Pathways to Friendship

A woman and a man wearing Patriots football team winter hats and jackets, smiling together

What is Pathways to Friendship?

Pathways to Friendship, is a collaborative initiative on social inclusion between the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and The Arc of Massachusetts.

Our goal is to address the isolation and loneliness of people with disabilities through:

-Exploring the benefits of relationships between people with and without disabilities

-Providing information and resources to help individuals, families and community organizations engage in and sustain those relationships

A man in a wheelchair wearing a blue shirt with the number 18 on it, sitting under an umbrella being held by a smiling woman wearing jeans and a black shirt.

What We Offer:

Trainings

We offer a variety of trainings to staff, families, people with disabilities, and community members and organizations. These trainings focus on supporting friendship between people with and without disabilities and provide concrete tools and strategies for achieving this goal.

Our presentations use a variety of mediums, including video, and are co-presented by people with disabilities who share real-life experiences. Presentations can be modified depending on the interest or age of the audience and can be presented in-person or virtually. Trainings are also available in a Train-the-Trainer format for those interested in strengthening their capacity. (Click here to see a list of our trainings)

Short Term Consultation

Pathways to Friendship offers short-term consultation to:

Organizations:

Observe, review and provide suggestions for programs, staff trainings, job descriptions and strategic and organizational goals to ensure they support inclusion and friendship

Individuals/Families:

Meet with individuals/families once or twice to brainstorm and develop plans for building and supporting friendships in the community

Resource Sharing and Networking

We offer many opportunities to connect with others and to share resources:

-Join our Regional Inclusion Networks in the Southeast, Central/West and Metro/Northeast regions

-Participate in the Friendship Matchmaking Forums

-Access Resources and Tools on our website, including (among other things): Video stories of true friendships, Free, downloadable PowerPoints and Toolkits on how to create friendships where you live, learn, work, play and organize

Contact us: friendship@arcmass.org

Friendship Matters!

There is nothing more human than our need for connection and relationships. Simply put, friendships make us happier, healthier and safer!

Maslow’s Hierachy of Needs

While all good relationships are part of a good life, far too often people with disabilities are limited to relationships with family members, support staff and others living with disability. This means both people with and without disabilities miss out on all the richness and benefits that come from befriending each other. We need to Widen the Circle of our Relationships!

A group of people both with and without disabilities posing for a picture in front of large windows

Upcoming Events

Join us at one of these upcoming events to increase your knowledge about Friendship and Inclusion!

-2/6, 10-11:30am: Metro/Northeast Inclusion Network Virtual Meeting

-2/12, 10-11:30am: Southeast Inclusion Network Virtual Meeting

-3/12, 9:30-2pm: Community Inclusion Summit at UMASS Lowell. Register at: https://bit.ly/LowellSummit

-3/13, 10-11:30am: Central/West Inclusion Network Virtual Meeting

-3/26, 11am-12pm: NQCA Friendship Matchmaking Virtual Forum

Two women hugging in front of a sparkly curtain

Who is in Your Social Network?

Chart depicting the social network of 51 people with disabilities. The vast majority of contacts are other people with disabilities, followed by paid professionals, some family, and very few community memebers and friends Source: Jack Pealer, 2011

For many people with disabilities, their social network looks like the chart above. An informal, survey conducted on 51 people with disabilities, highlighted the limited scope of their social connections; others with disabilities were by far the majority of the people in their lives, followed by paid support staff. This can be a recipe for loneliness, and might make someone think, “is there anyone in my life that is here because they want to be with me, and not just because they are assigned to me?”