Fostering Belonging
Overview of the Presentation
Erik W. Carter offers ten elements of belonging:听 to be present, invited, welcomed, known, accepted, supported, cared for, befriended, needed, and loved. 听Focused on moving from barriers to inclusion of persons with special needs in a faith community, Carter provides an inventory through which any faith-based community鈥攑arish, school, classroom, committee鈥攃an evaluate itself on how it engenders a sense of belonging. 听Carter also offers many concrete strategies for inclusion.
Erik W. Carter offers ten elements of belonging:听 to be present, invited, welcomed, known, accepted, supported, cared for, befriended, needed, and loved. 听Focused on moving from barriers to inclusion of persons with special needs in a faith community, Carter provides an inventory through which any faith-based community鈥攑arish, school, classroom, committee鈥攃an evaluate itself on how it engenders a sense of belonging. 听Carter also offers many concrete strategies for inclusion.
听is听Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Special Education, Vanderbilt University
Using this Resource
This resource is a guide to using an STM Online: Encore presentation as a conversation starter with members of a faith community.听 Each part of the presentation may be used separately, in combination with each other, or in a sequence over a period of time.听 The general nature of 鈥淔ostering Belonging鈥� gives it broad application and makes it an excellent choice for a variety of groups.听 For example, consider using one or several of the segments with a parish council, a hospitality committee, catechists, Catholic school faculty, and high school religion classes.听 If you are looking for a service opportunity for a high school confirmation class, consider leading a discussion around Parts 3 and 5, and commit to implementing one recommendation to enhance belonging in the community.听
Overview:
This segment provides an overview of the ten dimensions of belonging to a community: being present, invited, welcomed, known, accepted, supported, cared for, befriended, needed, and loved. 听It ends with some questions that assist the listener in assessing one鈥檚 own community.听 Although Carter focuses on persons with disabilities belonging within congregational life, his elements of belonging can apply to any member of a parish or school.听听
PDF Transcript (opens new window)
Questions for Reflection or Discussion:
1.听听听听听听 Comment on Carter鈥檚 definition of belonging.听 Is there anything you would revise or add? 听
2.听听听听听听 In which elements of belonging is your community or school strong? 听Weak?
3.听听听听听听 What are one or two tasks you would give priority to, so that persons with disabilities would feel welcome?
Overview:
A person cannot have presence if they are not physically present. 听Carter speaks about physical barriers in a faith community鈥檚 buildings as well as false assumptions or 鈥渂arriers of awareness.鈥澨� Two assumptions he debunks:听 1) there are no persons of disability in our town/region/county; and 2) faith is not important to persons with disabilities.
PDF Transcript (opens new window)
Tip: The presenter personalizes the statistics about persons with disabilities in a neighborhood surrounding Boston College.听 You can customize your own presentation by finding out the population of your town, state, diocese, etc. and multiplying by 20%.听 This is the number of persons with disabilities in your area.
Resources
mentioned in the segment (updated):
Questions for Reflection or Discussion:
1.听听听听听听 What does your community鈥檚 architecture say about its theology?
2.听听听听听听 What hidden barriers or barriers of awareness might be reflected in your parish or school community?
3.听听听听听听 听What can you do to change the barriers in your community?
Overview:
Are you intentional about inviting persons to belong to your community?听 How are newcomers welcomed?听 How does your community facilitate folks getting to know each other?听 These questions of hospitality may have already been asked in your community, but they may need to be raised again with persons with disabilities in mind.听 These questions are not just for a committee, but need to be embraced by the entire community.
PDF Transcript (opens new window)
Questions for Reflection or Discussion:
1. What is your community doing well in the areas of inviting, welcoming, and getting to know each other?
2. What could your community do better?
3. What are one or two 鈥渘ext steps鈥� in these areas?听
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Overview:
In this segment, Carter offers many practical suggestions to foster acceptance and support of persons with disabilities and their families.听 When addressing the element of being cared for, he points to efforts to help people with disabilities connect with employment opportunities; to help families get respite care; and to motivate communities and denominations to promote residential centers.
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PDF Transcript (opens new window)
鈥淭hings People Say that Reflect Attitudinal Barriers鈥� Handout (opens new window)
Resources:
Mentioned in this Segment:
Inclusion Awareness Sources (Slide Updated):
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Questions for Reflection or Discussion:
1.听听听听听听 What is your community doing well in the areas of acceptance, support, and caring? 听
2.听听听听听听 What might a disability awareness campaign look like in your community?听
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Overview:
Carter takes us into the mystery of relationships in this segment on befriended, needed, and loved. 听He reminds us that the cultivation of relationship and loving each other are deeply embedded in Christian theology and can be the elements of belonging that a Christian congregation can model for society.听 In his remarks on being needed, Carter points out the reciprocity of relationship and the gifts persons with disabilities bring to the community.
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PDF Transcript (opens new window)
Questions for Reflection or Discussion:
1.听 听 听 听What are some gestures of friendship outside of Sunday worship or the school day that you could extend to someone? 听
2.听听听听听听 What are some talents or gifts in community members that contribute to the vitality of the community?听
3.听听听听听听 What are the next steps your community could take to help each member understand that they are valued and loved?
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Overview:
In an interviewing process with families of persons with disabilities, Carter鈥檚 interviewees repeated typical comments that they heard in contemporary society.听 Carter distills them into six myths which bolster barriers to inclusivity. 听In this segment, he identifies and dispels the myths.
Note: The beginning of this segment repeats some footage from Parts 2 and 3.听
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PDF Transcript (opens new window)
Questions for Reflection or Discussion:
1.听听听听听听 Which of these myths do you think would most likely hold your community back from being more inclusive?
2.听听听听听听 What is the next step your community could take to raise disability awareness?
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