Calendar of Events

Follow the links for additional information on each listing.

Conferences & Workshops

---

Augusta Sibshops Begin October 2, 2009

Woodfords Family Services is offering a fall session of Sibshops free of charge for 6 to 11 year-old brothers and sisters of children with special needs in Augusta, Maine. Sibshops offer brothers and sisters the opportunity to meet other siblings of people with special needs, share common joys and concerns, and learn about the implications of their siblings’ disability--all in a lively, recreational environment!

Augusta Sibshops will be held the first Friday of each month, starting October 2, 2009 at the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council building at 225 Western Avenue Augusta, Maine 04330. If you would like further information about any of these programs please free to contact Lori Griffiths at (207) 859-8778 ext. 4413 or Lindsay Tardiff at (207) 859-8778 ext. 4411.

---

A Day in My Life – What Do National Service
Volunteers Do?

Provided by Project Ready to ServeMaine
University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies

A free workshop about volunteering in Maine. This workshop is being offered at three locations for your convenience:

Where: Career Center, Learning Lab, 185 Lancaster St., Portland, ME 04101
When: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
Time: 2:30 - 4:00 pm

In this workshop participants will hear from volunteers currently serving as AmericCorps or Vista members in Maine. They will share their experiences as National Service volunteers and discuss topics such as why they joined, what they have learned, what has been rewarding and what has been challenging about their service. Information will be shared with workshop participants about how to become a National Service member and also about other volunteering opportunities in Maine.

The workshop is free, but pre-registration is required by November 4, 2009. Please complete the requested information on the registration form.

4 Easy Ways You Can Register!

1. Register online by following this link.
   You may also download the registration form here and:
2. Phone in registration information to 207-581-1084 or toll free 800-203-6957, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
3. Complete the registration form and fax to 207-581-1231.
4. Mail completed registration form to:

University of Maine
Center for Community Inclusion & Disability Studies
5717 Corbett Hall, Rm. 114
Orono, ME 04469-5717
Attn: Ann Zielinski

---

The Maine Developmental Disabilities Council is presenting:

"Your Place or Mine?"
Maximizing Community Resources to Meet Housing Needs

Friday, December 11, 2009

About the Workshop
Finding affordable housing is not a disability issue, it is a community issue. Every community struggles to develop affordable housing for citizens on fixed incomes, seniors, disabled veterans, citizens with disabilities, and others with limited earnings against a tumultuous real estate market. Anyone involved in the creation or ownership of housing for people with support needs should know how the housing market works.

This seminar will explore the fundamentals of real estate development, including exploring what methods do and do not work and which types of investments do and do not make sense. “Equity investments”, real estate management, community organization, and planning skills are paramount to successful housing development.

This seminar also provides great detail into the manipulation of three (3) key elements which form the basis of affordable housing with ample illustrations of successful projects. Home ownership for people with disabilities is achievable and clearly possible but carries with it the same risks any home owner may face. Do the benefits outweigh the costs? This and many other issues will be discussed.

About the Presenter
Bob Laux, President of Wild River Consulting Corp. Mr. Laux is a nationally known consultant with over 35 years of experience in the creation of community services and the development of housing options for people with disabilities. Under his leadership, Wild River Consulting Corp has provided training events and technical assistance to 48 states, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. He has also authored numerous publications on homeownership.

The Intended Audience
Anyone with an interest in person centered approaches to housing for people with low incomes or support needs. Persons with developmental disabilities and their family members, community organizers, developmental service providers, housing providers, case managers, and transition staff are especially welcome.

Register for this conference here.

---

Maine Employment Curriculum Implementation Project - Workshops are scheduled for the coming year throughout the state. Follow the link above and view the training calendar.

---

Course Offerings

To view courses offered through CCIDS this semester please go to  Interdisciplinary Education.

---

INT 302 Foundations of Universal Design: The Ecology of Human Environments (Spring 2010)

This online interdisciplinary course investigates the new paradigm of human communities that addresses the diversity of all potential users. The environments considered include physical, social, educational, commercial, spiritual, and creative communities. Students from a variety of disciplines (i.e. business and marketing, communication, engineering, education, human development, nursing, philosophy, public policy, new media, sociology, social work, technology, and the arts) will gain theoretical and practical knowledge to create and enhance their public and private spaces. This course is designed using the principles of Universal Design, and students and instructors will utilize these principles in all projects and interactions. 3 credits

Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Tina Passman
Office: 208 Little Hall
Telephone:  581-2089
E-mail: tina.passman@umit.maine.edu  or passman@maine.edu 

---

Events

Follow the links for additional information on each event listed.

November 18-21, 2009
2009 TASH Conference in Pittsburgh
Follow the link above to download a conference brochure.