TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring the participation of people with developmental disabilities in self-advocacy groups in Korea
T2 - “I like it because I can share my story in front of others with my friends!”
AU - Kim, Kyung Mee
AU - Hall, Sarah A.
AU - Jung, Yu Bin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - This study investigated the experiences of people with developmental disabilities in self-advocacy groups to better understand the self-advocacy movement, which is currently in its developing stage in Korea. Face-to-face interviews with 18 people with disabilities were conducted. Study participants got involved in self-advocacy groups with the expectation of ‘voicing our stories’, ‘meeting new peers’, and ‘expanding the scope of activity in their local communities’. They participated in various activities from leisure to group advocacy against discrimination based on disability. After participating in self-advocacy groups, they expressed self-confidence, improved their communication skills, and developed new goals for their own lives. Participation in self-advocacy groups helped them replace feelings of loneliness with belonging and expanded their involvement in independent activities and leadership roles. Points of interests This article examines the experiences of people with developmental disabilities in self-advocacy groups in Korea. People joined self-advocacy groups to tell their stories, meet new people, and participate in more activities in the community. People developed communication, leadership, and self-determination skills and reported less loneliness, more confidence, and a greater sense of belonging. People wanted to increase their self-advocacy group’s activities and membership, have leadership roles, and further advocate for non-discrimination and equal rights for people with developmental disabilities. Funding and supporters outside of service providers is suggested to give people with developmental disabilities equal power to lead the self-advocacy movement.
AB - This study investigated the experiences of people with developmental disabilities in self-advocacy groups to better understand the self-advocacy movement, which is currently in its developing stage in Korea. Face-to-face interviews with 18 people with disabilities were conducted. Study participants got involved in self-advocacy groups with the expectation of ‘voicing our stories’, ‘meeting new peers’, and ‘expanding the scope of activity in their local communities’. They participated in various activities from leisure to group advocacy against discrimination based on disability. After participating in self-advocacy groups, they expressed self-confidence, improved their communication skills, and developed new goals for their own lives. Participation in self-advocacy groups helped them replace feelings of loneliness with belonging and expanded their involvement in independent activities and leadership roles. Points of interests This article examines the experiences of people with developmental disabilities in self-advocacy groups in Korea. People joined self-advocacy groups to tell their stories, meet new people, and participate in more activities in the community. People developed communication, leadership, and self-determination skills and reported less loneliness, more confidence, and a greater sense of belonging. People wanted to increase their self-advocacy group’s activities and membership, have leadership roles, and further advocate for non-discrimination and equal rights for people with developmental disabilities. Funding and supporters outside of service providers is suggested to give people with developmental disabilities equal power to lead the self-advocacy movement.
KW - Korea
KW - Self-advocacy group
KW - developmental disabilities
KW - self-advocacy movement
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85091386736&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85091386736&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09687599.2020.1804325
DO - 10.1080/09687599.2020.1804325
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85091386736
SN - 0968-7599
VL - 36
SP - 1594
EP - 1616
JO - Disability and Society
JF - Disability and Society
IS - 10
ER -