Faith communities can be an important source of connection for people with and without disabilities.
In his presentation From Barriers to Belonging, Dr. Erik Carter describes how church communities can more actively welcome and support people with disabilities.
Putting Faith to Work: The Call and Opportunity for Faith Communities to Transform the Lives of People with Disabilities and their Communities. The purpose of this paper is to outline the vision and foundations of the “Putting Faith to Work” project. "We begin by exploring some of the religious, theological, and spiritual understandings of the importance of work (the “whys”) and then provide more detail about how faith communities might put that vision into practice (the “hows”). This paper (and, eventually a good-practice guide) is not meant to be a rulebook but rather a set of considerations, recommended practices, and creative possibilities. We anticipate and count on the congregations that pilot this project to learn from and be inspired by each other.”
The Transition to Retirement intervention was developed in Australia to support inclusive retirement options for older adults with IDD. It is described in this one-hour video.
In addition, the accompanying book is available for purchase in print, Google Play, and Apple iBook versions..
The Asset-Based Community Development Institute (ABCD), located at the Center for Civic Engagement, is at the center of a large and growing movement that considers local assets as the primary building blocks of sustainable community development. Building on the skills of local residents, the power of local associations, and the supportive functions of local institutions, asset-based community development draws upon existing community strengths to build stronger, more sustainable communities for the future.”
One of their tools is the Mapping Community Assets Handbook, a hands-on workbook with questions and worksheets to guide mapping of individual and community assets.
Use the sidebar on the left to access a selection of resources that promote Guidepost 2: community membership and contribution.