About Us > Our Programs > Sibshops

Sibshops

What are Sibshops?

For the adults who plan them and the agencies that sponsor them, Sibshops are best described as opportunities for brothers and sisters of children with special health and developmental needs to obtain peer support and education within a recreational context. They often reflect an agency's commitment to the well-being of the family member most likely to have the longest-lasting relationship with the person with special needs.

However, for the young people who attend them and the energetic people who run them, Sibshops are best described as events. Sibshops are lively, pedal-to-the-metal celebrations of the many contributions made by brothers and sisters of kids with special needs.

Sibshops acknowledge that being the brother or sister of a person with special needs is a good thing for some, others a not-so-good thing, and somewhere in between for many. They reflect a belief that brothers and sisters have much to offer one another - if they are given a chance.

The Sibshop model intersperses information and discussion activities with new games (designed to be unique, off-beat, and appealing to a wide ability range). Sibshops are as fun and rewarding for the people who host them as they are for the participants.

Sibshops seek to provide siblings with opportunities for peer support. Because Sibshops are designed (primarily) for school-age children, peer support is provided within a lively, recreational context that emphasizes a kid's-eye view.

Sibshops are not therapy, group or otherwise, although their effect may be therapeutic for some children. Sibshops acknowledge that most brothers and sisters of people with special needs, like their parents, are doing well, despite the challenges of an illness or disability. Consequently, while Sibshop facilitators always keep an eye open for participants who may need additional services, the Sibshop model takes a wellness approach.

This description of Sibshops is taken from Chapter 1 of "Sibshops: Workshops for siblings of children with special needs" (Donald J. Meyer & Patricia F. Vadasy, 1994, Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company); all rights reserved.

For more information or to register for the Sibshops program, please contact us.