Want to be part of the solution to ending loneliness and isolation for people with disabilities? Start with any of these three simple steps.
- Share positive stories and representations on your social media.
The absolute easy peasy-est. When you come across success stories, marketing campaigns, films/TV shows, artworks… any shareable content that shows people with special needs living a typical life in their gloriously unique way, put it up. Repost. Tag. Follow us and our social influencers to get cool content in your feeds right away.
- Volunteer with a local organization that includes people with special needs.
A quick Google search should reveal which nonprofits, museums, social groups, artist collectives, and job centers uplift people with disabilities in your area. Often these orgs need volunteers to help with events, outreach, and other aspects of their mission. Rolling up your sleeves and pitching in is a great way to meet cool people with disabilities, start making friends, and experiencing first-hand how awesome people with disabilities can be.
- Be friendly.
When you’re out and about and notice someone has a disability, give a smile or strike up a normal “hey, how’re you doing?” conversation when you get the opportunity. It’s a shock for most non-disabled people to learn that people with disabilities are so used to being treated as invisible that the simple gesture of looking in their eyes and saying hello can have a happy impact. Make sure you address adults with special needs as adults—not as children, which is a common mistake and may have the opposite effect. Speak as you would want another adult to speak to you.
