Center News

Spring 2004 – Community Outreach

The ARC of Greensboro, Inc.

We continued our partnership from the fall. In which we had interviewed three gentlemen to develop persuasive speeches that will be presented in an effort to gain awareness or to raise money for the ARC. In addition we worked on the speech’s introduction/body/conclusion and facilitated a workshop session on delivery (standing, sitting, with and without a podium, and videotaping).

This semester we helped ARC employees with their delivery skills through a series of consultations and workshops. ARC employees participated in “Mental Retardation Awareness Month” by doing presentations with the skills they learned from the Speaking Center.

Click on the links below to view their speeches.

• Chuck Flaherty
• John Van Hine
• John Venable

Triad Storytelling Circle

We continued our partnership from the fall. On March 14, 2004 two representatives from the University Speaking Center presented a storytelling workshop to the Triad Storytelling Circle. This group is comprised of members of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild and works toward raising “public awareness and [an] appreciation of storytelling”. Their own pamphlet states that “storytelling is a form of teaching and training that taps into the emotions more readily than direct instruction and guides listeners to a new understanding.” So, the participants were very open to this workshop which was entitled “Employing Storytelling to Teach Tolerance” and focused on the way storytelling could be used to make changes in our society and break down the cultural barriers that exist in our world.

The workshop began with a definition of tolerance; Heritage Dictionary Online defines it as “the capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others”. Next, several tolerance themes such as helping others, empathy, and gender roles were discussed. Examples were shared from the personal classroom telling experiences of the two presenters. They shared information on making a session plan with a mid-story question to enforce the tolerance theme to an audience of young children. Also, information about the UNCG Storytelling Project, the North Carolina Character Education program, the Greensboro Children’s Museum’s Face to Face exhibit, and Cable “Creative Community” was shared.

After the workshop, a storytelling event took place. At every meeting, the Triad Storytelling Circle provides storytelling entertainment for the residents at a local nursing home in exchange for the use of one of their meeting rooms. The two representatives from the Speaking Center participated in this program by adding their storytelling talents.

The Speaking Center was able to reach out to this group, and share with them how we teach tolerance at UNCG, one story at a time. We were able to encourage the Triad Storytelling Circle members to use their talents to work for tolerance. The presenters and the participants exchanged ideas and resources and it was a beneficial experience for all involved.

Center for New North Carolinians, Americorps Division

We participated in their speaker’s, training program. We provided an interactive workshop on delivery tips (facial/body/gesture/eye contact/movement) and provided them with anxiety tip sheets and dress tip sheets.

Girl Scouts of the Triad

We presented four, 35-minute activity sessions during a four-hour time slot on a Sat. afternoon. The topics of the sessions were a mock court, active listening, creating a specialized word dictionary, delivery, appearance and dress, speaking styles, and managing public speaking anxiety. The badges the girls were working towards included Conflict Resolution, The Lure of Language, Do you Get the Message, and From Stress to Success. During the middle of the day we scheduled an interview segment where the girls could ask the consultants questions about the different roles they play as students, husbands/wives, or in leadership positions on- and off-campus. The entire workshop session ended with optional campus tours.

Forensics/Speech and Debate at Western Guilford High School

A student who is now a consultant, as part of a communication internship, assisted an English teacher at a local high school. The English teacher was chosen by the high school’s principal to pilot a forensics program. The consultant performed most of her work in the classroom; it was content-based help. She did some traveling to various forensics conferences in North Carolina. The student served as a judge for some of these events and has been offered a part-time Forensics coaching position next fall. The current project that the high school students are working on involves reading children’s literature in search of stories to tell in upcoming competitions.

Toastmasters

We hosted a local Toastmasters meeting with hopes for future partnerships.

Greensboro Public Library

A consultant assisted in coordinating a storytelling schedule for the local public library.

Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) Faculty Training Session

We continued the work we started in the fall including facilitating a workshop on nonverbal and verbal immediacy behaviors.

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Chuck Flaherty

Hello my name is Chuck Flaherty and I am the President of the ARC of Greensboro’s Self-Advocacy Group. I am also an ARC of Greensboro board member. I would like to tell you how the ARC of Greensboro has helped me. Many of the things that I have accomplished would not be possible without the ARC of Greensboro. The ARC of Greensboro has taught me leadership skills to serve as the President of a club. I have also learned how to communicate for myself and others. When I speak up for myself it is known as self-advocating.

As the President of the ARC of Greensboro’s Self-Advocacy Group, I get to talk to senators about the work that the ARC of Greensboro does. I also let them know about the needs of my peers. The ARC of Greensboro, through my position as president of the Self-Advocacy group, has taught me the skills to speak for others in my group. I tell their stories to others. My position as president has also shown me how to have a voice and to understand the value in speaking for others. Through my experience of meeting with senators, I get to know new people and participate in new activities. At Self-Advocacy conventions, I explain to other group members how to get around Greensboro and I learn important skills by attending workshops.

I am also on the board for the ARC of Greensboro. As a board member, I get to have a voice on how the ARC of Greensboro spends money and how it develops programs. I also help the board give direction to the staff on how to organize these newly developed programs.

As you have heard, the ARC of Greensboro has helped me in many ways. I hope that my story encourages you to either continue to support the ARC of Greensboro with your time or money, or to begin to support this great organization. Your contributions will enable the ARC of Greensboro to help other citizens like myself have a voice and receive useful leadership skills gained through programs like the Self-Advocacy Group and other leadership building programs.

John Van Hine

Hello my name is John Van Hine and I have an amazing memory. My amazing memory allows me to stand here today and tell you how the ARC of Greensboro has helped me. Many of the things that I have accomplished would not be possible without the ARC of Greensboro. The ARC of Greensboro has helped me develop many job skills, life skills, and has allowed me to become a more informed, independent, and well-rounded citizen.

The ARC of Greensboro has helped me in several ways. First, the ARC of Greensboro found me my job at Chic-Fil-A. This is my first job. The ARC also provided me with a job skills coach. With the help of my job skills coach, I learned how to wash the windows, wipe the counters, refill the condiments, and prepare the trays at the Guilford College Chic-Fil-A. After some time working there, I won a national Employee of the Year award from Chic-Fil-A. The ARC of Greensboro continues to send a job coach by to see how I am doing at my job. When she stops by, it makes me feel really happy.

I also have a life skills coach from the ARC of Greensboro. Through working with her, I have become more independent. She stops by my house on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. So far, my life skills coach has taught me how to shave, how to fold laundry, and how to cook a little. She has also taught me how to budget the money that I put into my own bank account. I like my life skills coach – she’s very kind, nice, and friendly. When she stops by, it makes me feel happy and more independent.

Finally, my work through the Self Advocacy Group, sponsored by the ARC of Greensboro, is beneficial to my lifestyle. IÍve learned how to live in the Greensboro community. The Self Advocacy Group invites speakers to come talk to us about such issues as safety, transportation, and voting. From this group, I’ve learned such things as how to use the SCAT transportation system. This system has proven to be very useful and I often take SCAT in order to get to work.

As you have heard, the ARC of Greensboro has helped me in many ways. I hope that my story encourages you to either continue to support the ARC of Greensboro with your time or money, or to begin to support this great organization. Your contributions will enable the ARC of Greensboro to help other citizens like myself to become more self-sufficient and receive useful skills through programs like the Self Advocacy Group and through the life skills and job skills coaches.

John Venable

Hello my name is John Venable and I would like to tell you how the ARC of Greensboro has helped me. Many of the things that I have accomplished would not be possible without the ARC of Greensboro. The ARC of Greensboro has allowed me to become a more informed, independent, and well-rounded citizen. Indirectly, the ARC of Greensboro has helped me in a number of ways. It has made it possible for me to attend school and to receive an education that has given me necessary job skills and has taught me how to use sign language.

Because of the ARC of Greensboro movement, different community organizations and schools have developed programs. The ARC of GreensboroÍs influence in the community has changed peopleÍs opinions and opened opportunities for me. These opportunities have allowed me to take a sign language class at GTCC and sign a song by Celine Dion at my graduation and at the ARC of GreensboroÍs Awards Dinner. I have signed songs at other events too.

I graduated from McIver Education Center in Greensboro. My career development education at McIver helped me develop work habits and job skills necessary for my adult life. After graduating from McIver, I now have the ability to apply for jobs in the community and have worked at McKnight Hardware for 2 years.

Because of the ARC of Greensboro, the community knows that there is a need to create programs that are open to all community members and not just certain ones. The ARC of Greensboro has given me a voice and that means I will be able to participate in more and more community programs. Someday I will have an apartment of my own and the programs of the ARC of Greensboro will give me the skills I need to succeed independently.

As you have heard, the ARC of Greensboro has helped me in many ways. I hope that my story encourages you to either continue to support the ARC of Greensboro with your time or money, or to begin to support this great organization. Your contributions will enable the ARC of Greensboro to help other citizens like myself to become more self-sufficient and receive useful skills such as sign language.