Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley to hold virtual education series

PARKERSBURG -- The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley Self-Advocate Educational Series will be held 9 a.m. March 25 on Zoom.

Presented by and for self-advocates, "The Improvaneer Method: How Improvisation Is Changing the Game for Those with Developmental Disabilities in the Workplace" is free and open to the public at https://bit.ly/3kWyvGJ.

The Arc will hold quarterly educational and informational programs in 2021 on Zoom. Programs will be presented by people with disabilities and will address topics such as employment, housing, transportation and self-advocacy.

The Improvaneers will kick off the series. Founder, Rob Snow knew from studying improvisation at Second City, ImprovOlympic and The Annoyance Theatre in the late 90s in Chicago that improvisation teaches many valuable skills, like problem-solving, quick-thinking, teamwork, listening and building self-confidence and communication skills like voice projection and eye contact.

"The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley is proud to highlight the multidimensional abilities of people with disabilities," Liz Ford, executive director, said. "People with disabilities have so much to offer. I look forward to learning new skills and looking at problems from a different perspective as I participate in this educational offering by and for people with disabilities. I invite all community members to be a part of and reap the rewards of this program."

The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley gives a voice to people with disabilities through programs, services and advocacy efforts. In addition to the speaking series, The Arc recently developed a monthly Facebook Show titled Legislative Matters Live with M&M.

Legislative Matters Live with M&M focuses on issues important to people with disabilities in West Virginia. Topics such as the COVID-19 vaccination distribution for people with disabilities, transportation challenges, voting equity, employment, housing, education, and the realization of full community inclusion will be addressed.

For more information about The Arc, go to http://thearcmov.org or call 304-422-3151.