Start: Thu 25 Jun, 2026 09:30 End: Thu 25 Jun, 2026 16:30
Location: 59 Cameron Avenue Conference and Event Centre, Belconnen ACT
Presented by: Dr Angela Amado
Friendships. Being known. Being part of the community.
For many people with disability, this is still missing. Even when we are committed to inclusion, we can struggle with how to really make it happen.
How do we support real friendships to happen?
This question will be answered in a practical, one-day workshop focused on building connections with people with disability and community members.
Being part of a community means having relationships, connections, and a sense of belonging. But knowing this, and knowing how to make it happen, are two different things.
This workshop brings together stories, strategies, and real examples to show what works. Participants will leave with clear, practical ideas to try.
The workshop will be led by Dr Angela Amado, who has over 40 years of experience supporting people with intellectual disability to build real relationships and connections in the community. Angela will demonstrate how friendships can be supported for people with disability of all ages, support needs, and communication styles.
What you will learn
- Practical strategies to support friendships and community connection.
- How to identify a person’s interests, strengths and gifts.
- Ways to connect people with community members and groups.
- The role of staff and others as community connectors.
- How to support relationships to grow and last over time.
- How families and their support staff can work together effectively.
This workshop will cover basic approaches, specific strategies, and exercises that are directly applicable to participants’ roles.
Who should attend?
To get the most from this workshop, we strongly encourage people with disability and their families to attend with their support teams.
This workshop is for
- people with disability and their family members
- service providers
- support workers
- support coordinators
- educators and school staff
- NDIS planners and LACs
- friends
- allies
- community members.
Workshop details
- Thursday, 25 June 2026
- From 9:30 am until 4:30 pm
- In person at 59 Cameron Ave Conference and Event Space, Belconnen ACT
- We are able to offer free registration to this event as it is fully funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing through an Individual Capacity Building grant. This workshop is part of Imagine More’s Typical Pathways Initiative Project.
Register to attend this in-person workshop
Not in Canberra?
This workshop is being offered across Australia (some workshops may have a different title). Please go to our partners’ websites for more information:
Dr Angela Amado
Dr Angela Amado has over 40 years of experience supporting people with intellectual disability to build real relationships and connections in community.
Her experience spans research, direct support, policy, and international consulting. She was previously based at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration and is the Executive Director of the Human Services Research and Development Center.
She is internationally recognised for her work on inclusion, community membership, and building relationships, including her widely used publications on friendships. She has delivered training across the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe.
If you’d like a sense of Angela’s practical approach, this short guide is a great place to start:
Friends: Connecting people with disabilities and community members
