Discover the Learning Partner Guide – Carol Blessing

Discover the Learning Partner Guide: A Journey to Inclusion and Citizenship ​

Welcome to a transformative 15-week learning journey designed to deepen your understanding of person-centered practices, citizenship, and community inclusion. ​ This guide is your roadmap to creating meaningful partnerships and fostering authentic connections with individuals living with disabilities. ​

You’ll explore the principles of heroism, empathy, and contribution, inspired by thought leaders like Maya Angelou and Margaret Mead. ​ The course encourages you to invite two key learning partners: a primary learning partner—someone with lived experience of disability—and a secondary learning partner, such as a mentor or colleague, to support your growth. ​

Through engaging activities, reflective assignments, and rich discussions, you’ll learn to co-create a reciprocal relationship with your primary partner, focusing on their gifts, potential, and role as a contributor in their community. ​ Meanwhile, your secondary partner will help you navigate challenges, process insights, and apply your learning in practice. ​

The guide emphasizes building trust, embracing vulnerability, and fostering a safe space for dialogue. ​ You’ll also be encouraged to create a local “community of practice” to share ideas and spark change. ​ By the end, you’ll have gained tools to apply person-centered practices, while your partners will experience growth, purpose, and empowerment.

This journey is about more than learning—it’s about transforming relationships, challenging stereotypes, and creating a ripple effect of inclusion and contribution. ​ Dive in, embrace the process, and remember: “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” ​