(Ripley, OH) - Individuals with developmental disabilities served by the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities (WCBDD) attended a storytelling workshop to learn tips on how to advocate for themselves in everyday life.

The Ohio Developmental Disability Council and Dr. Rebecca Monteleone, assistant professor of disability studies at the University of Toledo, hosted the “My Life. My Story.” workshop in Ripley, Ohio, on July 31, 2024. Participants practiced tools and exercises to learn how to share their stories.

The Voices Speaking Out (VSO) Self Advocacy group is comprised of adults who receive services from WCBDD who meet monthly to advocate for independence and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in community life. In keeping with the mission of their group, four members of VSO attended the storytelling workshop.

The free one-day workshop led participants to write and perform impactful and entertaining stories of self-advocacy and personal growth for a wide audience. At the end of the workshop, participants performed their stories in front of a live audience.

The workshop has been offered at various counties across Ohio, including Putnam, Medina, Morgan, Brown, Morrow, and Ashtabula. For more information on the workshop, visitddc.ohio.gov.

For more information, contact Megan Becker at (859) 653-7445 or megan.becker@warrencountydd.org.