COUNCIL BLUFFS – If you have a developmental disability, you’re likely to encounter barriers in all facets of your life, whether it’s finding a place to live or work, getting around the community you live in or establishing relationships with others.
One of the things that fuels these barriers is a general lack of understanding – and sometimes fear – on the part of some. In celebration of March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, Vodec is relaunching a program designed to help companies, organizations and other interested groups address this lack of understanding in an interactive way. The goal: helping create inclusive communities that welcome active participation from all who live there.
The program, Common Ground, is a 90-minute workshop in which participants actively engage with Vodec consumers in a safe, welcoming atmosphere.
Common Ground begins with a tour of the facility and a presentation on people with disabilities. Attendees are then paired with a Vodec consumer. Each pair has a one-on-one discussion to discover 10 things each person has in common with the other. “I love witnessing how people are transformed by the experience,” said Daryn Richardson, Vodec’s Services Development Director. “Current events sharply prove we need to remember we all have far more in common than not.”
Following the discussion, everyone is invited to share their experience with the larger group.
Richardson said interested groups can choose from two session times – morning or afternoon. A breakfast session includes a free continental breakfast, and the lunch session includes a free box lunch.
All those who attend the workshop will receive a certificate of completion from Vodec. You can book a workshop at Vodec’s three sites – Council Bluffs and Urbandale in Iowa, and Omaha in Nebraska.
For more information or to book a Common Ground session, contact Richardson at daryn@vodec.org.