April 11, 2017 - 18:01
One of my favorite parts of the CCW partnership has been eating lunch in the dining center with the Friday group. This is a space where there is a structured acivity (eating), but mostly there is a lot of time to chat. This is not always the case in short-term, mixed-ability partnerships since a lot of times these center around a group of volunteers leading activities for a group of participants. These lunches have been a great opportunity to get to know the CCW artists/teaching artist as people, and we all enjoy it and I think have formed some good bonds. I am hesitant to say that the CCW folks are 'unconditionally friendly' or 'always joyful', because I think that this line of stereotyping can be harmful to people with intellectual disabilities, but I can say that more than once this semester, my friday morning has been brightened by a round of goodbye hugs, which once even Laine joined in on. My experience before this working with people with intellectual/developmental disability had been almost exclusivly with children, so getting to have this collaboration with a group of adults has been a great experience.
One thing that I've thought about during my interactions with the Friday group has been about the balance between promoting agency and being overprotective. I have often though about whether I find the right balance between, say, helping someone get food in the DC versus encouraging them to do it themself. I wouldn't want to assume someone needs help, but I also wouldn't want to push someone to do something by themself that might end in a negative outcome for them, or to unnecessarily idealize independance. It has been great though throughout the senester to see our guests get more familiar with the DC and to get to know their individual needs better. Anyway, I think that all friendships, regardless of disability, are about getting to know each other's specific needs (acsess intimacy!!). This post ended up as a ramble, but I am glad for the opportuity to have participated in the partnership and look forward to sseing the art that the Friday morning group has created.