Abilis is holding a Sibshops workshop on Wednesday, May 19, for Fairfield County children and teens, ages 10-to-14, who are brothers and sisters of someone who has a disability. Sibshops are high-spirited and fun workshops that combines recreation, discussion and information for siblings of those with a disability. Sibshops provides a safe space for siblings to share their thoughts and feelings while also meeting others in similar circumstances and provides a place to enjoy themselves through different recreation activities and through playing games while also learning about the services their brother(s) or sister(s) receive. The Sibshops event on Wednesday, May 19, runs from 5:00 until 6:30 p.m., and is virtual. To register visit abilis.us/calendar. For questions contact Maddy Schulte at schulte@abilis.us.
Sibshops is an international program created by the Sibling Support Project. The Sibshop curriculum is used throughout the United States and Canada and in Japan, New Zealand, Argentina, Iceland, Ireland, England, Italy, and Turkey.
The Abilis Sibshops program is limited to a group size of 10-to-12 siblings and will be run as a workshop, co-facilitated by Maddy Schulte and Mary Kate (MK) Blum. Maddy is a case manager, healthy relationships and self-advocacy instructor at Abilis. She is graduating last year from Fordham University with her master’s degree in social work and started at Abilis as an intern in 2019, where she fell in love with the work they do. She received her Sibshop facilitator certification in July 2020 and loves bringing Sibshops to Abilis! Mary Kate, otherwise known as MK, is 16-years-old and attends Greenwich Academy. She is passionate about musical theater and the GA Varsity Dance Team. Outside of school, MK is a Girl Scout senior and a volunteer at Abilis where she serves as the secretary on the Abilis Youth Board. MK is also close with her family, especially her sister Brinkley, who along with many talents and unique qualities, is challenged with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD. MK also loves being part of Sibshops at Abilis, where she can help siblings have fun, relax, learn and connect with other peers who just get it.
Registration is limited and spaces will fill up fast, so it is recommended to register online at abilis.us/calendar (click on the corresponding date to go to the Sibshops registration page).
Abilis is celebrating its 70th year in 2021 of being a 501c3 non-profit organization that supports more than 800 individuals with special needs and their families from birth throughout their lives. Abilis is a leader serving the special needs community in Fairfield County, Connecticut, in towns including Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford, Westport, Weston and Wilton, and has a long-standing reputation for individualized, high quality care. For more information, visit www.abilis.us, or facebook.com/Abilisinc, twitter.com/Abilis, or instagram.com/abilis_us.
