We share a community rich in social and economic opportunity. But too often, our community members with disabilities face barriers to the opportunities many of us value. Together, we can look to the sidelines. Who is being excluded? Who doesn’t have a seat at our table? Here at Integrate for Good, we strive to create a culture of inclusion. We have a strong dedication to having a powerful social impact within our community. We commit ourselves to building this culture of inclusion every day through our Empowerment Lab, our inclusive volunteer events, and our educational programs. We empower students and adults with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities like autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy.
We are excited about our outcomes, and we know we can do more. We have identified a need for leadership training for people with disabilities. We look around our chamber of commerce events and our networking groups. Important members of our community are absent. Who has a platform to offer training and share their knowledge with the community in-person and virtually? Again, the voices and perspectives of people with disabilities are missing.
That’s where our Leadership Incubator comes into play! Integrate for Good’s Leadership Incubator is an innovative solution designed to build a culture of inclusion and equity, while creatively addressing sustainability. Our community members with disabilities will benefit by having access to training and opportunities to lead corporate and community engagement events revolving around our Sleeping Mat Project. Historically under-represented in the workforce, people with disabilities will have opportunities to be seen, celebrated, and paid for their work. Our entire community will benefit when previously untapped talent is captured.
Integrate for Good's Leadership Incubator is a 10-week program. Each cohort of eight participants meets for two hours per week, with opportunities for additional, optional engagement. The curriculum is universally designed to acknowledge diverse learning styles. Instruction is engaging and inclusive, incorporating guest speakers, multi-media presentations and experiential learning. After participants complete the Leadership Incubator program, they are confident and prepared to lead the projects with people of all ages and abilities in schools, in community organizations like libraries and senior centers, on college and university campuses and within corporate settings.
The Integrate for Good Leadership Incubator will inspire and empower people of all abilities to lead through volunteerism. When we work together to ensure that tomorrow’s leaders are inclusive of people of all abilities, we strengthen our community by making it whole. Our vision is simple—everyone in the community, regardless of ability, should have the opportunity to help make that community a better place.