New website celebrates the lived experience of disability through narratives and more
Natalie Hamilton

Lindsay Lorraine is looking forward to the infinite “posAbilities” that will unfold as the personal stories and examples of community living in British Columbia come to fruition.

She’s excited about the new forum for story sharing through an initiative called INcommonTV. It’s a website corralling the experiences of people who have a developmental disability, their families and the people who support them.

“The community is rich with stories already,” Lindsay tells posAbilities Today.

“Getting to see the stories take form” and working with “a very passionate group of people is motivating and inspiring” for Lindsay.

“I feel like there are a lot of connections to look forward to.”

Lindsay is the INcommonTV project co-ordinator. She works closely with a core group of seven people from community living organizations in B.C.’s Lower Mainland. There’s a broader committee that encompasses people from the education sector, people from community living organizations, family members and a self-advocate.

The project has been in the works for about 18 months as stakeholders saw “the need for this website as a story-sharing platform,” Lindsay says. It began to really take shape about two months ago.

INcommonTV encompasses stories on subjects including life, inspiration, social change and inclusive education. The narratives can be told through a variety of methods including video, audio, art, photography and the written word. It is important that the content be authentic and told in the voice of the individual. The website includes accessibility features, and there are tools to ease the process of getting the material web ready.

“Sharing stories is a powerful way to explain and represent complex ideas, validate personal experience and reflect a commitment to the contribution and strength of diversity and capacity of citizens,” INcommonTV partners say.

The stakeholders are striving to build a story library for all individuals, families, agencies, government staff and community partners to share. PosAbilities is one of the partners involved in INcommonTV.

To promote the initiative, start the dialogue and discuss the story-sharing process, INcommonTV is holding a series of meetings in the coming months for people who have a developmental disability, family members, key change makers in the community living movement and others.

“We’d like to continually be planning workshops,” Lindsay says.

The next workshop is Feb. 28 from 7-9 p.m. at Douglas College, 700 Royal Ave., in New Westminster. Invitations will be sent shortly.  Stories will also be filmed at the workshop for quick posting.

You can share your story by clicking on this link or send any queries to Lindsay by e-mailing her at hello(at)incommon.tv

If you have feedback on this article or a story idea to share, please e-mail natalie(at)axiomnews.ca or call the newsroom at 800-294-0051.