Building Networks for a ‘Good Life,' Even After the Caregiver Is Gone

Children coming from abusive households are often reluctant to discuss their past experiences. A Mexican foundation is using animated characters to help abused and ill children speak about their lives.

An Oakland nonprofit that uses art for therapy has a startling track record for helping developmentally disabled adults become prolific—and profitable—artists.

Vermont is one of the most advanced states in the country when it comes to disability inclusion and activism. The state stopped funding sheltered workshops in 2002 and chose instead to send that money to individuals to pursue any career path of their choosing by offering services such as job coaching and transportation. As a result, 61% of people with disabilities are employed within a year of receiving state support. At large, nearly 40% of adults with disabilities work alongside adults without disabilities, which is a rate considerably higher than other states.

For parents, few things are more terrifying to contemplate than the fate of a disabled child who survives them - will he have to be institutionalized if there is no one ready to take on his care? In Vancouver, the Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network helps parents develop networks of care to help their child continue to live a good life in the community.

People with disabilities like autism often struggle to find welcoming and meaningful jobs. Companies that place workers with disabilities in jobs that fit their skills will be well-positioned to succeed in the 21st century.

Individuals who have Aspergers Syndrome and autism experience difficulty in conforming to workplace norms and find themselves unemployed. Specialisterne, a Danish company, has opened employment opportunities for them. Sixty countries around the world have sought to adopt the company model.

It is very difficult for people with disabilities to find work. Specialisterne is a Danish company that trains high-functioning autistic employees for IT jobs and partners with IT companies to get them hired by altering the interview process.

Instituto del Progreso Latino, a vocational school in Chicago, is comprehensively helping Latino immigrants living in the U.S. educate themselves, find professional work, and rise above poverty.

The Jaipur Limb organization based in India has developed prostheses at low cost, and services are free for the poor. The organization’s efforts have recently spread to other countries with impoverished people. Jaipur Limb reaches patients through branch clinics, traveling workshops, and limb camps in cities around the world.

Countries all over the world are creating community, diversifying relationships, and giving a purpose to people who felt useless through time banks, where people swap their services using time as the currency.