FAQ

What are Sibshops? Sibshops are fun, informative workshops held for children ages 8 – 13 who have a brother or sister with a developmental disability. 

What are the goals of the program?  Sibshops are designed to:
1.  Provide brothers and sisters of children with special needs an opportunity to meet
     other siblings in a relaxed, recreational setting in order to reduce the feeling of isolation
     siblings sometimes feel.   
2.  To provide brothers and sisters with an opportunity to discuss common joys and
     concerns with other siblings.
3.  To provide brothers and sisters with an opportunity to learn how others handle situations
     commonly experienced by siblings of children with special needs.   
4.  To provide brothers and sisters with an opportunity to learn more about the implications
     of their siblings’ special needs. 

What do they do at Sibshops?  Siblings have a chance to meet other brothers and sisters and join them in recreational activities.  While having fun, they can discuss their feelings about being a sib in a safe environment and talk to each other about common concerns, interests, and joys.  This communication can serve to decrease the sense that they are alone  with their experiences.  They have an opportunity to hear about how others have handled difficult situations related to their siblings, and receive a broad array of solutions to use if they experience similar circumstances. 

What are the benefits of Sibshops?  There are many benefits for children who participate in Sibshops.  First, the casual atmosphere and recreational activities promote informal sharing and friendships among participants.  This sharing results in a reduction of the sibling’s sense of isolation.  Friendships begun at Sibshops and continued outside of the program offer sibs ongoing sources of support. 

2008 Sibshop

Don Meyer, the founder of the Sibshop model and Director of the Sibling Support Project, will be facilitating this training for Parents, Adult Siblings, Service Providers, and other agencies working with individuals and families with developmental disabilities.

The April training has two goals and two audiences. The primary goals is to train new Sibshop facilitators and administrators – that is, adult sibs, service providers, parents and other who want to learn how to run a local Sibshop. Those individuals will be required to attend both days of training, with the second day being a demonstration Sibshop with local sibs participating

The secondary goal is to educate parents, service providers, and others about sibs’ ever-changing issues across the lifespan. This is for an audience interested in sibling issues, but not necessarily interested in how to run a Sibshop. This audience will only need to attend the first day of the two-day training.