The DSP Yellow Flag Campaign
By Barbara Wilson
Published: Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The DSP Yellow Flag Campaign was started to build awareness of the Direct Support Professional work force. While working with people with disabilities in our daily lives, we try not to call attention to ourselves or the work we do, as the people we work with set and achieve their personal goals.
If we are doing our job right our profession is set up to be virtually invisible and our plight unnoticed.
Many of our nations’ leaders and community members haven’t had the opportunity to get to know what a DSP is or how important our work is. When working on budgets and evaluating the needs of people with disabilities, how can they make informed choices if they don’t know who we are and what we do? How will they hear the stories of the people we work with?
This campaign gives DSPs a face and brings awareness to others that this is a rewarding and exciting career choice. Everyone whose life has been touched in some way by a DSP can make a flag.
Making a DSP Yellow Flag is a fun way to visually show support and appreciation to the DSP in your life. When other people view the flags they can see the important role DSPs have in people’s lives and how much their work is valued. The flags help build interest and encourage more people to consider a career as a Direct Support Professional. The flags are a visual reminder to those making decisions and legislation that their vote will impact the lives of people with disabilities and DSPs.
The DSP Yellow Flag Campaign is an important tool we can use to bring awareness to the plight of the Direct Support Professional work force and help to reverse the turnover rate and encourage people to seek a career as a DSP. There aren’t enough people seeking employment in this field to meet the demand now. If nothing is done now, there won’t be enough DSPs to provide the quality, individualized services we strive for.
People are making flags individually and some are getting together to make them. Right now most of the flags are being made here in New Hampshire but it is our intent that the DSP Yellow Flag Campaign will go national, and even worldwide. I dream of a National and then an International National Direct Support Appreciation Day where people can also show their appreciation to the Direct Support Professionals in their lives by flying their flag with millions of others.
Last year, on Direct Support Appreciation Day, Governor Lynch signed a flag and added his to the others to help kick off this campaign. DSPs across our nation are facing the same plight as we are here in New Hampshire. I hope our nations Governors and other leaders follow our Governor’s lead and add their flag to show support to DSPs everywhere.
Direct Support Appreciation was Friday, Sept. 26, 2008. The DSP Yellow Flags from last year and those made this year were on display that day at our capital’s front lawn in Concord.
This is an election year and a great time to help candidates learn about the issues that face people with disabilities and Direct Support Professionals. Take this opportunity to share your story. Then hand them a blank yellow flag and ask them for their support and to remember your story.
<i>For more information go to www.heartstudioandgardens.org or write Barbara Wilson at bw_heartstudio@verizon.net or contact David Ouellette at the New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Council, 21 Fruit St. Suite 22, Concord, NH 03302-2451.</i>