By Cathy Macken, Viewpoint Rights Group, Sunbeam House Services County Wicklow.
Sunbeam House services provides services and supports to adults with intellectual disabilities.
Featured in this video is Cathy Macken, who attends Sunbeam, in conversation with Eileen Kelly – Independent Advocacy Facilitator. Cathy is a member of Viewpoint, Sunbeam’s Rights Group. She is also the Group’s Treasurer. Together they discuss the importance of voice and participation in living a rich and fulfilled life.
Cathy talks about her busy life. Her time is spent studying Business, working hard at her two part-time jobs as a qualified Barista and doing amazing volunteer work with Team Hope. She tells us what good support looks like: job coaching, education, and opportunities to learn new skills. Cathy shows us how she aligns her own personal goals such as budgeting and money management with the activities she chooses, to enable her to reach her potential.
Cathy also talks about the value of family support. She advocates for much more talking and listening to make sure that the voices of people with disabilities are heard. She also shares her powerful poem with us about Voice – ‘See me for who I am, not what I am’.
This video was showcased at YAP’s National Event on August 18th 2022 in Croke Park.
YAP would like to thank Cathy and Eileen for consenting us to publish this video on our website and for speaking at our National Event.
