How to Facilitate Friendships for Adults (22+)

Connecting Where Adults Live

We often hear people comment that neighborhoods aren’t what they used to be, that the interactions that were once commonplace are now rare. Check out SupportBrokers, another program of The Arc, that assists people in developing relationships in their community and where they live.

Connecting Where Adults Learn

More and more adults with disabilities are attending college. Don’t overlook the possibility of college programs for older youth in transition. Think College at the Institute for Community Inclusion has a list of resources.

Connecting Where Adults Work

REAL Work in the community is an ideal place for adults to meet peers without disabilities. It may take someone a while to understand and fit into the “culture” of a work place, but it is time well spent. The time spent at coffee and lunch breaks, around the water cooler and after work may be the highpoint of many adults’ lives. Significant relationships, including many marriages, have been a result of relationships started at work.

Check out our Resources page for employment resources .
Watch the video from the “Your Next Star” Campaign highlighting how meaningful hiring someone with disability is to both the individual and the employer
Watch our webinar Relationships at Work: Creating Connections to Ensure Success.

Connecting Where Adults Play

In addition to informal interaction that happens and can be encouraged in the neighborhood, adults should be supported to participate in a host of recreational opportunities where people with and without disabilities can participate together.

Check out our Resources page for a list of Recreation activities to participate in.