Hello and welcome to Team Able’s Volunteer Training. Thank you for being here today and investing your time into our cause. The first portion of our training will be about twenty minutes long. This will be a brief introduction into who/what Team Able is, and what some of our goals are. If our cause seems like something you would like to join, we ask that you sign our pledge and liability form at the end. We will then have a short break and then start activities.

 

To start out, we will have a centering and grounding exercise. I would like you to find a comfortable position to be in for a few minutes.

 

 

Once you find that space, close your eyes and start to focus on your breathing. Try to clear your mind of everything. As thoughts come into your mind, I want you to except them, then put them on a bookshelf to return to later. It might be helpful to visualize this process with each thought.

 

Now take a deep breath in through your nose. Fill the air in your lungs as full as you can and when you’re ready, release the air through your mouth.

 

This next deep breath will be a slower inhale; imagine you are sucking in air through a straw. Fill up your lungs with air first, then some more air so your stomach expands. When you’re ready, with a straw sized hole, start releasing the air.

 

This last breath with be like the last; inhale like you're sucking out of a straw. Fill your chest, then your stomach, and once you think you’re full of air, bring in a little more, hold for one more second, then release it all through your mouth at once.

 

Now take a minute to catch your normal breath.

 

With your eyes closed, I want you to call forward your higher power, your guides and any ancestors that you have with you. Ask them to remove anything negative and unwanted from your body, take these low vibration thoughts, feelings and sicknesses and send them to be destroyed.

 

Take a few moments to come back into your body. Once you have returned, start to wiggle your toes, and fingers. Feel free to move your joints and get a good stretch in.”

 

 

RAISING AWARENESS STARTS NOW

 

The human experience looks different for each of us.  We all do things a little differently.  Some of us have one or more conditions that we live with.  What all these conditions have in common, is that they to not discriminate on race, religious beliefs, skin color or gender.  Team Able is welcoming all walks of life to join our community.  We want to start by outlining the four big umbrellas of types of disabilities / conditions.

 

1. Physical Disabilities / Conditions (Movement Based)

 

1. Mental Disabilities / Conditions (Think/Feel)

 

1. Developmental Disabilities / Conditions (Learning)

 

1. Sensory disabilities / Conditions (Receive/Share Information)

 

For our purposes with Team Able, we want to distinguish that there are differences between disabilities. For example, if someone is blind, they lack the sense of vision. It does not mean they also have developmental disabilities. We do not want to assume anything about anyone, as two different people with the same diagnosis will not have the same difficulties and/or experiences.

 

When we talk to people within the Team Able community. Start by having a conversation and getting to know that person. If you feel you need help, please ask. Also, if you feel someone needs help, please ask them first.

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TEAM ABLE’S SAFE SPACE

 

The next important part of Team Able is creating a safe environment for everyone. We are starting by creating a word that will act as a “bookmark” in a conversation. The word is “Donut” or making a circle with your thumb and index finger. (Visually show this). Donut is intended to be used if someone is saying something that may be offensive to you, or when a conversation comes up that may lead you to conflict, or if you feel overwhelmed and need to remove yourself from the situation. The “bookmark” idea is to pause that thought, and revisit it at a different time.

 

Anyone can use donut; however, we ask that the person saying donut collects themselves and is willing to have a conversation about the subject at a later time. If it happens in a group setting, we ask that everyone helps shift the group for support. If the person is wanting to have someone else work through it with them and be a part of the future conversation, we can accommodate that.

 

We do see these moments as learning opportunities. Just like if we are in the group setting and something is said that could be clarified. If something is said that the group can benefit from hearing, please bring it up. Just please do so with kind intentions and understand that we are all learning together.

 

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