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Sibshops are lively, 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 intersperses information and discussion activities with new games (designed to be unique, off-beat, and appealing to a wide ability range), cooking activities, and special guests who may teach participants mime, how to juggle or, in the case of one guest artist who has cerebral palsy, how to paint by holding a toothbrush in your mouth.
Sibshops seek to provide siblings with opportunities for peer support.  Because Sibshops are designed (primarily) for school-age children, peer support is provided within a lively, recreational context that emphasizes a kids’-eye-view.

Sibshops are not therapy, group or otherwise, although their effect may be therapeutic for some children.  Sibshops acknowledge that most brothers and sisters of people with special needs, like their parents, are doing well, despite the challenges of an illness or disability. 

Through over fifty years of experience, Via knows that individuals with a disability are part of a family and families  share in both the joys and sorrows of their loved one.  A sibling relationship is often the longest relationship that many individuals have in their lives, often outlasting parent-child relationships and marital relationships.

Siblings wear many hats and often experience “unusual concerns” such as over identification, embarrassment, guilt, isolation, loneliness and loss, resentment, increased responsibility and the pressure to succeed.  On the flip side, siblings often experience “unusual opportunities” such as maturity, self-concept and social competence, insight, tolerance, pride, vocational opportunities, advocacy and loyalty.

Via wants to offer siblings a lively celebration of the many contributions they make to their brothers and sisters with special  needs and to support the well-being of the family member most likely to have the longest-lasting relations hip with the person with special needs.

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For more information, contact:
Julie DePhillips, Director of Children's Services
j.dephillips@vianet.org • 484-893-5392