Introduction

Vision statement

Values

Objectives

Organizational values

Acceptance

Introduction: TISA is a self help, not-for-profit public charitable trust; it's an association of Indian people who stammer (IPWS). It is active since 2008 and is registered in the office of Sub-registrar, Vikasnagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India on 13th Nov 2009, under Registration Act 1908. Its registration number is 6055. Its head Office is located at:  478/1 Eden Bagh, Hospital Road, Herbertpur Dehradun Uttarakhand, India 248121; Phone: 09412058272, 09897730641.

Its purpose is to collect and disseminate relevant, correct and unbiased information for people who stammer and their families, friends and society in general. It is promoting a self help group movement, where PWS learn to help each other and themselves in the ancient Indian spirit: “This Self is to be achieved through self effort!”

Studies have shown that self help groups (SHGs) provide most consistent and long-lasting support structure; more than any speech therapy or other technique/device. TISA co-ordinates city-wise SHGs in India; currently there are SHGs being run in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Hyderabad and Dehradun.

If you stammer, or know somebody who does, have a look at TISA SHGs. These SHGs are open to all and are absolutely free. To know more about SHG activities, check the left-hand side menu - Self Help Groups. If there is no SHG in your city, start one. You need just two PWS to start a group. It could be a physical group or even a web or phone based group. TISA will help you in every way it can. Drop a mail to Nitin ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or Sachin ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) and we will take it forward. "People who stammer (PWS)" nomenclature is based on the principle of "people first, then disability". It is also based on the concept that stammering is something we do, not who we are. And we do many more things besides stammering!

Vision statement: TISA endeavors to assist PWS in acceptance of their stammering and overcoming the associated behaviors and mindset, through self-help movement. Our vision is a society where stammering is understood both as a significant source of suffering and disability.

Values

1.“Self help” is not just a means but a goal as well. People who learn to rely on themselves, are more empowered and have better self-esteem.
2.Stammering is a long term problem of social presentation of 'Self'. Hence any attempt to deal with stammering should be embedded in social processes like self help groups. Speech therapy is accepted if it is affordable, transparent, based on sound science, clinical evidence and ethics of healing profession.
3.We accept stammering but try to work on communication. Communication transcends fluency. We accept PWS with both overt and covert symptoms, and the entire spectrum in between, as source of significant suffering.
4.In the context of self-help, serving others is same as serving yourself and requires no special qualification except a willingness to serve. Selfless service to people in need, is a spiritual goal by itself, in our traditions.
5.Family, employers, teachers, media- all have a role and responsibility towards children and adults who stammer.

Objectives

1.To start/ promote/ support Self help groups or initiatives in cities and villages, whether physical, phone or web based.
2.To promote availability of self help material (text, video, audio, electronic, web based) in various Indian languages.
3.To promote networking among IPWS and their groups.
4.Work with state actors, policy makers, employers and therapists, in as much as self-help requires a suitable policy environment and specialist interventions.

Organizational values

1.Gender equity - we should have at least 25% women members in every body, whenever possible
2.“Service to others” with no ulterior motive; to make no compromise with commercial interests.
3.We must plan and reach out to rural areas at some point, not too distant in future.
These goals, objectives and values should be re-visited before five years are out.

Acceptance
Acceptance in the case of a stutterer, has often been mis-understood. It is the first step towards change. It does not mean accepting the problem and staying put. It also does not mean denying the problem we face or trivializing it. We reproduce here -with some minor changes, a very balanced understanding of what acceptance would mean in our case, from Tom Weidig:

1. I have a neuro-biological abnormality affecting my speech systems leading to a propensity to stutter.
2. I  have to live with my abnormality for the rest of my life. (as far as we know today).
3. I have to work on myself if I want to improve my communication.
4. I have to work on myself if I want to minimize the psychological and social consequences of stuttering.
4. Shame, negative beliefs and most fears I held or experienced were completely unnecessary and harmful.
5. Stuttering had some positive effect in that I was forced to take a deeper look at myself.
6. Moderate to severe stuttering can be a burden to others who listen to me that I should minimize.
7. Some jobs that strongly focus on fluent verbal expression are not for moderate or severe stutterers.