Erin Weierbach
Erin Weierbach has worked with people with disabilities for more than 18 years to support them in achieving their goals and discovering their potential for success. She is a disabled wife and mom, business owner, volunteer and professional. Erin is a volunteer for the Charcot Marie Tooth Association as a staff member and travel coordinator for Camp Footprint as well as the Harrisburg, PA branch leader.
She has been a champion for the youth-led, youth-driven model and has developed and facilitated youth programming in various roles in her career. Currently working for the PEAL Center, a parent training and information center, she is a member of the Pennsylvania Community on Transition leadership team and contributes to planning and facilitating advocacy and secondary transition related events statewide and beyond. Erin is also an active member of the Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network and is a member of the Special Education Advisory Panel, working to improve special education in Pennsylvania. What she loves most about the work she does is providing interactive opportunities for young people to learn how to discover the skills and tools they already have to advocate for sustainable change in their communities.
Full Interview:
Interview Transcription:
SPEAKERS
Molly Joyce, Erin Weierbach
Molly Joyce 00:03
Okay, first question is what is access for you?
Erin Weierbach 00:08
Oh, um access to me is equal participation? Do you want me to elebroate.
Molly Joyce 00:18
No, that's pretty good. Honestly, short ones are really great. Okay. What is care for you?
Erin Weierbach 00:28
I think care can look different for everybody. I think it's the level of support a person may need or want.
Molly Joyce 00:40
What is control for you?
Erin Weierbach 00:45
I think control is trying to impose your belief or beliefs or wantt on another person.
Molly Joyce 00:57
What is weakness for you?
Erin Weierbach 01:04
Oh, I'm not sure how to answer that one. Weakness? Um, probably just the absence of a strength the absence of...I don't know, maybe not being as receving everything you need. Not a very eloquent answer I write? No. Just an absence of it...of something. Yeah. An absence of a strength right? Or a..I don't know quit how to word that one.
Molly Joyce 01:44
No, that's totally fine. I love the kind of the hesitations to in a way, you know, to hear it's not like every answer.
Erin Weierbach 01:55
Yeah, not really. I guess I I don't, I think that particular is a lot left to interpretation and perception. Um, anyway, what somebody identifies as a weakness so I feel for me a weakness is area for growth or improvement. Not necessarily a bad thing. It's an opportunity for for growth or improvement.
Molly Joyce 02:27
What is strength for you
Erin Weierbach 02:33
I think its something that makes you feel valued or something that you can contribute to benefit others.
Molly Joyce 02:46
The next one is a little controversial. So again, feel free to not answer it...what is cure for you
Erin Weierbach 02:54
Cure? Oh, I hate that word. Oh, I need to think about that one.
Molly Joyce 03:09
that's a great answer. I don't mean to interject, but...
Erin Weierbach 03:12
No, that's okay. I think I feel like cure is oftentimes something well, I think it's used intention is to be positive sometimes, but I feel that often use it in a negative way like, you know, curious like a fix or a solution to a perceived problem. And not necessarily a real barrier, but a you know, perceived barrier or a aliment that somebody has
Molly Joyce 04:01
What is interdependence for you
Erin Weierbach 04:09
interdependence. Maybe I should have had the questions sent to me um t's kind of like good to happen. You know, this has to happen like a surfboard or looking for like the conditions, you know, what things relying on another another thing, so, you know, in order for me to be in order for me to be happy, I have to have a lot of money in order for I don't know what the word is, um, I guess conditions. More I'm thinking along the lines of conditions. So I don't know how can I say that and make myself sound like you know what I'm talking about? Like you're relying on something external or another person or something to make you feel whole is what I think of when I think of interdependence.
Molly Joyce 05:18
I love that And last one, what is assumption for you
Erin Weierbach 05:24
I think perception. Or ...Yeah, your perception, your initial perception.
Molly Joyce 05:42
That's great. Thank you.