Real change starts with grassroots!
That’s why accessiBe’s Nonprofit Partnership Program collaborates with hundreds of disability-focused organizations to spread awareness and knowledge regarding disability communities and initiatives to better the world. June was a busy month for so many incredible organizations.
Here are 5 organizations that we connected with in June that are making a real change:
The Special Olympics World Games in Berlin 2023
Mission: Special Olympics is a global inclusion movement and is the world's largest inclusive sports event. Every two years, thousands of athletes with disabilities compete together in 26 sports over 9 exciting days. The World Games in 2023 were held in Berlin and focused on initiatives for more recognition and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.
Partnership Takeaways: accessiBe sent a delegation of volunteers to the World Games in Berlin this summer and experienced firsthand what inclusion looks like in action. We were empowered to learn that Special Olympics also supports people with IDD beyond the games through health, education, and skills development programs. For more insights, check out our Spotlight Sessions collaboration with the Special Olympics Inclusion Revolution Radio podcast.
Visit their site to learn more about the World Games in Berlin >>
CP strikes the balance of innovation, compassion, and purpose
Mission: CP is a local non-profit organization that provides therapy and life skills services to over 2,100 children and adults throughout the Northeast Wisconsin region. CP’s goal is to help people live the lives they want to live and achieve things they didn't think they could. Together, through aquatic exercise, therapy services, adult day services, or childcare CP is here to provide help to the community consistently.
Partnership Takeaways: We learned about CP’s innovative services for infants, children, and adults, and the power of working with their community to develop purposeful programming, like aquatic physical therapy, which is utilized to enhance quality of life and sensory experiences.
Visit their site to learn more about CP’s amazing work >>
Introducing: St. Elizabeth’s Centre
Mission: St Elizabeth's is a charity supporting children, young people, and adult clients with epilepsy and other complex medical conditions. St Elizabeth’s offers a specialist school for children aged 7-19, a college for young people aged 19-25, and adult services. Their mission is to offer vulnerable people individually designed education, care, and support services that maximize their opportunities to “live life to the fullest”.
Partnership Takeaways: We were impressed to learn about St. Elizabeth’s long-standing history, which started over a century ago when the school first opened with only three children. Today, St. Elizabeth’s creates significant partnerships to expand its services to further education college, and adult services, creating opportunities for all ages.
Visit their site to learn more about St. Elizabeth’s amazing work >>
Introducing: The de Moya Foundation
Mission: The de Moya Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to creating employment opportunities for young adults with unique abilities. They build long-term partnerships with employers and provide support for employees that include customized and intensive job coaching and skills training, private counseling with a mental health practitioner, and continual follow-up support to ensure job retention.
Partnership Takeaways: The de Moya Foundation is a family-founded organization that aims to help other families with young-adult children with disabilities find employment. They use a model of ongoing support for employers and employees to create a deeper understanding of the employment value for both parties. This enables everyone involved to benefit from hiring within their community.
Visit their site to learn more about the de Moya Foundation's amazing work >>
Introducing: The Validation Training Institute
Mission: The Validation Training Institute is a not-for-profit organization that advances knowledge, values, education, and research rooted in the Validation Method. Its ultimate objective is to nurture respect, dignity, and well-being in the lives of older adults experiencing age-related cognitive decline and their caregivers. The Validation Method was designed to motivate older adults with cognitive decline to communicate more, relieve stress, and enhance dignity and happiness in their final stage of life.
Partnership Takeaways: In accessiBe’s Spotlight Session with Vicki de Klerk, we learned that Vicki took over the position of Executive Director at The Validation Training Institute from her mother, who not only founded the organization but codified the innovative, validation method used to connect with people who have cognitive decline.
Visit their site to learn more about Validation Training Institute’s amazing work >>
While each of our partners' missions and communities is different, they all work towards a common goal of inclusivity and accessibility. We believe that by working together, we can make the world a more accessible place!
Are you part of a not-for-profit organization making a change for disability communities? Check out our Nonprofit Partnership Program today.