Presentation at one day Research to Practice workshop on inclusion for people with intellectual disability held at LaTrobe University in collaboration with ASID Vic, 11 Nov 2013.

1. Supporting People with Intellectual
Disabilities to be Included in the
Community
Melbourne, November 11, 2013
Presented by:
Angela Novak Amado, Ph.D.

2. Integration
People with disabilities have active opportunities to spend most of
each day and most of their lives in good relationships with ordinary
people in common community settings
AND
People without disabilities have active opportunities to spend most
of each day and some of their lives in good relationships with
people who have disabilities in common community settings.
US
THEM
All
OF
US

4. TEN REASONS TO WORK ON
RELATIONSHIPS
1. Relationships are important to all of us
2. People with disabilities themselves express
that friendships & relationships are important
3. People really do have very few friends
4. Health and well-being
5. Adjust the balance between personal and
functional relationships
6. More power and control

5. 7. Reduce personal stress
8. Reduce staff burnout
9. When relationships are supported,
people change
10. Provide community members the
opportunity to be contributed to

6. Relationship Map

7. Connect------Ongoing Support
Plan
Introduce----Assist Others
******************************
Agency Issues

8. Where did you meet
YOUR
friends?

9. Opportunities for Relationships
1. SAME PLACE
SAME PEOPLE
OVER TIME
2. SOME BASIS FOR CONNECTING & EXCHANGE
OPPORTUNITIES TO:
SHARE INTERESTS
CONTRIBUTE
BE CONTRIBUTED TO
Activity

10. SHIFT OUR THINKING
From “Activities” to:
“Who is the person going to get to
know there?”

11. Interests …
-express the meaning in a person’s life
-identify: where are others who share these interests
-identify memberships and associations
-may not be easy to define- are discovered and developed
in action, trying things out
-express the person’s life “calling”

12. GIFTS . . .
1. What does the person do well?
What are their talents and abilities?
2. What do others receive from knowing
this person?
• Identifying gifts that can be contributed to
others- leads to community connections

13. SEVEN APPROACHES TO
CONNECTING
OVERALL QUESTION:
Where are the Opportunities for Relationships? Who will they get
to know there?
A. CONNECTING WITH INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS
1. Where are people who would appreciate receiving this
person’s gifts?
2. Where are all the community places where people engage in
one of this person’s interests? Who are the people who
share this interest?
3. Who are the people who are already acquaintances, who
could be asked to get to know the person better?
4. Who might be/where could we find an interested person
who could be asked to get to know the person better?

14. SEVEN APPROACHES TO CONNECTING
•
B. COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP
5. Where are the associations, clubs, and groups?
- formal
- informal
6. Where are there community places that are hospitable
and welcoming?
7. Where are there community places the person can fit in,
just the way they are?

15. Approach 2: Where Are All the Places An Interest Can
Be Expressed? Who Are the People who Share This
Interest?
Example with Cars:
• Auto repair body shops
• Auto parts dealers
• Service departments
• Auto inspection
• Auto rentals
• Performance racing
• Mechanics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Parking lots-garages
Auto magazines
Used Cars
Car washes
Auto stereos
Race tracks
Gas Stations
Tires

16. • Where are the Places?
• Who do we know there?

17. Approach 4: Finding an Interested Person
Where could we find someone who might befriend this person?
1. Who do you know who would like this person?
2. Social ministry
3. Formal volunteer programs, such as “Best Buddies” (i.e.
college, corporate, high school)
4. Ex-staff
5. Family members of staff
6. Other places, other people?

18. An Associational Map
Prepared by John McKnight
Northwestern University
Center for Urban Affairs and PolIcy Research
2040 Sheridan Road
Evanston, Illinois 60208
Artistic Organizations: choral, theatrical, writing
Business Organizations: Chamber of Commerce,
neighborhood business associations, trade
groups
Charitable Groups & Drives: Red Cross, Cancer
Society, United Way
Church Groups: service, prayer, maintenance,
stewardship, acolytes, men’s, women’s, youth,
seniors
Civic Events: July 4th, art fair, Halloween
Collectors Groups: stamp collectors, flower dryers,
antiques
Community Support Group: “friends” of the library,
nursing home, hospital
Elderly Groups: Senior Citizens
Ethnic Associations: Sons of Norway, Black Heritage
Club, Hibemians
Health and Fitness Groups: Bicycling, jogging, exercise
Interest Clubs: poodle owners, antique car owners
Local Government: town, township, electoral units,
fire department, emergency units
Local Media: radio, newspaper, local access cable TV
Men’s Group: cultural, political, social, educational,
vocational
Mutual Support (Self-Help) Groups: Alcoholics
Anonymous, Epilepsy Self-Help, La Leche League
Neighborhood and Block Clubs: crime watch,
beautification, Christmas decorations
Outdoor Groups: garden clubs, Audubon Society,
conservations clubs
Political Organizations: Democrats, Republicans,
caucuses
School Groups: printing club, PTA, child care
Service Clubs: Zonta, Kiwanis, Rotary, American
Association of University Women
Social Cause Groups: peace, rights, advocacy, service
Sports Leagues: bowling, swimming, baseball, fishing,
volleyball
Study Groups: literary clubs, bible study groups
Veterans Groups: American Legion, Amvets, Veterans
of Foreign Wars & Auxiliaries
Women’s Groups: cultural , political, social,
educational, vocational
Youth Groups: 4H, Future Farmers, Scouts, YMCA

19. FINDING WELCOMING PLACES
*LOCAL PLACES
*SMALL, FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES
*NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS & CLUBS
*COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO “UNDERSTAND”
*PLACES TO “HANG OUT”
*EXPLORE/LOOK FOR/SORT OUT:
WHAT PERSON CAN CONTRIBUTE, EVEN SMALL
THINGS
*INTERDEPENDENCE
*ONE PERSON, ONE ENVIRONMENT
- Kathy Bartholomew-Lorimer

20. SEVEN APPROACHES TO CONNECTING
•
B. COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP
5. Where are the associations, clubs, and groups?
- formal
- informal
6. Where are there community places that are hospitable
and welcoming?
7. Where are there community places the person can fit in,
just the way they are?

21. Selecting Ideas to Pursue:
(Balance these criteria-- figure out which 3 places to start)
1. How good an opportunity it is to get to know community
members personally, and community members to get to know
them
2. Person agrees/likes/willing to try
3. Do-able
4. Ease of welcome

22. “Asking” -- FEARS
• Person with disabilities
• Families
• Staff
• Community members

23. Getting to “Yes”
• What maximizes getting to “yes”?
• What is more likely to have a positive
response?

24. Introductions
TRUST/BELIEF IN INDIVIDUAL
What are you going to say about the individual?
TRUST/BELIEF IN COMMUNITY
MEMBERS
What will you ask the community member for?

25. Agency Structures
1. Prioritization: work on what’s most important in life
2. Not doing “More” but “Different”
3. Define role of staff as community connectors
(expand beyond physical care and skill training)
4. Internal structures:
a. Job descriptions
b. Staff schedules
5. Ongoing internal structures:
a. Ongoing generation of ideas
b. Discussion of what’s worked, what hasn’t
c. Support through ups and downs
6. Agency relationships to perceived barriers
a. Friends are not volunteers
b. Promotion of community belonging vs. liability concerns
c. Introductions as people vs. confidentiality concerns
7. Do “Programming” and “Goals” support flexibility, belonging, the
spirit of community?

26. Structuring One-to-One
Connecting Time
1. Individual staff each select one person to focus on for
connecting; restructure schedule for all staff to spend X
number of hours a week working on connecting their person
2. Program coordinator/director do connecting
3. Program coordinator/director come in for direct support staff,
to free up connecting time for direct support staff
4. Re-arrange accountabilities of all staff to free up one staff
person as community connector
5. Get additional funding or grant for community connector
position

27. Direct Approaches to Community
1. Find/involve town members who “know everybody” and
“know what’s going on”
2. Invite citizens to Community Members’ Forums
-generate connecting ideas around people’s interests
-ask members to ask others who they know
-what associations/clubs (based on people’s interests) do
people know about? who can they approach?
3. Get a list of associations and clubs from the Chamber of
Commerce, etc.
4. Approach associations about having someone join
5. Ask ministers/key church people to initiate efforts within
faith communities
6. Line up interested citizens on one-to-one basis with people who
receive services

28. Tips for Success
“To-Do”s
1. See the person as their Interests and Gifts
2. Explore opportunities for relationships- who can the
person get to know there?
3. Introduce one-to-one
4. One person, one environment
5. Become an “asker”- “It never hurts to ask”

29. Three Necessary Beliefs for Success
1. Your valuing and personal appreciation of
the individual with disabilities
2. Your faith and trust in community members
3. Your belief in the importance of
community building for everyone

30. Friendship and Community
Connections
If you are interested in knowing more about us, our projects, or
other training possibilities for the future, please contact:
Angela Novak Amado, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Human Services Research and Development Center
1195 Juno Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55116
651-698-5565
amado003@umn.edu

31. Resources
1. New Friends Manual: www.rtc.umn.edu/friends
2. Friendship and Community Connections Between
People with and without Developmental Disabilities,
by Angela Novak Amado www.amazon.com/used
books
3. TASH CONNECTIONS, September 2001
“Resource Review: Promoting Friendships,
Community Connections, and Membership”