2025 MASS Self-Advocacy Conference

Name: 2025 MASS Self-Advocacy Conference
Start: 2025-11-22T09:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-11-22T16:30:00-05:00
Location: Norwood Conference Center at the Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Schedule

Sat Nov 22 2025 at 09:00 am to 04:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Norwood Conference Center at the Four Points by Sheraton Norwood | Norwood, MA

On Nov. 22, 2025 at Sheraton Norwood meet with self-advocate peers +make your ideas count! Early Bird registration ends Thursday, October 9.
About this Event

Join us for a day of advocacy, friendship, and fun at the MASS Annual Self-Advocacy Conference! Learn from your peers, network with fellow self-advocates, and be a part of a movement of self-advocates saying Your IDEAS (Inclusion, Decisions, Education, Accessibility, Self-advocacy) Count!

Saturday, November 22, 2025 from 9am - 4:30pm

Registration closes completely on Monday, November 10. No walk-ins, you must register to attend. Questions, or need to pay another way? Email [email protected] for more information.

Thank you to our GROW Sponsors!
Event Photos

Advocates

https://advocates.org/

Vinfen

https://vinfen.org/

Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS)

https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-developmental-services

Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council

https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-developmental-disabilities-council

Thank you to our BUILD Sponsors!
Event Photos

Delta Projects

https://www.deltaprojects.org/

The Guild for Human Services

https://www.guildhumanservices.org/

Thank you to our DEVELOP Sponsors!

Northeast Arc

Road to Responsibility, Inc.

Seven Hills

Sunshine Village

The Conference will feature...

Keynote Speaker - Andre Williams

Andre Williams

Raffle

Buy your tickets during the conference and try to win a prize!

Prizes include gift cards to restaurants across Massachusetts, vouchers for bowling and mini-golf, tickets to sports events and theaters, and so much more!

Agenda

🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Sponsor and Exhibitor Check-in
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
General Attendee Check-in and Nametags - Meet & Greet
🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Start and Opening Welcome, Sponsor and Special Guest thank you and recognition
🕑: 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Keynote Speaker, (30 min) Andre Williams
🕑: 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Awards Part 1 (15 min)

Info: The Craig Smith Spirit Award, The Judi Rodger Mentorship Award, The Janet Laperle Encouragement Award, the MDDC/MASS Sandra Houghton Self-Advocate of The Year Award

🕑: 11:00 AM - 11:15 AM
15 minutes to walk to workshops and exhibitors and to purchase raffle tickets
🕑: 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Workshop Block 1
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
Walking back to the main ballroom
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch (1 hour 15 min)
🕑: 12:30 PM - 12:45 PM
Awards Part 2 and Announcements

Info: The Gunnar Dybwad Supporter Award and The Nancy Maynard Leadership Award

🕑: 01:15 PM - 01:30 PM
Awards Part 3 (15 min)

Info: The Alfred “Big Al” Daigle LGBTQ+ Community Support Award

- The John Gibbons Rainbow Group of the Year
-Pauline Bosma LGBTQ+ Leadership Award

🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:00 PM
Question & Answer (Q&A) with DDS.
🕑: 02:00 PM - 02:45 PM
Photo Booth, Exhibitors, Raffle, Meet & Greet
🕑: 02:45 PM - 03:30 PM
Workshop Block #2
🕑: 03:30 PM - 03:45 PM
Return for more fun, Photo Booth
🕑: 03:45 PM - 04:00 PM
Photobooth, Exhibitors, Raffle
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Final raffle draw (we will mail out to winners)