What is United Voice? - Inclusion International

nited
oice
Self-Advocacy Society
Of Persons with Learning Disabilities
Selangor & Kuala Lumpur
Self-Advocacy
Movement in
Malaysia
In 1995….
A Self-Advocacy Group was formed with only 4
members in Selangor under the sponsorship of
Dignity & Services, a NGO that advocates for
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
Other people can understand us better
when we speak up for ourselves.
Cynthia talking about United
Voice to a company
James giving speech at a workshop
We also express ourselves and voice out
through Newsletters and Books….
2005
1999
2002
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
Monthly meetings to socialise
and talk about a special topic
such as friendship, sexuality,
BGR, work, hobbies, stress,
recycling, etc…
Special Olympics
Learning to speak up
We interview and choose our staff
Self-Advocacy is
knowing our rights…
We have the right to
have a better
quality of life
We have the right to
proper education in
school
We don’t want to see
persons with learning
disabilities live like this
United Voice advocates for
persons with learning disabilities
in Malaysia
Datuk Seri Fong Chang Onn
Johari
We speak up in
Newspaper
We advocate for…
„
Better education for persons
with learning disabilities
„
Self-advocacy to be taught in
school
„
Formal vocational training and
special programmes for persons
with learning disabilities in
tertiary institutions.
More Employment Opportunities.
„
UV President
Johari Bin Jamali
„
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.
We work with other societies to advocate
for the rights of persons with disabilities
Johari,
President
of UV
United Voice is an active member of BEAT Group
BEAT: Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport
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 Asia
Cynthia 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:
Eugene Lau:
A&W
Thomas Yeoh:
Store Assistant
Michelle Yap:
Factory worker
Anthony: Hotel
Crew
Alwin – Cold
Storage
Christina: KFC
Bakery Crew
Aslam – Giant
Supermarket
United Voice Employment Project
UV started Employment Project in 2003 to
provide employment for unemployed members. We have 26 workers.
Products of Employment Project
Magnets
Bookmarks
Cards drawn by Aidil
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
ƒ UV EP members get a monthly allowance,
annual Bonus, Socso & EPF.
ƒ 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
Teluk
Intan,
Perak
Bethany Home
United Voice
1995
Petaling
Jaya,
Selangor
Registered with the
Registrar of Societies
Kangaroo
Club
1996
Kota
Kinabalu,
Sabah
Seri Mengasih
Dayspring
Adventure
Club
1999
Klang,
Selangor
Dayspring Centre
Aktion Club KJTC PJ
2001
Petaling
Jaya
Kiwanis Job
Training Centre
Name
Year Form
District/
State
Friendship
Club
2003
Cheras,
KL
Malaysian CARE
2003
Kajang
Pusat Kanak-kanak
Istimewa,Kajang,
Selangor
Mutiara Voice
Club
2005
Balik
Pulau,
Penang
Asia Community
Service
Hornbill Club
2007
Kuching
PDK Kuching
Miri Selfadvocacy Group
2007
Miri
MRCS Sunflower
Centre Miri
Dragon Club
Sponsor
Name
Year Form
Seri Chepa
2008
Kg Chepa,
Kelantan
PDK Kg Chepa
Divine Voice
2008
Ipoh,
Perak
Persatuan
Daybreak
Permata Hati
2009
Tanah Merah,
Kelantan
PDK Kg Gual Ipoh
Besut,
Terengganu
PDK
Seberang Jerteh
Tanah Merah,
Kelantan
PDK
Bandar Tanah
Merah
Kumpulan
Advokasi Diri
Hentian Kasih
Kumpulan
Delima
2009
2009
District/
State
Sponsor
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
2010
Kuantan,
Pahang
PDK PPOKU Paya
Besar
Kumpulan
Sayang Ku
2010
Jerantut,
Pahang
PDK
Sinar Harapan
Kumpulan
Pelangi
2010
Kuantan,
Pahang
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 self-advocacy
movement can help create
a better future
for persons with learning disabilities
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 selfadvocates from South
East Asia Region
Myanmar, 2009
Johari
Cambodia, 2009
Hooi 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)
Treasurer: Esther Moo
Helper at a Centre for
Children with Learning
Disabilities
Secretary: Hooi Ting
Vice President: Felicia
(Admin & Store Asst in
Fang (Office Assistant, an International company)
St Paul’s Church)
Asst Sec: Alex Tang
(Office Assistant of a
Corporate Co.)
Committee Members:
Cynthia
(Clinic Receptionist)
Chang Kok Woei
(Lift Attendant)
David Foo
(Data Entry
Clerk)
Nazmi Kamarulzaman
(part-time staff)
Staff of United Voice
Judy Tan:
Accounts
Administrator
Mrs Chia:
Project
Supervisor
Siti Azyan:
Office Assistant
Wendy:
Project
Supervisor
Moh Foong :
Lead Coordinator
Pn Nareah:
Project
Supervisor
Lit Whei:
Office
Assistant
Pn.Fadzillah:
Project
Coordinator
Karen:
Administrator
Shi Wei:
Marketing
Coordinator
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!
nited
U
Voice