Sibshops
Sibshops are pedal-to-the-metal celebrations of the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of kids with special needs.
Sibshops acknowledge that being the brother or sister of a person with special needs is for some a good thing, others a not-so-good thing, and for many, somewhere in-between. They reflect a belief that brothers and sisters have much to offer one another — if they are given a chance. Sibshops are a spirited mix of new games (designed to be unique, off-beat, and appealing to a wide ability range), new friends, and discussion activities.
The Sibshop curriculum is used throughout the United States, Canada, Croatia, England, Ireland, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, Guatemala, Mexico, and Argentina.
Don Meyer is the director of the Sibling Support Project of The Arc of the United States. Don is probably best known for creating Sibshops, lively programs just for young brothers and sisters of kids with special needs. There are over 200 Sibshops in eight countries. Don also created SibKids and SibNet, no-cost listservs for young and adult brothers and sisters which allow hundreds of siblings from around the world to connect with their peers. **
Taken from The Sibling Support Project. Sib Shops is a national program run by The Arc, http://WWW.thearc.org/siblingsupport/
IHIDS will be starting and coordinating a Sibshops program for the Shenandoah Valley over the next year with the target launch of Spring/Summer 2007. If you'd like to become a volunteer or attend the first Sibshop, please send us an email and we will contact you soon!
