Advocacy
NWVCIL believes in the premise that persons with disabilities have the same rights and privileges afforded to persons without disabilities, which also entails civil rights. Additionally, staff at NWVCIL will work with other agencies to ensure equal access to benefits and community resources. NWVCIL encourages people with disabilities to make their own personal choice and to be self-directed. Our staff respects the consumer as a person who can make his/her own decisions. Our ultimate goal is for persons with disabilities to eventually become their own self-advocate.
This consists of skills needed by an individual to live independently in one’s environment. Skills training usually occurs in one’s own home, but may occur anywhere. Staff may accompany a person in the community to gain skills necessary to live independently. If a person is physically unable to perform a needed task, the staff will work with that individual to develop the best solution to perform that task.
Peer Counseling
The definition of peer counseling is a person with a disability being uniquely qualified to assist other persons with disabilities. Through sharing similar situations, the peer counselor serves as a role model for another person with a disability, which helps in the adjustment of a disability. Individuals can share strategies of performing tasks, modeling techniques, and share living life successfully with a disability.
Additionally, a supportive counselor serves the Center in the same way as a peer counselor, except that a supportive counselor is a person who does not have a disability. Through work and life experiences, supportive counselors can offer support to a person with a disability, assisting them to explore options and strategies to meet their individual goals.
Information & Referral
This is a service offered which connects a person with a disability to service(s) and resource(s) which a person may need to live a more independent lifestyle. NWVCIL maintains a resource library on numerous disability topics to address disability issues. Also, NWVCIL works with various community agencies in a cooperative venture to promote independence of all individuals.
NWVCIL receives nearly 450 requests per year from the community for Information and Referrals (I & R). Information provided consists of, but not limited to, accessiblity, NWVCIL services, adaptive equipment, advocacy, attendant care, education, employment, housing, etc. All NWVCIL staff answer I & R calls, documenting name, area, and nature of call for statistical purposes only. Anyone, regardless of geographic area, diability (or lack thereof), may call the Center to receive information on disability issues. NWVCIL maintains a resource library with extensive information on disability issues. This library is open to anyone with a desire to gain more knowledge in the disability field. This is a loaning library and materials may be xeroxed if appropriate.