CRU - Community Resource Unit Ltd.

08/06/2026

Friends and family are essential to a good life, but too many people with disability miss out on meaningful, authentic friendships.

Many believe there is nothing we can do if relationships don’t happen “naturally”.

But Dr Angela Amado’s workshop on Building Friendships and Connections in Everyday Community Life will outline the many things family, workers, professionals and allies can do to support and nurture genuine relationships between people with disabilities and community members.

Because everyone deserves a good life! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIbvpVi5Msc&list=PLqk23A8wz4yZKOAmtrp5b0JqgWFirrpER&index=4

Register now to join us at Easts Leagues Club, Coorparoo in Brisbane on Tuesday 23 June at:
https://events.humanitix.com/building-friendships-and-connections-06-26

CRU exists to create and promote positive change so that people wit...

08/06/2026

Do you have lived experience of disability?

Learn how to confidently contribute your experience in co-design processes and help shape better policies, services and communities.

Join Co-Design Essentials – Cairns 2026 – a free, interactive workshop designed to build your knowledge, skills and confidence as a co-designer.

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/co-design-essentials-cairns-2026

05/06/2026

Friends are people you can count on, and people who can count on you.

Everyone needs people they can call on when feeling down or needing a little help.

CRU's upcoming workshop on Building friendships and connections in everyday community life is about ensuring people with disabilities have a range of people they can count on (not just family and workers).

Presented by internationally recognised expert Dr Angela Amado, this workshop is for families, workers, professionals and allies to help you make reciprocal and supportive friendships between people with disabilities and community members a reality.

Tuesday 23 June, in Coorparoo, Brisbane. Register now at https://events.humanitix.com/building-friendships-and-connections-06-26

05/06/2026

A new webpage is coming soon - bringing together practical resources, real stories and ideas to support communities where people with disability can genuinely belong.

Explore inspiring examples of inclusion in action, discover tools to help create welcoming community spaces, and learn from the experiences of people contributing to community life across Queensland.

Because genuine inclusion doesn't just happen, it grows through intention, connection and community.

Launching soon

04/06/2026

Those who attended CRU’s 'Building Capacity for Lifelong Inclusion' event and/or joined us for an online screening of The Ride Ahead in 2025 will know Samuel and Dan Habib, who have generously shared their family’s experience of inclusion with CRU and with the world over the years.

CRU is delighted to congratulate Samuel, Dan Habib , and all involved in the Emmy win for Outstanding Social Issue Documentary for their most recent film, The Ride Ahead, of which Samuel and Dan were co-directors.

As Samuel shared in his acceptance speech, the goal of the film is to ensure that other young adults with disabilities have the same opportunities he has had — in healthcare, inclusive education, college, assistive technology, friendships, and accessible housing. Watch Samuel's speech here:
https://youtu.be/aUJweRJtrLE?si=60HH0NMptty478l_

If you haven’t seen The Ride Ahead yet, CRU highly recommends it!

You can also watch 'Our Family Journey' - Samuel and Dan Habib's presentation from our 2025 conference here: https://cru.org.au/events/building-capacity-for-lifelong-inclusion/.

The Ride Ahead took home the Emmy® for Outstanding Social Issues Documentary! Co-directors Samuel and Dan Habib and co-producer Erica Lupinacci proudly accep...

03/06/2026

Registrations closing soon - don't miss out!

Inclusion for children with disability doesn't just happen. It takes intention.

When children with disability are known and valued in their local community their lives are richer, safer and busier!

Learn practical strategies from parents who have successfully built inclusive lives for their own children. Bolster your confidence and explore practical ways to build real connections within your local community for your child. Connect with other local families also navigating inclusion in the everyday for their child with disability.

Fully funded (free to families) workshop:
https://events.humanitix.com/inclusion-as-a-way-of-life-eatons-hill

CRU exists to create & promote positive change so that people with disabilities can belong to & actively contribute to social & economic life.

02/06/2026

Angela Amado presenter spotlight

Presenting her workshop Building Friendships and Connections in Everyday Community Life for CRU in Brisbane on Tuesday 23 June, Dr Angela Amado is an internationally respected expert on building friendships between people with intellectual disability and community members. She has delivered training across United States, Canada, Australia and Europe.

Angela's experience spans research, direct support, policy, and international consulting. She was previously based at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration and is the Executive Director of the Human Services Research and Development Center.

Register now for her Brisbane workshp with CRU, and see the other locations of her national tour below:
https://events.humanitix.com/building-friendships-and-connections-06-26

If you'd like a sense of Angela's approach, you can check out her short guide to friendship:
https://rtc.umn.edu/docs/Friends_Connecting_people_with_disabilities_and_community_members.pdf

Angela will share practical ideas, stories and strategies to help people move beyond “community presence” toward genuine belonging, reciprocity and connection.

National workshop dates
Newcastle — Tuesday 16 June — Hunter Circles:
https://www.huntercircles.org/event/hunter-circles-listening-to-people-rarely-heard-2/

Parramatta — Thursday 18 June — Side By Side Advocacy: https://sidebysideadvocacy.org.au/event/connecting-with-community/

Brisbane — Tuesday 23 June — CRU - Community Resource Unit Ltd.: https://events.humanitix.com/building-friendships-and-connections-06-26

Canberra — Thursday 25 June — Imagine More:
https://imaginemore.org.au/events/building-friendships/

Adelaide — Saturday 27 June — Community Living Project Inc:
https://events.humanitix.com/connecting-with-community-a-workshop-with-dr-angela-amado

Melbourne — Tuesday 30 June — Belonging Matters Inc.:
https://www.belongingmatters.org/event-details/building-friendships-and-connections-in-everyday-community-life

02/06/2026

Do you have a teenager in Years 10 -12?

Are you wondering about their life after school and what could be next for your teen?

Join us for our "Life After School" peer discussions that start this Friday 5th June.

Session 1 features Lisa Bridle, a parent & CRU CEO, who will speak about how she navigated Sean's transition from school to build independence, community connections, and contribution through work and volunteering.

Hope to see you online this week. RSVP for Session 1 by Thursday 4 June. There is no cost. To learn more and to rsvp:
https://events.humanitix.com/preparing-for-life-after-school-discussions

31/05/2026

You are invited to join our final CRU peer conversation and morning tea facilitated by Dianne Mandeville in the series - Building and Maintaining an Effective Support Team.

Please note the date change from 11th June to the following Thursday, 18th June from 10am - 12pm.

These conversations have proven to be very useful for people who have been attending so would encourage people to attend this final session in the series, focusing on how to maintain a good team to ensure ongoing quality of support.

RSVP by email to [email protected] or by phoning the CRU office on 3844 2211. RSVPs are very helpful but not essential and there is no cost.

Look forward to seeing you!

29/05/2026

Often our best life experiences are shared with people we care about. Whether an extraordinary achievement, or an ordinary but precious moment, friends make good times great, celebrate and appreciate us, and give us companionship and belonging.

Everyone deserves to have friends, to be known and appreciated for everything they have to offer.

CRU's upcoming workshop on Building friendships and connections in everyday community life is about how to ensure people with disabilities don't miss out on the joys of friendship.

Presented by internationally recognised expert Dr Angela Amado, this workshop is for families, workers, professionals and allies to help you make genuine friendships between people with disabilities and community members a reality.

Tuesday 23 June, in Coorparoo, Brisbane. Register now at https://events.humanitix.com/building-friendships-and-connections-06-26