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Self-Advocacy SocietyOf Persons with Learning Disabilities

Selangor & Kuala Lumpur

Self-Advocacy Movement in

Malaysia

In 1995In 1995……..A SelfA Self--Advocacy Group was formed with only 4 Advocacy Group was formed with only 4 members in Selangor under the sponsorship of members in Selangor under the sponsorship of Dignity & Services, a NGO that advocates for Dignity & Services, a NGO that advocates for persons with learning disabilities.persons with learning disabilities.

July 2005…• After 10 years of training, United Voice became fully independent

from Dignity & Services • United Voice is the first society of persons with learning

disabilities in Malaysia that is recognised by the government.• All board members of United Voice are persons with learning

disabilities. • Currently, United Voice has 170 members.

What is Self-Advocacy?

Self-advocacy is speaking up for oneself …

Telling others about ourselves….

Telling others what we think and how we feel

Cynthia talking about United Voice to a company

Other people can understand us better when we speak up for ourselves.

James giving speech at a workshop

We also express ourselves and voice out through Newsletters and Books….

19992002

2005

Self-Advocacy is learning to be independent…

Independent living skills – experience over night stay & outings with our friends

Learning how to take public transport and traveling with friends

Learning to socialise with others

Leading our own society

UV Committee meets once a month to report and plan UV activities

Self-advocacy is learning to make choices…..

Electing our leaders…2007

2008

2010

We encourage our members to participate in General Elections

10 UV members voted in the general elections in 2008

Planning our own activities

Some of our activities…

Outings & Fun

Special Olympics

Monthly meetings to socialiseand talk about a special topic such as friendship, sexuality, BGR, work, hobbies, stress, recycling, etc…

Learning to speak up

We interview and choose our staff

Self-Advocacy is knowing our rights…

We have the right to proper education in school

We have the right to have a better quality of life

We don’t want to see persons with learning disabilities live like this

JohariDatukDatuk Seri Fong Chang Seri Fong Chang OnnOnn

United Voice advocates for persons with learning disabilities

in Malaysia

We speak up in Newspaper

We advocate forWe advocate for……Better education for persons with learning disabilitiesSelf-advocacy to be taught in school

Formal vocational training and special programmes for persons with learning disabilities in tertiary institutions.More Employment Opportunities.Better Support Services for those who are unable to work in the open employment. More Housing Support so that we can learn to live independently.

UV President Johari Bin Jamali

We work with other societies to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities

United Voice is an active member of BEAT Group BEAT: Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport

Johari, President of UV

We work together with other members of BEAT to provide Disability Equality

Training to staff of AirAsia, KTM (local train company) and others.

Cynthia giving a talk at Air AsiaCynthia Thomas

UV participated in UNESCAP Workshop in Shanghai in 2007

(UNESCAP – United Nations Economic and Social Commission in Asia and the Pacific)

James

We sat through the Parliament debate on Disability Act that was approved by our government in December 2007

UV member in National Disability Act Council

James Minister, Datuk Seri Shahrizat

Self-advocacy is learning to be responsible…

We learn how to be responsibile towards ourselves, parents, friends and

other people

We learn how to be responsible by working and earning our own money

Employment

We encourage our members to work

30 of our members are currently working in the open employment

Some of the members working:

Michelle Yap: Factory worker

Anthony: Hotel Crew

Christina: KFC Bakery Crew

Thomas Yeoh: Store Assistant

Eugene Lau:

A & W

Aslam – Giant Supermarket

Alwin – Cold Storage

United Voice Employment Project

UV started Employment Project in 2003 to provide employment for unemployed members. We have 26 workers.

Products of Employment Project

Cards drawn by Cards drawn by AidilAidil

MagnetsMagnets

Bookmarks

Greeting Cards

Saori Products:Japanese Weaving

Accessories

Cookies

Business Cards Printing Project

Art Gallery

Tan Seng Kit

Clement Ooi

Nadiah Abdul Jalil

Nurulakhmal Abdul Rahman

Damien Wong

Produce sellable products so we can get more income

UV Employment Project is an income generating project

Sales of Products No. of Workers

_______________________________

2003 RM20,000 8

2004 RM40,000 8

2005 RM52,000 15 by July

2006 RM61,000 15

2007 RM74,000 18

2008 RM122,000 21

2009 RM189,000 22

2010 RM280,000 26

UV EP members get a monthly allowance, annual Bonus, Socso & EPF.

They also receive RM300 monthly allowance from the Welfare Department.

UV Source Employment for Persons with Learning Disabilities

• UV contact companies to find employment opportunities for those who are unemployed.

• We network with other NGOs, Welfare Department & Human Resource Department on this matter.

Forming Self-Advocacy Groups

in Malaysia

UV hopes to help form self-advocacy groups all over Malaysia

There are 20 Self-Advocacy Groups in Malaysia

Name Year Form District/State

Sponsor

Bethany Self Advocacy

Group

1993 TelukIntan,Perak

Bethany Home

United Voice 1995 PetalingJaya,

Selangor

Registered with the Registrar of Societies

KangarooClub

1996 KotaKinabalu,

Sabah

Seri Mengasih

DayspringAdventure

Club

1999 Klang, Selangor

Dayspring Centre

Aktion Club -KJTC PJ

2001 PetalingJaya

Kiwanis JobTraining Centre

Name Year Form District/State

Sponsor

FriendshipClub

2003 Cheras,KL

Malaysian CARE

Dragon Club2003 Kajang Pusat Kanak-kanak

Istimewa,Kajang,Selangor

Mutiara VoiceClub

2005 BalikPulau,

Penang

Asia CommunityService

Hornbill Club 2007 Kuching PDK Kuching

Miri Self-advocacy Group

2007 Miri MRCS SunflowerCentre Miri

Name Year Form District/State

Sponsor

Seri Chepa 2008 Kg Chepa,Kelantan

PDK Kg Chepa

Divine Voice 2008 Ipoh, Perak

PersatuanDaybreak

Permata Hati

Kumpulan Advokasi DiriHentian Kasih

Kumpulan Delima

2009

2009

2009

Tanah Merah, Kelantan

Besut, Terengganu

Tanah Merah, Kelantan

PDK Kg Gual Ipoh

PDK Seberang Jerteh

PDK Bandar Tanah

Merah

Name Year Form District/State

Sponsor

Kumpulan Nur Kasih

2010 Kota Bahru,Kelantan

PDK Peringat

Sibu Agape Club

2009 Sibu, Sarawak

Methodist Hope Center

Kumpulan Rabbani

Kumpulan Sayang Ku

Kumpulan Pelangi

2010

2010

2010

Kuantan, Pahang

Jerantut, Pahang

Kuantan, Pahang

PDK PPOKU Paya Besar

PDK Sinar Harapan

PDK Tenas Sri Teruntum

120 participants from 8 States participated in the 1st National Self-Advocacy Conference

in 2004

67 participants attended the 2nd NSAC at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 2007

120 participants from 7 states attended the 3rd

NSAC in Feb 2009, Pulau Pinang

100 paticipants attended the 4th NASC in July 2011, Teluk Intan, Perak

Activities at the conference

At the conference we:

Learn about our rights and our responsibilities

We learn how to voice out

We discuss on issues and about employment

We learn how to be leaders. We choose we want the next conference to be held

Inter Self-Advocacy Group Outing

Inter Self-Advocacy Leadership Trainings

Inter Self-Advocacy Group Dinner & Dance

We believe that a strong selfWe believe that a strong self--advocacy advocacy movement can help create movement can help create

a better future a better future for persons with learning disabilities for persons with learning disabilities

in Malaysia.in Malaysia.

Promoting Self-Advocacy

United Voice organises awareness events on Self-Advocacy

Visitors from Kelantan, Pahang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka,

Penang, Sabah, Sarawak….

Visitors: Students

We promote self-advocacy in other Asian Countries

Johari & Mayumi facilitating a workshop in Bangkok to self-advocates from South East Asia Region

Myanmar, 2009Johari

Cambodia, 2009Hooi Ting

Inclusion International World Congress 2009 Salamanca, Spain

Sponsored by Inclusion International

Inclusion International Conference 2010 Berlin, Germany

Sponsored by Inclusion International

Having A Say Conference, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia

Feb, 2011 - For the 1st time, 3 UV members decided to travel overseas without supporting friends or family members.

Sponsored by VALID

Self-Advocacy Conference for CBRs• In 2011, the Social Welfare Department gave a grant to United Voice to organise 6 National conferences in Malaysia to promote self-advocacy awareness to over 400 CBRs centers.

• So far we have conducted 3 conferences to 324 CBR coordinators.

• To date, 10 new self-advocacy groups were formed after the conferences.• Many more groups will be formed in the next few months.

Committee of United Voice

President: Johari (Admin staff Accounting Firm)

Secretary: Hooi Ting(Admin & Store Asst in

an International company)

Treasurer: Esther Moo Helper at a Centre for Children with Learning Disabilities Asst Sec: Alex Tang

(Office Assistant of a Corporate Co.)

Vice President: Felicia Fang (Office Assistant, St Paul’s Church)

Cynthia(Clinic Receptionist)

Chang Kok Woei(Lift Attendant)

David Foo (Data Entry Clerk)

Nazmi Kamarulzaman(part-time staff)

Committee Members:

Staff of United Voice

Wendy:Project

Supervisor

Shi Wei:Marketing

Coordinator

Pn.Fadzillah:Project

Coordinator

Judy Tan:Accounts

AdministratorMoh Foong :Lead Coordinator

Siti Azyan:Office Assistant

Lit Whei:Office Assistant

Pn Nareah:Project

Supervisor

Mrs Chia:Project

Supervisor

Karen:Administrator

If you wish to know more about United Voice you may contact us at:

603, Jalan 17/12, 46400 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-79540701

Email: unitedvoiceinfo@gmail.com

Website: www.unitedvoice.com.my

Thank You!

UnitedVoiceUnitedVoice