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Co-Design and Self-Advocacy: Dzidra's Story
"Nothing about us, without us."
For many years, Dzidra has shared her gifts of self-advocacy, public speaking, and wise consultation with Karis and the broader community. She is a founding member of Our Voices Matter, a group of people supported by Karis who work together to make changes in communities, governments, and within Karis. Dzidra and our Voices Matter have advocated to the federal and provincial governments for the Canada Disability Benefit, increases to self-directed funding, and for more accessibility in communities. Dzidra also sits on the Community Living Ontario Council, which has representatives from many disability services agencies, like Karis.
This past year, Dzidra was employed with Karis, consulting our Digital, Technology, and Innovation team on how to better digitally support people who use Karis services. Dzidra also hosted a Karis Connected Everybody Engages session, a listening and discussion gathering that helped shape our new strategic plan.
"Our feedback can help make things better for people," shared Dzidra. "Self-advocates have a better understanding of what it is like to be in services, and our feedback in lived experience."
Through Dzidra's work with and at Karis, we have built a stronger understanding of co-design, the process of making things with and not for people.
As we co-designed our new strategic plan, we heard from self-advocates like Dzidra about how services can be improved and what really matters to the people we support. From there, we shaped our strategic plan around people's real needs, wants, and desires and we set up key project to help us accomplish our goals.
"We're people too," said Dzidra, "Because we have a disability doesn't mean we need to be treated differently. Our voices do matter!"