Advocacy
Advocacy - may be individual, systemic, or self; individual advocacy is done on behalf of a single person; systemic advocacy involves defending, or supporting a particular position of benefit to a group or class of people (e.g. people with disabilities); self advocacy supports and enhances a consumer's ability to be assertive when faced with obstacles in pursuit of independent living goals. At Access Center for Independent Living, Inc. (ACIL) consumers are empowered through education of advocacy methods and encouraged to take directing roles in advocating for their own issues as well as the issues of others. ACIL trains consumers how to contact public officials and present their issues in writing, over the telephone, and by appointment. ACIL keeps consumers up-to-date about their civil rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, Fair Housing laws, and other legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability. Additionally, ACIL provides access on the center's computer system and network to the latest news, amendments, and legislation concerning people with disabilities on the state and national level -- sometimes even before it is published! To encourage and facilitate self advocacy, ACIL maintains addresses and phone numbers of state and federal public officials and educational materials for effective letter writing, phone calls, and other communication.

Information & Referral
Information and Referral - service based on a systematic method of accepting inquiries regarding independent living and responding from an organized data, knowledge, and experience base. Access Center for Independent Living, Inc. (ACIL) provides I&R services to all requesting people and organizations, regardless of the presence of a disability. I&R is a service based on a systematic method of accepting inquiries regarding independent living and responding from an organized data, knowledge, and experience base. The majority of ACIL's I&R is accomplished over the telephone. As calls are received and requests communicated, an ACIL staff member or volunteer responds instantly by searching through a computerized database for appropriate resources.

A flagbearer in independent living technology, ACIL is developing and continuously updating a comprehensive database containing community, state, and national resource organizations serving people with disabilities. This database is available on a UNIX system at workstations throughout the center and on Ohio Independent Living Network (OILNET), a statewide computer network/bulletin board system which ACIL administers. Additionally, ACIL operates and maintains a library of independent living resources (books, magazines, audio tapes, video tapes, brochures, etc.) available for examination at the center or for loan.

Peer Support
Peer support is information, one-on-one peer mentoring, and group interactions helping people with disabilities develop mutual support, assistance, and understanding. Access Center for Independent Living, Inc. (ACIL) provides peer support in a consumer-directed manner over the telephone, in person when a consumer visits the center, or by visiting the consumer at his or her living site if necessary. ACIL staff and volunteers have been trained in the philosophies and practices of independent living (IL) and communicate IL strategies to consumers in peer support interactions.

A successful module of ACIL's peer support program is the peer mentoring program, through which consumers a matched (at their direction) with another person with a similar or different disability for the purpose of sharing experience, knowledge, and skills. Peer mentors must complete a training course before they are matched with a consumer. To attract consumers to the center for learning, sharing, and support purposes, ACIL offers monthly peer mentor meetings, which also act as information, independent living training skills, and advocacy sessions.

Independent Living Skills Training
Independent Living Skills Training - information and educational programming provided to a consumer or group of consumers with the intent to develop or increase skills, knowledge, or abilities needed to live more independently. Independent Living (IL) Skills Training is information and educational programming provided to a consumer or group of consumers with the intent of developing or increasing skills, knowledge, or abilities needed to live independently. ACIL's goal for IL skills training is to develop and implement an educational program to provide instructions on skills needed to accomplish the daily tasks of independent living. This program will also provide persons with disabilities information and linkage with community resources and services needed to gain access to the community. ACIL accomplishes this goal recruiting community volunteers who are experts in a variety of fields and disciplines to discuss topics of interest identified by consumers. At least one workshop is presented each month and open for registration to all consumers and other interested people.