Introducing: The T4T Hosting Council

These past several months, T4T has been working to form a professional team to allow us to serve the I/DD community with a variety of weekly groups that are a good fit for a people with a wide range of needs and interests.

Some members of our Hosting Council are well-known advocates in the Austin Community. Some are, what we call "Pioneer Participants" of T4T, having been on this journey of developing peer support for individuals with I/DD since year one of this four year project. Presently this council includes our newest members, Dave and Kate Chapple, along with Kristen Gooch and our "Pioneers" Liz Taylor White, Molly Hale, Shon Parker, Juan Munoz and Susie Angel. We have Jordan Smelley, who is a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist and Janeth Perez-Dominguez, LCSW.

Members of this Hosting Council are collaborating in small teams of 2-3 members to begin holding multiple groups. Because we offer groups virtually, we are able to hold more than one group at a time, and include individuals who would find it difficult to join in-person.

Presently, we hold the following groups:

Mondays and Fridays at 3:30 pm: An all-inclusive Peer-Run Open Share

Mondays at 3:30 pm, in a separate breakout room, we offer The Healing Circle, support to individuals with I/DD who would like to work on emotional healing and ways to improve mental wellness.

On Fridays at 3:30 pm, also in a breakout room, we offer a Spiritual Care Circle for individuals with and without I/DD to encourage one another in faith and with prayer.

On Wednesdays at 3:30 pm, we have an opportunity for individuals with I/DD to meet with our Channels 4 Self-Advocacy Team. This is to offer an opportunity for an individual with I/DD to share any challenge they are experiencing that is keeping them from making progress towards their self-determined goals.

Also on Wednesdays, we have a Peer Group for peers with Intellectual Disabilities.

Thursdays, from 3-4:30 pm, we have an exciting new group, Adapting Sheros specifically for women with mobility issues.

And, on Thursday evenings, we are preparing to host a Spanish Speaking T4T Peer Support Group. Team members Juan Munoz and Janeth Perez-Domingues are partnering with "Pioneer" volunteer participants, Cori Sofia Ponce and Yoab Cabrera and Integral Care's Bi-Lingual Service Coordinator, Vianey Gutierrez, who is volunteering her time to translate our trainings into Spanish in a way that is culturally sensitive.

Other groups that we are considering forming based on interest include:

Men with disabilities, Performing artists with disabilities, Cancer support and information for people with disabilities, Inclusive Arts Interest Group, Relationship Support for people with disabilities, Inclusive, All-abilities Teens group, Inclusive, All-abilities Kids group and more!

Please email T4T Project Director, Teel Montague @ teel@imagineart.net for more information or to sign up for Peer Support.