Interfaith Disability Connection would like to thank you all for your time, support and knowledge that made this year’s conference an amazing one. The number of participants exceeded our expectations and lead to a wealth of information and knowledge shared by all. 

"The conference was lively, informative, faith-filled , and honoring of all people, with and without disability."

   - Ginny Thornburgh, Director, Interfaith Initiative, American Association of People with Disabilities

To re-inspire participants and inspire and inform those who could not attend we have posted the following key findings from breakout sessions from the conference:

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Hospitality requires that our congregations go above and beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act (http://www.interfaithdisability.org/ada_and_religion.php)
  
  
• People with disabilities are the experts about welcome and hospitality to people with disabilities engage them.
  
  
• Sometimes disabilities are invisible 
  
  
• Empathy/ Sympathy for people who have disabilities
  
  
• Our congregations have to reflect G-D- (Would what we are doing in our   congregations lead a visitor to the conclusion that G-D is “nice?”)
  
  
• All People want to be valued (One Group highlighted Gifts Abilities Talents Experience and Skills)- All Groups discussed getting people with disabilities involved on the basis of their gifts-possibly surveying to discover those abilities
  
  
• Self-Advocacy –The voices of people with disabilities should be LOUDER and more evident- All groups mentioned advocacy-in one it was a fine line between pushing and convincing about the right thing to do.
  
  
•  PEOPLE with disabilities are PEOPLE not their disabilities
  
  
•  Access to facilities, programs, and transportation are important
  
  
• Create ALLIES (People who are aging and people with disabilities who share similar concerns)
  
  
•  Shut-ins are really shut-out
  
  
•  Community Support is crucial (http://www.interfaithdisability.org/start_a_support_group.php?rid=2&mid=99)
  
  
• Build relationships across the congregations and in collaboration with fellow congregants develop strategies
  
  
• Open eyes (if possible), doors, and hearts to issues
  
  
• “If you build it they will come.”  
  

COMMUNICATION

• Ensure that everyone is in the loop regarding your congregation’s accessibility-create cheat sheet for receptionist, put a statement about inclusion on your congregation’s web site, in bulletins, newsletters, etc.
  
  
• Create a guide to your congregation’s accessibility/inclusion features
  
  
•  Plan for the presence and participation of people who use service animals
  
  
• Ask questions about specific accommodations on your congregation’s membership form.
  
  
• Survey people with disabilities about accessibility/ accommodations that need to be made.
  Ask them to rank the needs in order of importance to assist with prioritizing
  
  
• Every Group mentioned the importance of changing language around disability. Although there is much conversation regarding disability and language best practice in the disability community is person-first-language. This convention begins with the person first and then the disability. Person-first-language recognizes that disability is but one aspect of an individuals reality.
  
  
• Many participants wanted to encourage their congregations to adopt person-first-language.
  

RESPITE CARE

• Every group mentioned the importance of respite care
  
  
• Connect with & learn from congregations/organizations who are already offering respite
  
  
• A Success Story from Interfaith Disability Connection about a respite program (http://www.interfaithdisability.org/success_stories.php#Circle)
  
  
• The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection (http://www.e-lcr.org/svcmin-circlefriends.htm)
  
  
• FOCUS (Families OF Children Under Stress) http://www.focus-ga.org/ 
  
  
• Mount Bethel United Methodist Church  (http://www.mtbethel.org/menu272/Special-Needs-Ministry)

EDUCATION

• Start an inclusion committee that includes people with disabilities as the experts on accessibility, recruit allies (people who are aging, family members, friends, etc.). Ensure that people with many different types of disabilities are represented
  
  
• Consider working with the existing hospitality committee in your congregation to integrate inclusion into the work already being done in your congregation
  
  
• Contact the Interfaith Disability Connection for assistance with best practices in this area.
  
  
• Have your committee do an assessment of the current level of access/inclusion in your congregation to provide a baseline for improvement
  
  
• Offer people with disabilities opportunities to lead throughout the year (not just during disability awareness observances)
  
  
• Offer Disability Awareness Workshops in your congregation (IDC can provide guidance and assistance in this area) Begin by educating children in your community- Provide training to ushers/greeters

• Consider providing these specific accommodations in your congregation
  
  
• Interpreters for people who are deaf
  
  
• Large print for people who have difficulty reading printed materials
  
  
• Assistive listening devices for people who have difficulty hearing
  
  
• Instead of Saying“Please rise to sing” consider “please rise in body or in spirit.”
  
  
• Valet Parking for people who have difficulty walking from the parking lot to your congregation’s facilities
  
  
• Be Creative about transportation
  
  
• Programs for people who are deaf
  
  
• Take worship to the home of a person with a disability- invite congregation to attend
  
  
• Take the sacraments of the church to people who cannot receive them at the church
  
  
• Get youth involved supporting children with disabilities
  
  
• Offer an employment Support Group for people with disabilities in your community

FUNDING

• One participant gave his tithe to a fund that he created in the congregation to provide money for accessibility/inclusion projects.
  
  
• Engage individual groups within the congregation in helping to raise money for accessibility.
  
  
• Be innovative.

PARTICIPATION

People with disabilities want and need opportunities to serve. Think about the following:

Can a person with a disability

     Be a clergy person in your congregation?

     Be an acolyte in your congregation?

     Serve on a committee in your congregation?

     Chair a committee in your congregation?

     Be included in a class in your congregation?

We hope these will answer any questions you may have and give you a starting point for accessibility discussions at your house of worship. Transcripts of conference speakers and panelists will soon be posted on this site for more enriching information. We urge you to speak to your leaders about making your congregation a member of IDC. Through the full involvement of your congregation in the program you will gain much knowledge, grow your membership, and have many stories of success to share at the 2009 IDC conference. Visit www.interfaithdisability.org/join_idc.php to find out more and begin your IDC membership today!

To continue discussion of topics you found informative at the conference or to start new ones visit the IDC blog by clicking here.