Building Bridges: The Art of Friendship

Booking 1 ticket gives you access to all sessions (see below dates for further details)

Let's Learn About Making Friends

Do you have an intellectual disability or autism?

Would you like to know more about making and keeping friends?

Then you may be interested in attending the Friendship Matters course delivered by Belonging Matters.

Why Are Friends Important?

Friends are a very important part of life. They make things more fun and give us people to share our time with. We can talk to our friends, learn new things from them, and they help us when we are sad or need support.

For people with an intellectual disability or autism, having friends is extra important. Good friends can stand up for you and help you out. They are also a big help for the future, especially when families can’t always be there.

What is the Course About?

Often, we hear from people with an intellectual disability and or autism that they are lonely and don’t have many friends without a disability. It can be hard to know how to make new friends and keep them, and this can be even harder for people with disabilities.

The Art of Friendship Course is about people coming together to help make it easier for friendships to grow and to talk and learn about:

• Being part of the community: When people with disabilities have a role in their community, like in a club or on a team, they can meet new people. This makes it much easier for friendships to start.

• Friendship skills: Making friends is a skill you can learn. Together, we can learn how to talk to others and be a good friend.

• How supporters can help: Support workers have an important job. They can create good situations for friendships to grow and provide support and information about how to connect with others.

The Art of Friendship Course will bring people with disabilities and their supporters together. Everyone will learn how we can all work together to create more friendships and help them last.

Who is the course for?

The Art of Friendship Course is for people with an intellectual disability and/or autism (and their supporters) who would like to meet to learn about friendship and share their experiences.

Supporters cannot come alone; they need to come with the person that they are supporting.

About the Course?

This course will be made up of 5 sessions. We will meet in person. There will be activities to be done between sessions at home. Each person in the course will need to bring 1 or 2 support people. Your support people might include a family member and/or support worker. Your supporters will be required to attend an introductory session before the course begins so they understand their role. This will be held online.

Event Details

This course will be delivered over 5 face-to-face sessions (Ferntree Gully Community Arts Centre), with the required session for supporters being held online via Zoom on Wednesday, 15 October 2025.

Dates are as follows:

• Wednesday, 15 October 2025 (Required Session for Supporters) via Zoom (6.30 pm - 8 pm)

• Thursday, 30 October 2025 (2 pm to 4 pm - Ferntree Gully Community Arts Centre)

• Thursday, 6 November 2025 (2 pm to 4 pm - Ferntree Gully Community Arts Centre)

• Thursday, 13 November 2025 (2 pm to 4 pm - Ferntree Gully Community Arts Centre)

• Thursday, 20 November 2025 (2 pm to 4 pm - Ferntree Gully Community Arts Centre)

• Thursday, 27 November 2025 (2 pm to 4 pm - Ferntree Gully Community Arts Centre)

Afternoon tea is provided at all face-to-face sessions.

Accessibility

This course will use teaching methods that are accessible and engaging for people with developmental disabilities.

For further information please phone 03 9739 8333 or email info@belongingmatters.org