Inclusion Seekers series course

TL;DR

Join the Inclusion Seekers, a four-part course teaching an effective way to support people with disability to forge greater connections and genuine friendships within their local communities.

People who complete the course will have the opportunity to apply for a micro-grant in 2027 to help bring their community connection projects to life!

Families attend for free*. Professionals pay a small fee. The community development outcomes are priceless!

Sessions will be held online from 9:30 to 11:30 am AEDT on:

• Thursday, 5 November
• Thursday, 12 November
• Thursday, 19 November
• Thursday, 26 November

Register for the four-part course

*The family member discount code will be automatically applied at checkout

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The event in detail

Many of us share the vision of a more connected community for our loved ones with disability. We want them to enjoy genuine friendships and connections rather than live on the fringes of community life and be socially isolated.

But knowing where to start (and how to keep the momentum going) can feel daunting, not just for families but for support professionals as well.

Last year, our friends at Belonging Matters in Victoria invited Tim and Bridget Vogt from Starfire Cincinnati to run an event series called Inclusion Seekers: Building Community. By the end of the series, ten people with disability (the ‘Inclusion Seekers’) and their supporters were given micro-grants to run small community-building events in their local communities.

Each event:

• was designed by the person and their supporters around the person’s interests and passions
• made a genuine contribution to the community
• was an opportunity for the person to get to know others who shared their interests.

The result? The people involved made a tangible difference in their communities and have built connections with local people that have persisted and grown.

We were so excited about these outcomes that this year we decided to team up with Belonging Matters to co-host the event so that even more people with disability can be involved!

About the Inclusion Seekers series

The 2026 Inclusion Seekers series kicked off on Thursday, 1 October, with an introductory session with Tim, Bridget, and some of last year’s Inclusion Seekers.

Did you miss the introductory session? Here are some of the highlights:

Important:

If you didn’t watch the introductory session, you can still do the course and be eligible for consideration for a micro-grant.

The four-part course (November 2026)

Registration is now open for a four-part course that will teach you the process of designing small community-building projects based around the interests of your loved one with disability.

In these four sessions, Tim and Bridget will explain how to:

• move past negative stereotypes and explore the four commitments of community building (Session 1: Setting a new course)
• discover the power of interviewing, listening, affirming gifts, and mapping community assets (Session 2: Advocating for a culture of gifts).
• design creative and healing community experiences and intentionally plan for genuine inclusion (Session 3: Including all)
• build strategies for long-lasting, sustainable relationships (Session 4: Sustained success).

Register for the four-part course

Design sessions and micro-grants (in 2027)

Next year, 20 people with disability and their families/supporters who have completed the course will be invited to join our hands-on design sessions. These sessions offer coaching to help design and launch a neighbourhood gathering or project.

• Anyone can apply but priority will be given to those living in the ACT and Victoria
• There is no cost to join the design sessions
• More information will be provided during the course.

Who should attend the course?

This series was designed for people with intellectual disability and autism and their families.
Direct support workers are encouraged to join in the sessions alongside the individuals and families they support.
Others who want to build authentic inclusion are more than welcome to join the course.

Tickets

• People with disability and their family members – $45.00 Free (A family member discount code will be applied at checkout)
• Professionals – $120.00

Register for the four-part course

Feedback from the 2025 series

Participants loved:

• real-life examples: Hearing practical examples of projects and family experiences
• neighbourly connections: Learning the vital role neighbours play in creating lasting belonging
• actionable steps: Simple encouragement to start small, one step at a time
• creative thinking: Gaining novel ideas to launch fresh inclusion efforts.

Questions?

Please contact Anne Keep if you have any questions about this series:

• anne@imaginemore.org.au
• Call 0491 645 816 during office hours