Inclusion Seekers: Building Community

INTRODUCTORY SESSION

(You can attend this prior to booking to attend the 4 session course which will run over 4 weeks).

An Exciting New Initiative Starts Soon!

Building strong communities is more critical than ever, especially in a world that can feel disconnected. Strong communities provide a sense of belonging, support and shared purpose for everyone. For people with intellectual disabilities and autism, the risk of isolation is often high. Our vision should not be just to include people with disabilities in the community but to foster neighbourhoods where diversity is not just welcomed but celebrated.

This is the vision that Starfire, an organisation based in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been championing since 1993. Starfire works to break down barriers of isolation for people with developmental disabilities by focusing on building genuine relationships and fostering a sense of belonging. They have moved away from traditional service-based models to create opportunities where every individual is known and valued within their community.

This online workshop is an introduction to a series of 4 online sessions that will cover a variety of topics including:

• community building strategies

• discovering strengths

• affirming gifts

We will dive into:

• Real stories that spark connection and collective action.

• Proven strategies to build inclusive, lasting community efforts.

• Fresh ways to recognise strengths....and shift the narrative beyond disability.

• Creative tools to grow relationships and energise community involvement.

What's Next?

You can attend just this introduction session however, if the introductory session has sparked your interest and you want to learn more, you can join a 4 session online course with Starfire in October, 2025. More information coming soon!

Following the 4 session course, 10 people with disabilities and their families, who are keen to start their own small neighbourhood event or project will be supported further and given a small grant to implement their own neighbourhood connection idea in their local community.

More information will be provided during the course!