Need a summertime activity? Check out Disability Innovation Hub

Summer time question from your disabled child: What do we do today? Disability Innovation Hub is the place that accepts all ages and abilities!

Ah, summer… a break from school and more time to get out and about. And also a time where parents are faced with the daily question “What do we do today?” which is second only to “What’s for dinner?” to make a mother react… 

For many of us with disabled and neurodivergent children, there is no easy answer to “what do we do today?” You could go to a park, pool, library or museum. But who knows what triggers might be there. And then weather, rain or heat can pose an issue. There are also logistics, like parking, bringing medical equipment, or the need to prepare and bring one’s own food due to your child’s limited preferences. So very often, the safest option is to do nothing and stay home. That gets old fast.

Day camps or classes sound enticing, but are generally challenging to arrange for a disabled child. They often cost a lot, have limited age ranges, or require a support person to attend with the child. For my son, getting somewhere on time is challenging. And group activities pose challenges with an adult leader. He has the PDA profile of Autism, pathological demand avoidance or as self advocates have reclaimed the acronym: persistent desire for autonomy. This means he has a need to determine his schedule and work with those whom he has a trusting relationship.

For us parents with a child like my son, we lack places to go where our children can “be their true selves”. We worry about our loved ones' behaviors or reactions to sensory conditions. Or how people glare when he yells or refuses everything. Others’ judgement is hard to cope with, even for those of us who have been living this life for decades. 

I fondly remembered the years our son enjoyed at the Creative Bridges Self Directed Learning Program held in an Evergreen church. It was only for homeschooled youth, many who were doing an unschooling approach to learning. Guided by expert educator Emilie Hilgers, there was community, autonomy and choice. And over time, amazing trust. The social emotional support that Emilie provided was critical to the success of the program. When the program ended, it was a great loss. There has not been a true self directed learning space in Colorado that I am aware of, since. For so many, who like my son were pushed out of school due to PDA (pathological demand avoidance) or otherwise found that traditional schools did not meet their needs, there are few lesser structured learning options. 

A few years ago I joined a coworking space. I loved the concept of sharing space and having natural interactions. The types of spaces varied a lot. I ended up with a small private office due to my need to videotape and conduct many calls, which must often be done in a phone booth when sharing a large coworking room. This experience planted a seed about community and the value of small interactions with others like sharing a kitchen or chatting in the hallway.

As my son nears the end of high school, I am not certain of his next steps. Like many, school transition programs for those 18-21 may not be a good fit. Nor perhaps the traditional day program route. And although I love the inclusive higher education options, including Arapahoe Community College just across the street from the Hub, not everyone does well in a structured classroom academic setting. And some with odd sleep patterns cannot participate in many of our options. The drop-in membership nature of the Hub is ideal for adults who don’t fit into traditional options.

Or maybe you or your loved one is a bit older, that is fantastic too. And if they have behaviors, we can discuss how to find supports to make their membership possible. It might include locating one-on-one support staff for the member to retain, getting them trained and the Hub having a plan in place on how to best support during more challenging times. We also have some dedicated sensory space that can be arranged with advanced notice.

Over the last two years, I have been envisioning a new inclusive nonprofit space that is open to our disability community as well as those who serve them. It is a hybrid of a coworking space and self-directed learning community. It is for all ages and disabilities. Now we have the Hub as an option for school aged members who are not attending regular school programs as well adults who don’t fit into the current system offerings of transition programs, day programs or traditional employment.

As a person who offers services to the disability community, I felt the need to include providers of services in the membership group as well. How helpful for a member to see a person in the space who might offer social emotional skill building, academic support, speech therapy, yoga, mental health support and more. Pursuing those services is easier to do due to familiarity and comfort of the setting - and you can learn about multiple services in a single place, which can expand horizons and accelerate growth opportunities faster for disabled members. 

The concept for the Disability Innovation Hub has grown and is now a Colorado nonprofit membership space, with options to join with unlimited access with a monthly fee, purchase punch cards bundles or do a per diem drop in rate. The cost of joining our community could possibly be covered by local mill levy property taxes, unmet needs funding for those with intellectual and or developmental disabilities. The Hub also has sliding scale options for those who live outside those Metro Denver and Boulder counties.

If this sounds ideal for your situation, stop by before for a tour and stay for a bit or the whole day with a free guest pass while they last. We have games, great outdoor space for a sack lunch, a fridge and microwave, wifi and both a large coworking room as well as smaller spaces available. Bring your headphones, your favorite things to do and check out the space and surrounding downtown Littleton. The Disability Innovation Hub is located just a few blocks from main street, light rail, parks, and Rec center so there is a lot to explore outside our space. Or stay in our ADA accessible first floor space with air conditioning and creature comforts. 

If the Disability Innovation Hub concept is intriguing to you, the next step is to visit the space and meet with our community manager Emma for more info. We also can help if you need to find support people for your loved one with our sister website Disability Care Colorado. It matches independent caregivers with families seeking care, making that process much easier.

We are open and welcome all visitors, Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30. Also visit www.DisabilityInnovationHub.org.

Or call ‭(720) 819-5647‬ to talk more.