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Testimonials
Testimonials
Testimony: Partnering with the TFIL Team
Navigating systems of support as a person with a disability can often feel like trying to find your way through a maze—overwhelming, confusing, and at times, isolating. That’s why my recent consultation with the TFIL Team at The Arc of Northern Virginia stood out as such a powerful and encouraging experience.
I had the opportunity to engage directly with the team to explore strategies for expanding community inclusion and clarifying the often-complicated process of transition planning for individuals and families. What I encountered was a group of professionals who don’t just work for the disability community—they work with us. The team approached every conversation with thoughtfulness, flexibility, and deep respect for lived experience.
Throughout our dialogue, we addressed common and emerging barriers that families face when preparing for life after high school, such as understanding Medicaid waivers, accessing employment support, and finding pathways toward independent living. Drawing from my own experience as a self-advocate and systems navigator, I was able to offer insights on how transition tools could better reflect the realities people like me face every day.
What impressed me most was how responsive and collaborative the team was. This wasn’t a one-sided consultation; it was a shared space of learning and solution-building. We explored ways to make TFIL materials more inclusive—especially for individuals with co-occurring disabilities or those with limited access to technology. We also discussed the value of integrating real-world stories and perspectives from self-advocates, to help ensure that the trainings and resources resonate more deeply with families across Northern Virginia.
This experience reminded me that meaningful independence is not a destination or a checkbox—it’s a journey built on trust, education, and culturally competent support. The TFIL Team gets that. They understand that inclusion means more than just offering resources—it means ensuring those resources are usable, relevant, and rooted in dignity.
More than anything, I left this consultation feeling seen and heard. The team didn’t just ask for feedback—they embraced it. In a world where bureaucratic systems often leave people behind, the TFIL Team continues to show what’s possible when professionals and self-advocates come together to reimagine what true support looks like.
Ian Allan
Self-Advocate, From the Self-Advocate’s Desk Co-founder, Author, and Contributor
The Arc of Northern Virginia
Bridging Systems, Empowering Futures: A Consultation with the TFIL Team
In Northern Virginia, where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face complex pathways to independence, the TFIL Team at The Arc of Northern Virginia continues to be a vital resource. Known for its holistic approach to transition support, the team recently deepened its commitment to inclusive collaboration through a consultation with a self-advocate and community leader.
The session served as a dynamic exchange of perspectives, focusing on strategies to enhance the accessibility and relevance of TFIL’s tools and training materials. The consultation highlighted the importance of integrating lived experience into program development, ensuring that services remain grounded in the real-world needs of those they aim to support.
Particular emphasis was placed on two critical pillars of long-term independence: financial literacy and housing readiness. The self-advocate shared a current goal of advancing their understanding of financial terminology and professional language often used within the industry. While foundational learning through platforms like Khan Academy has provided helpful insight, there is a strong interest in acquiring practical, hands-on experiences to deepen both knowledge and application. This focus reflects a broader need among transition-age youth and adults with IDD for resources that are both empowering and actionable.
The consultation also offered context for the origins of From the Self Advocate’s Desk, a growing initiative within The Arc of Northern Virginia. Initially inspired by the logistical challenges of attending in-person events—despite having access to advance information and planning tools—the initiative was envisioned as a solution to a persistent issue: lack of consistent, accessible representation of self-advocate voices.
Rather than relying solely on one-time testimonies or event participation, the platform was designed to offer an ongoing space where perspectives could be shared, documented, and valued as part of the organization’s broader mission. The result has been a meaningful shift in how self-advocates engage with systems—and how organizations, in turn, listen and respond.
Throughout the consultation, the TFIL Team demonstrated a clear commitment to co-creation and equity. Discussions centered on adapting content for diverse learning needs, incorporating Bridging Systems,
lived experiences into training frameworks, and rethinking how materials are shared with families who may face technological, linguistic, or systemic barriers.
“Too often, resources are built for families without being shaped by them,” one team member noted. “This collaboration challenged us to think differently—and design more inclusively.”
As the TFIL Team continues its work, this consultation serves as a model of what is possible when organizations prioritize meaningful dialogue, responsive planning, and the leadership of those with lived experience. In doing so, they reaffirm a central belief: that building a more inclusive future begins by centering the voices of those shaping it every day.
Ian Allan