The Arc Maryland Personal Space Program Curriculum Guide | Page 24

classes. Ask the participant for permission to contact her Trusted Friend so that you can let
her know about the Personal SPACE Program and ask her to support the participant
between classes. Ask the participant if she would mind whether her Trusted Friend also
attends the classes (if the Trusted Friend wishes to).
While some Trusted Friends will want to attend the Personal SPACE classes and should be
encouraged to do so (with the permission of the participant), it is more likely that
communication with Trusted Friends will occur when they drop off and come to pick up
participants or in some other form. For this purpose, each lesson plan has a “Letter to
Trusted Friends” that summarizes the subjects covered in the class and provides detail about
the continuing learning activity. Because of the importance of the Trusted Friend it is
important that she understand the basic principles of the Personal SPACE Program and what
she is responsible for (i.e. meeting with the participant once a week to support them to
complete the continuing learning activity). Since direct support staff can play a significant
role, it is important that they and their employer feel a sense of ownership over the program
and are supportive of the Program’s principles and goals.
Program Surveys and Class Evaluations
It is recommended that some amount of pre- and post– program surveying be done to
evaluate both participant training needs and whether the program meets the desired learning
outcomes. Prior to the first class, 6-12 survey questions should be drawn from the program
survey in the Appendices and each participant should be individually surveyed. Have selfadvocate trainers do the surveys whenever possible; the interviewer and respondent should
not know each other. Request permission before beginning the survey and let the respondent
know that survey questions cover the subjects of sexuality and violence and that the same
survey is being done before and after the program in order to assess whether the program
helps people learn. Explain that the survey results are confidential and will only be seen by
trainers. Completed surveys with identifying information should be stored or destroyed
following p