the classroom
of like, "oh, come on. You can do it. You just have dyslexia," or "you just have..." this; have
slowly be able to mentor them slowly is something that I really advocate for, and I really hope
more and more people will start getting on the same page and learning those skills.
[00:11:45.61] INTERVIEWER 1: I think those are really great key tips to take away, Naomi.
Thank you so much for just reminding us about the importance of a listening ear and taking the
time to really get to know people individually and to be conscientious too about people's privacy,
just letting them share themselves as they want to share.
[00:12:06.17] INTERVIEWER 2: Yeah, thank you so much, Naomi, for also just sharing your
story. And I love that your start into this was also dogs. And we are big fans of dogs on this.
[00:12:15.46] INTERVIEWER 1: Yes.
[00:12:16.60] NAOMI: Thank you so much for having me. I really had a great time today. So
thank you. Thank you.
[00:12:21.85] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:12:33.63] INTERVIEWER 1: All right, it is time for our Word Of The Week.
[00:12:36.78] INTERVIEWER 2: We're going to share a vocabulary word every episode to help
build shared terminology for talking about trauma-informed care practices. Today we'll share a
portion of TL's working definition of the term ableism. You can check out TL's website linked in
the show notes to see previous versions of this definition. The full definition of ableism is
continuously evolving. And this is the current one at the time of recording, which is November
2022.
[00:13:02.79] So ableism is a system of assigning value to people's bodies and minds based on
societally constructed ideas of normalcy, productivity, desirability, intelligence excellence, and
fitness. These constructed ideas are deeply rooted in systemic oppression. You do not need to
have a disability to experience ableism.
[00:13:24.07] INTERVIEWER 1: One example of the ways that we all experience ableism is
public sidewalks. So if public sidewalks do not have appropriately inclined ramps at all of the
corners or ways to get on and off the sidewalk, if you are using a mobility aid, such as a
wheelchair, or if you have low vision, getting on and off of the sidewalk, can be really
challenging in a conventional way that we think about ableism. But also, that impacts people
who are technically or societally called able-bodied. If you are a caregiver using a stroller or a
little wagon to carry kids around, you are also going to experience a hardship and experience the
disadvantage of our social ableism because we have designed public sidewalks to be
inaccessible.
[00:14:10.81] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:14:17.50] INTERVIEWER 2: The DO-IT program is based at the University of Washington
and has many different types of programs centered around empowering people with disabilities
so that they can be successful in college and careers. If you want to learn more about the DO-IT
program, you can visit us at our website @www.washington.edu/doit. And you can email us
@do-it-- D-O-I-T @uw.edu.
[00:14:53.47] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:15:03.91] INTERVIEWER 1: Our next guest is Erin Bratton Fust Erin comes with us with
some firsthand experience with navigating the health care system as a child and currently works
as a pediatric patient advocate at Banner University Medical Center. For our listeners who might
not know, pediatric just means children's healthcare.
[00:15:20.07] INTERVIEWER 1: Oh, hi, Erin. Can you introduce yourself, share your pronouns,
and tell us about your journey to patient advocacy work?
[00:15:28.49] ERIN BRATTON FIRST: So my name is Erin, and she/her. And I work at Banner
University Medical Center in Phoenix. And my journey started in working in patient advocacy.
[00:15:44.65] My medical journey started with having a brain tumor at four years old that left me
paralyzed on the right side with no speech. And so, I spent a lot of time at a local Children's
Hospital, Phoenix Children's. And just spending time there, doing my therapies, seeking
treatment, and receiving services-- and it got me into volunteering.
[00:16:15.85] And it gave me the insight of working in healthcare. I spent one summer
volunteering there in the hospital. And that forever {INAUDIBLE} me, working there. I never
left.
[00:16:33.49] And so, I am-- I have always been involved in healthcare in certain entities, from
guest services to outpatient clinics, and several roles. But my key focus has been patient
advocacy, and never forgetting the patient-centered care, and never forgetting my experience as a
patient. And I'm on several boards to improve the patient experience as it grows and evolves both
in pediatrics and adults.
[00:17:12.61] And so, we were forever seeing it grow in healthcare and making it better across
the board with every hospital and sharing our ideas.
[00:17:27.91] INTERVIEWER 2: Thank you so much for sharing your story. I think that's a
really powerful position that you're able to be in and advocate for the patients because you've
been through it. So I know you've mentioned being involved in Child Life programs, can you tell
us what Child Life is and how ELO providers and teachers might connect with them to support
children?
[00:17:47.79] ERIN: So Child's Life is-- helps patients and families cope with their diagnosis.
The main point of that service is helping within the hospital setting, but they can also help within
the transition of outpatient services within the school system and with the siblings as well.
[00:18:15.66] With my experience transitioning in the outpatient setting, my Child Life
specialist, Wendy Pauker, helped me transition into the school setting when she came to the
school and spoke to the teachers and the principal. And she spoke to the kids about my diagnosis.
And I went back in a wheelchair. --and what happened because I was four years old at the time.
And I couldn't walk, and all that.
[00:18:54.78] And that's traumatic to not only a four-year-old but other kids because one day
you're walking around climbing on all the jungle gyms and stuff, and then she's gone for an
ample amount of time. And then, you come back. And you can't do anything.
[00:19:19.85] So the Child Life specialist helps with that process, and how to relay that in a
childlike way, and help you cope with that. One particular person within the community was
Wendy Pauker. And she was actually at my wedding.
[00:19:50.51] And she was a great inspiration and the main Child Life specialist who helped me
transition into school. And it's a great profession. --and the much-needed in the community.
[00:20:12.93] INTERVIEWER 1: I remember Wendy. So for anybody who's listening to this,
that doesn't know. Erin and I grew up together.
[00:20:20.99] And I had a younger sibling that was in and out of the same hospital system Erin
was in. So I am very familiar with Child Life, and I really saw the impact that had on your life,
especially Erin. It's a really great program.
[00:20:33.68] ERIN: It is.
[00:20:34.65] INTERVIEWER 2: So, in addition to seeking out some of these resources, what
advice would you give to ELO providers who are wondering how to support those kids in their
programs that might have disabilities?
[00:20:47.08] ERIN: I think-- for the providers, I think it's education in just areas of
improvement, and just opportunities to help kids with disabilities. That's either resources or how
to keep availability, and just adaptive equipment in the schools.
[00:21:17.40] For patients and families, it's resources within the community for the entire family,
not just the patient itself, but for those parents and siblings to take care of them as well because
we're all in this together. So it only doesn't affect the child. It affects the whole family.
[00:21:44.92] So we have to take care of everyone. And just to seek those services from the
beginning. And see the system as a whole as getting better. But we still have to improve as a
whole.
[00:22:05.08] So we're slowly getting there. It was better than it was back when we were little. I
think Sophie can attest to that. But we're getting there. And just to improve set goals for patients
with disabilities, people with disabilities, and reach for them as well.
[00:22:36.97] INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah, Erin, I totally agree with you. I have seen a big change
in the last 20 years since we were young in that system.
[00:22:45.38] ERIN: Absolutely.
[00:22:46.80] INTERVIEWER 1: And I really love what you pointed out about how ELO
providers, it sounds like, can connect with Child Life. Reaching out to Child Life programs is
probably a good action step. And then setting goals with those kids that do have disabilities.
They can reach and work on there.
[00:23:01.02] And then, I-- as the sibling of someone with some complex medical needs, I
appreciate what you said about thinking about the whole family.
[00:23:08.94] ERIN: Absolutely. It's counseling. It's taking care of the whole family.
[00:23:16.29] And it's-- either it's family friends taking care of the sibling or reaching out. We're
all connected. And we all have to take care of each other.
[00:23:30.42] INTERVIEWER 2: Yeah, that's beautiful. Yeah, I know from my past experience
in my work as a case manager working with kids with a variety of diagnoses and stuff. And I
learned so much just working with their parents or their siblings or others in their community.
And so, just the wealth of knowledge. And everybody can pitch in and--
[00:23:54.75] ERIN: Absolutely.
[00:23:55.45] INTERVIEWER 2: And do their part.
[00:23:57.12] ERIN: Absolutely. I think, with everything, case management, Child Life, social
work as well. My background is in social work. So I think--
[00:24:08.85] I don't know what it's like in Washington. But having social work and case
management in the outpatient world is key as well in keeping those services.
[00:24:26.42] INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah, exactly. Because it's so individual, like you're saying.
[00:24:29.03] ERIN: Exactly.
[00:24:29.24] INTERVIEWER 1: It's really about meeting that individual kid and individual
family where they're at.
[00:24:33.59] ERIN: Exactly. And then, each specialty is different. And each specialty has their
own key point in taking care of their child.
[00:24:47.39] And we were slowly incorporating everyone together and collaborating as a whole,
not just, OK, I'll take care of this portion and this portion of the patient. But it's a learning curve
together.
[00:25:09.07] INTERVIEWER 2: Yeah.
[00:25:11.14] INTERVIEWER 1: Well, Erin, thank you so much for joining us today and
sharing these really great insights about how we can lift up all of us as one community and see
each other holistically.
[00:25:21.43] ERIN: Thank you for having me.
[00:25:22.90] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:25:36.11] INTERVIEWER 1: Hi, Kayla. Can you introduce yourself, share your pronouns,
and tell us about your journey to working at DO-IT?
[00:25:44.44] KAYLA BROWN: Hi, my name is Kayla Brown. And my pronouns are she/her.
And I am a program coordinator at the DO-IT Program at the University of Washington.
[00:25:57.25] And I've been at DO-IT for many years. I actually started as a participant myself
when I was in high school. So I started in the program in 2005 and just really benefited a lot
from it.
[00:26:15.97] I went through the whole transition to college with them. And then, DO-IT gave
me some opportunities for employment. And then I just never left. And I'm still at DO-IT it.
[00:26:29.26] And now, I help to run the programs that I benefited from. So it's been a long
journey with DO-IT.
[00:26:38.68] INTERVIEWER 2: That's amazing. I love how it just-- how you benefited from
the program, or it's stuck with you so much that now you're in this role of giving back. So earlier,
we heard from Naomi about how DO-IT is a unique program. Can you share your perspective on
what makes DO-IT unique?
[00:26:59.33] KAYLA: Absolutely. So DO-IT is unique because it-- as a program, it recognizes
the specific needs of people with disabilities while also holding them to the same expectations as
everyone else because everyone deserves success in their lives and the opportunity to be that
person that you want to be.
[00:27:24.66] And so, that's how I view it as being unique, is that you can account for the
differences that a population may need. But also saying, hey, we're going to hold you to this
standard. We believe that you can do this. It's just there are barriers that are kind of getting in
your way.
[00:27:48.23] And so, we're going to help mitigate those barriers. So it takes more of an
approach on how can we look at our environment to see what barriers are in the environment and
how best to work through them. But people with disabilities can--
[00:28:05.53] They can go to college. They can get jobs, have careers, have families. They can
do whatever they want. But there are those barriers.
[00:28:18.10] So it's a unique take that you can be more aware while also encouraging because
things have to be realistic. And I feel like sometimes minoritized people are told you can
overcome anything. You can do anything. But then there's no recognition of the additional
barriers that they face.
[00:28:44.44] So I think that's a unique aspect to DO IT and how we approach our work. We also
are unique in that we really value peer-to-peer mentoring. So we do have staff who are trained
specifically to do things like resumes and doing interview prep and those types of technical
things.
[00:29:12.37] But we also have mentors in our program who have disabilities, who can
specifically speak to some of the challenges and experiences that the others might be facing. And
so, we really value the peer-to-peer model in that sense. Yeah.
[00:29:33.43] INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah, I think that-- this all really connects back to some of the
positive things that Naomi was sharing about her experience earlier in this episode. And it
sounds like your experience, too, when you were a participant, that having a realistic but high
expectation for yourself.
[00:29:51.76] And that that's all that, I think, all of us want. We want to be able to strive for our
goals and reach our goals and have good community support around us to make those goals
happen.
[00:30:02.88] Could you share some facilitation strategies that you use now as an adult mentor to
help foster that peer mentorship and that sense of community, especially in a really diverse
group?
[00:30:15.21] KAYLA: Yeah, I think the number one thing about facilitating this kind of peer
mentorship model is really thinking about accessibility. So we have many opportunities for our
students to engage with one another. And that means that we also have different formats that
they can communicate with each other.
[00:30:41.17] So we were founded on the idea that technology is an empowering tool. And
because it was the early 1990s, it was not as common to be able to interact with people virtually.
And so, the basis for many of our programs at DO-IT is that online interaction, over email, things
like that, that was the most accessible way, originally, that we could actually bring everyone
together.
[00:31:16.53] And, of course, now it's a little bit different. We have in-person programs and
programs where we get together occasionally. And so we do that, when it's not pandemic time,
that face-to-face mentorship too.
[00:31:32.01] But this requires a lot of intention on how we plan that and facilitate that. So we
really do think about accommodations. What do people need to be able to include it in this
environment, even if it's an online environment?
[00:31:48.60] Sometimes, we would do support groups over Zoom. Do we have interpreters
there? Do we have different ways that people can engage? Are we encouraging people to use the
chat, as well as their own voice or the voice of their interpreter?
[00:32:06.97] It's really about flexibility and making sure that everyone has a place. We also
want to make sure that they feel welcome in these mentoring spaces. So most of the time,
logistically, we will find a mentor for somebody who maybe has the same or similar disability as
the other person.
[00:32:30.46] This is important because there may be very specific experiences that they can
share with each other. For example, some of our students are in college. And maybe they are
studying computer science. And there is a very specific way that they engage in computer
science, like, let's say, they use a screen reader.
[00:32:53.53] Not everyone's going to have that experience with the technology and how it
interacts with that specific curriculum. So we do very specific matching because we feel that
that's important.
[00:33:07.84] INTERVIEWER 2: Yeah, I'm hearing there's a lot of intentionality of who you
pick as mentors, but also how you set up spaces to be inviting and for everybody to feel
welcome. I'm curious what advice you have for ELO providers who are looking to support kids
with disabilities in their program. What can they do?
[00:33:27.82] KAYLA: Yeah, there are a couple of things that ELO providers can do to support
kids with disabilities. Disability can be very othering. And so if you have kids with disabilities in
your programs, be very careful not to other them or separate them, whether it be emotionally or
physically.
[00:33:55.63] And obviously, you don't want to disclose somebody's disability without their
consent if it's not apparent. I myself use a wheelchair. So that's going to be disclosed. But just be
intentional about the othering that can cause.
[00:34:16.63] And I would also say similar to what I mentioned before, hold high expectations
for your kids with disabilities. I've experienced many times in my life where I wasn't pushed hard
enough. I wasn't pushed out of my comfort zone quite enough because people are afraid to.
[00:34:41.19] And I think that is a disservice to kids with disabilities. It's also OK if people with
disabilities make mistakes. I think that's part of what growing up is, trying things that maybe
probably won't work out in the end, but you try anyway. Those are important opportunities.
[00:35:07.23] I would also encourage all providers to be really open to talking about disability,
not in the way that it discloses somebody without their consent, but to talk about disability in
general and normalizing it. You can do that by choosing what materials you use to teach or how
you conduct your-- if you're in a classroom or whatever environment you're in, how do you
conduct your environment? What norms do you set?
[00:35:44.02] Set norms that are accessible. So again, if you have somebody who's visually
impaired in your classroom, set a norm, that is, when you are doing a group discussion or
something like that, have people state their names before they speak. Just make it normal. If you
start doing it, others will follow.
[00:36:09.32] The more natural that the facilitators or the providers, however natural they can
make something, the more it will actually be integrated into a culture of inclusion. And I think
those are just really important things to keep in mind.
[00:36:28.04] INTERVIEWER 1: Kayla, thank you. That's like so many great pieces of advice,
especially this idea of-- this has just been a consistent theme that we've been hearing throughout
this whole episode of have high expectations, respect privacy, engage in these authentic
relationships with people. That's been my key takeaway.
[00:36:45.62] And also, as adults, that we can model an inclusive space that we can make sure
that we have programmed norms and expectations that are accessible and that we can model
those behaviors as well. Thank you so much, Kayla, for being with us today.
[00:37:02.37] KAYLA: Yeah, Thank you for having me.
[00:37:03.88] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:37:15.66] INTERVIEWER 2: Strategy Spotlight is a time for us to share one thing you could
implement in your ELO program or classroom. Our strategy spotlight today comes from Kayla
Brown from the DO-IT Program.
[00:37:25.68] INTERVIEWER 1: Hi, Kayla. Can you share a facilitation strategy that can
support the inclusion of kids with disabilities in an after-school program?
[00:37:35.14] KAYLA: Yes, so I would say that if you are looking to support inclusion of kids
with disabilities in your after-school program, what would be best would be to make sure that
everyone has a part in what the activity is. But it doesn't have to be the same part. And it can be
modified.
[00:37:57.52] So think creatively about how you can adapt things or change things to make it so
that everyone can be involved. And that's changing, maybe rules to a game or making something
more approachable to someone who has a physical disability or an invisible disability. Be
creative would be my main strategy for you. Think outside the box so that everyone can be
included, even if it's in a different way.
[00:38:31.44] INTERVIEWER 1: Kayla, I think that's a great tip because just as you were
talking, I was thinking, Oh, so somebody who is-- maybe has a hard time reading, he doesn't
have to read the rules out loud, but could help stack something or hand out supplies. There's so
many different ways that we can include kids in setting the program culture and whatever
activity we're doing.
[00:38:51.03] KAYLA: Exactly. And make sure it's meaningful, too. I think that there are a lot
of things that maybe that student or person doesn't think is meaningful. But as long as you
express that it is, they will feel that. And everyone else will, too.
[00:39:04.68] [THEME MUSIC]
[00:39:10.96] INTERVIEWER 1: As we wrap up this episode, we'll leave you with a few key
takeaways and reflection questions. Part of building a trauma-informed care practice is building
our own self-awareness so we can better show up for the young people in our lives.
[00:39:24.20] INTERVIEWER 2: One of my key takeaways is really the importance of making
room for choice for students, especially with setting goals and seeing people as capable. Part of
Naomi's story really stuck out to me, and how the DO-IT Program helped her set goals for
herself and also gave her opportunities to lead. And now she's back in doing some mentorship.
[00:39:43.27] INTERVIEWER 1: Yeah, absolutely. I noticed that all three of our interviews
talked about the importance of collaborating with young people to plan their futures together.
Another thing that really stuck out to me was the importance of mentorship. Like you said, many
trauma-informed care frameworks touch on this idea of some form of reciprocal mentorship
happening, and that can be a really healing practice for an individual and a community.
[00:40:06.89] INTERVIEWER 2: Thank you, Sophie, for sharing. So now we invite you to take
some time and reflect. Our first reflection question is, how does ableism show up even in small
ways in your ELO program space?
[00:40:19.15] This might look like physical inaccessibility, like stairs with no ramps. This might
also look like communication that's only available in written English. Next, how do you already
challenge ableism? And lastly, what is one concrete action step you can take to make your
program more accessible?
[00:40:38.61] If you need some ideas, we encourage you to listen again to Kayla's interview on
facilitation strategies.
[00:40:44.16] INTERVIEWER 1: For those of you listening that are working directly with young
people, either professionally or in your personal life, we really see the important work you're
doing. And we hope that this episode gives you some fuel to continue.
[00:40:57.29] INTERVIEWER 2: Creating these inclusive spaces is generating positive social
change and makes our lives and the lives of children and families we work with better. We won't
get it right all the time. Just know that this is a journey, not a destination. So keep listening,
learning, and growing.
[00:41:11.88] INTERVIEWER 1: Thank you so much for joining us today.
[00:41:14.19] INTERVIEWER 2: Thank you. This podcast was produced by Cultivate Learning
at the University of Washington with funding from the Washington State Department of
Children, Youth, and Families. We'd like to thank our media producer Tifa Tomb and our
graphic designer, Tammy Tolpa.
[00:41:30.05] INTERVIEWER 1: You can find more of Cultivate Learning's work by going to
@cultivatelearning.uw.edu.
[00:41:35.96] [THEME MUSIC]