A group of about 60 delegates from the China Disabled Persons Federation has been visiting agencies in the region in an effort to learn how people with disabilities are served by local human services firms.
On Tuesday, about 25 of those delegates toured Community Connections? new site at Commonwealth Landing.
?They?re basically here to learn,? said Sharon Burman, vice president of Strategic Development at Community Connections. ?They wanted to come here because of the uniqueness of our clientele.?
The site at Commonwealth Landing opened in March. It is used mainly as a day habilitation program for clients with the highest levels of developmental and physical disabilities. All of the clients are able to engage in activities like cooking, crafting, bingo, and volunteer work. They also visit places in the community like the zoo, YMCA, and many others.
The group learned how the clients develop goals and gain self esteem by learning, being in the community, and engaging in social activities through Community Connections. ?
The tour of the area was coordinated by University of Massachusetts Dartmouth professor Jiu Wu.
The Chinese delegates, with the help of UMass interpreter Sandy Viveiros, learned about the programs and the people served at Community Connections.
The group met Ray, a man with spina bifida, who is wheelchair bound. Ray is a homeowner and lives independently with help from personal care assistants.
They met Dee, a 52-year-old woman with spastic cerebral palsy who cannot speak. Dee grew up in state institutions and was not released until she was 46. Today, she uses a computerized device operated by head movements to allow her to communicate with those around her. Dee runs a greeting card business from home and lives semi-independently. She has educated elementary school children about what it means to be disabled.
The group learned about Community Connections? history. The non-profit organization was founded in 1985 by Donna Sabecky who was temporarily in a wheelchair following a car accident. Sabecky witnessed discrimination against people with disabilities and learned how many people were unable to live independent lives. She designed programs to help people live more independently and worked to change laws that would benefit those with disabilities.
Today, Sabecky is the president and CEO of Community Connections, which has eight locations in southeastern Massachusetts. It employs 275 people and has 675 clients.
?We?re very happy to host you today,? Burman told the group. ?We appreciate your enthusiasm.?
The China Disabled Persons Federation was established in 1988 as a way to build a network of services for the 83 million persons with various categories of disabilities in China. The organization is headquartered in Beijing and has a staff of 80,000.
The group has toured Community Connections, People, Incorporarted and the Department of Developmental Services.
Email Deborah Allard at dallard@heraldnews.com.
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