1. Finding Resources

2. Computer Guru

3. Wheelchair clinics

4. Extended School Year?

5. Did you know?

6. Camps 2002

7. Transformation Awards and Photos

8. Calendar
 

The world – and it is truly the world – of the internet is available to all who want to spend some time with mice and computer screens.                              
Using the internet may seem intimidating so Mental Retardation Services has engaged Mark Friedman, formerly of Speaking For Ourselves fame, to help people learn how to "surf the web" as they say, and to make a resources for people with disabilities website that is a great spot to start.

Can you picture yourself using the computer to find disability resources for your family member? MyCityMyPlace.com is the URL (or address, like your street address) that can open up the world for you. MyCityMyPlace.com is a web-based Resource Directory available on the internet.

But you’re a computer illiterate? Doesn’t matter. You can learn. MRS is holding computer training classes around the city and is providing one-on-one trainers to help you learn.

"We’ve had four trainings so far at the Southwark Free Library," Mark Friedman said. "They were very successful. First time users got to use the library computers. People had to learn how to use mice, but in no time people got caught up in MyCityMyPlace.com in what they were interested in. The scary internet had disappeared – just the resources were there."

Mark related that Mary, who happens to be 80 years old, was interested in support groups for her friend. She was able to use the search engine to look up Down Syndrome. (A search engine is a term for typing in something you’re looking for and having it find it for you. Sure would be nice if a search engine would find my car keys!) In a few moments, the search engine had found the Down Syndrome support group information she was looking for. Mary wrote down the phone number for her friend to contact the group.

Another woman, Connie, has health problems. She clicked on the "health care box" on the MyCityMyPlace.com resource page. That brought up lots of resources, and Connie followed one link to the health problem she has.

"The librarians told me," Mark continued, "that between the two sessions one of the people came back to the library and used the computer. Another person used the FDSS computer that is available at their local base service unit. We hoped that would happen. The computers are right there and the librarians are there to help. The librarians thanked us for helping bring people into the library, even though we were grateful to them for making the training time available for us."

"One of the most amazing things to me is the issue of the digital divide and how it can be overcome. One woman didn’t want to have an email address at the library. She thought it was too complicated. When she browsed through the boxes of resources on MyCityMyPlace.com and found what she wanted, she clicked on the email link. I was wondering what she was going to do if she didn’t have an email address. She typed in her home address and asked the information be mailed to her. I was flabbergasted! That just shows how you can make use of the computer without having a computer at home. If you give people these tools, there are a lot of things people can figure out."

Families are finding MyCityMyPlace.com very useful to look up community events, learn about local parent support groups and agency activities. The Events calendar is very popular. Families and direct support professionals are using this to find things to do for the weekends and free time. The calendar is updated monthly from the Family Forum calendar and is available 24 hours a day. A second calendar from the Philadelphia Representative’s Office of Arts and Culture has an extensive list of all the special exhibits, demonstrations and events being held by the city’s museums, dance and music groups. It is excellent for finding things to do for the weekend on a moment’s notice.

The top ten places people are visiting on MyCityMyPlace.com are: Education, Recreation, Worship/Religion, Getting A Job, Events Calendar, Housing, Friends, Advocacy, Assistive Technology, and Healthcare. Come see how people with disabilities are attending classes at the Philadelphia Community College or taking computer courses at Liberty Resources. Families are going on-line to find support groups and helpful resources for their friends. Future items will cover the new Self-Determination and the State’s Transformation Project. Soon, we will have more Bulletin Boards for parents to talk to other parents about key issues and share useful resources with each other.

The latest item to be added will be this year’s Camps Listing. The listing available on the Website will be searchable and updated frequently. A new offering is a Camp Transportation Bulletin Board where family members can post rides they are offering and/or rides needed to individual camps along with contact information. The parties will be responsible for contacting each other and making their own arrangements.

Mark explained the design of the site, "MyCityMyPlace.com is designed to promote choice, self-determination, and inclusion. I’m working on my Ph.D. in technology to see how tools can help people and non-profits be more effective in achieving their mission. How can we help families get information about disability resources quicker, more reliably? The web page is designed for first-time users. We want to draw people in, have them focus, like a laser. The design of the resource boxes gives quick easy choices to interest someone – almost like the cover on a book. In the trainings so far, it looks like that quick-choice is working. People were quickly drawn in, focused. They were looking up resources in no time at all."

Mark went to an FDSS outreach at Warren E. Smith in early April. He set up the computer and projected MyCityMyPlace.com on the wall. People saw right away how easy it was to find a resource. "Thirty people signed up that night for the training," Mark said. "We guarantee you will learn. We’re set up to help people who have never used a computer before. Volunteers like Lynn Youngman, Jackie Carlucci, PMHCC. and Janet Williams, Mental Retardation Services – all one-time first-time users – are helping in the one-on-one training. Connie and Mary by the end of the day were able to look up stuff and find really useful resources. We guarantee you can learn," Mark emphasized again.

Contact MRS at 215-686-0253, to sign up for MyCityMyPlace.com Internet training when it comes to your area.

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