Workshop facilitator, Sarah Armour, assisting Ignite’s Erich

JJslist.com offers FREE Reviews for Change Workshops to agencies and organizations interested in teaching clients with disabilities a new way to self-advocate.

Reviews for Change Workshops, lead by Sarah Armour, Business Assistant at JJslist.com, teach individuals with disabilities how to use JJsList.com to advocate for more disability-aware customer service. Through the use of colorful picture tools and interactive exercises, we teach individuals about different types of businesses, define disability awareness, and explain what disability aware customer service looks like. The Reviews for Change Workshops are fun and interactive for everyone involved!

JJsList.com is a review website, similar to Yelp.com and Angie’s List – with an important difference. JJsList.com is completely focused on disability awareness. Reviews on JJsList.com evaluate whether a business is disability-aware, i.e. flexible, accessible, respectful and accommodating to patrons with disabilities.

Sarah has conducted the Reviews for Change Workshop with the Search Ignite individuals. We did a short Q&A with them and here is what they think of Reviews for Change:

Ignite’s Pam showcasing Reviews for Change Worksheet

Q: How would you describe Reviews for Change?

Ignite: It’s a fun and interesting module. We get to practice self-advocacy through writing reviews. It helps us speak up for ourselves. We post reviews on the internet of places we visit out in the community. It’s easy to do, even if you don’t use the internet much.  Sarah is funny. She has a quirky and silly personality that makes the module fun and interesting. She helps out when we can’t remember how to log on or can’t remember our passwords. 

Q: What do you like about Reviews for Change modules?

Ignite: Reviews for Change has helped us learn to speak up for ourselves. Sometimes we watch videos on youtube comparing good and bad customer service. Some of the videos we all like  Seinfield’s The Soup Nazi and Zootopia Customer Service. Sometimes we’ll role play to help us understand customer service. 

Ignite’s Becky with manipulative used in Reviews for Change module

Q: Do you think the disability-aware features on jjslist.com are helpful?  Please explain why or why not.

Ignite: It’s helpful to have the disability-aware features. They are a good guide. Since they are already listed, all you have to do is check the right boxes.  They make writing a review easier.

Q: What have you learned through Reviews for Change modules?

Ignite:  Our communication in general has gotten better. And we have gotten better and more confident at self-advocating, speaking up for ourselves. Because we use Chromebooks, we have also improved our technology skills, including keyboarding and writing. We also pay a lot more attention to places we visit so we can write a review about them.

Q: Why do you think learning how to write reviews is important?

 Ignite: Our reviews let people know if businesses are disability aware; if they are friendly, respectful and patient to people with disabilities. They also let people know if businesses are accessible; if the aisles are wide enough.  

Q: What are some of the places you’ve visited and reviewed?

Ignite: We review every place we visit in the community, including restaurants, stores, museums, movie theaters, libraries and police stations. For example, we have reviewed:

• Nigerian Kitchen
• Bennison’s Bakery
• Cupitol
• Target
• World Market
• The National Museum of Mexican Art
• Water Tower Place 

Ignite participant John writing an online review

Q: Would you recommend Reviews for Change as a learning/self-advocacy tool to others?

Ignite: Yes. It’s a good learning and self-advocacy tool. It helps you write down if you have had a good experience or not and lets us share information about places we’ve visited. The more people who write reviews and express themselves, the better our businesses and communities get!

Are your participants interested in learning a new way to self-advocate?

Contact JJ’s List’s Sarah Armour to schedule a Reviews for Change Workshop!   

Sarah@jjslist.com; 847-869-0000