Blog
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4 Tips to Improve Your Experience as an Inclusive Employer (From a Career Coach)
By Patsy Webb, M.A.Ed.S., and FLC Career Coach 1) Raise your expectations One attitude I meet when walking in the door of a new employment opportunity with a coaching client is hesitance. This often means the workplace manager has very low expectations for the new hire and provides only a short list...
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3 Things Individuals with IDD Value Most About Having a Job
In his 60 Minutes interview on CBS News, Recruiting for Talent on the Autism Spectrum, Anderson Cooper interviews individuals with Autism about what it’s like finding a job as a person on the spectrum. Their responses on why having a...
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“Everyone Deserves a Place to Belong” featured in 2020 Nashville Film Festival
Friends’ film included in 2020 Nashville Film Festival highlights The 2020 Nashville Film Festival is happening now (October 1-7, 2020), and the Friends’s film, Everyone Deserves a Place to Belong, is...
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Greater Independence at Home: Executive Function
By: Waverly Ann Harris Independence is important to every individual. For adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), independence becomes a daily priority for them and their families as it...
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Greater Independence at Home: Natural Reinforcements and Supports
By: Waverly Ann Harris One of our favorite sayings at Friends Life Community, particularly in trainings, is “Don’t over think it.” It is easy to get caught up in the pressure...
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Greater Independence at Home: Clear Expectations and Consequences
By: Waverly Ann Harris Most of us recognize that we work best when we have clear expectations from our employers, however, we often forget that it is important in other...
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Greater Independence at Home: Literal Explanation and Visual Stories
By: Waverly Ann Harris We are fortunate to live in a world where we get to interact with many different people. Everyone has their own perspective, culture, sense of humor, and...
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Greater Independence at Home: Routines and Rituals
By: Waverly Ann Harris How do you feel when you get off your routine? Do you feel frustrated because it’s hard to get things done, even if you know they...
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Greater Independence at Home: Checklists and Planners
By: Waverly Ann Harris Do you get satisfaction from checking off items on a checklist? Do you look forward to getting a new planner each year, or keep your schedule...
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Life is a Journey
The Friends are currently reading WONDER in Book Club. Here is one Friend’s inspirational reflection on the book. Every Friend has a story and we are honored when a Friend entrusts us...
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Three Unexpected Outcomes of COVID-19
As we all started to hear the news and the reports from China, then Italy, then Washington state about COVID-19, anxiety and fears started to consume our thoughts. As a...
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3 Ways the Friends are Leading Us Through Covid-19
By: Waverly Ann Harris 1) “What We Are Made Of” 2) “Keep Calm and Go with the Flow” 3) “You Are All Heroes to Me” In 2018, ten of the Friends...
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Establishing a Routine at Home
By: Olivia Moore As we all learn to navigate outside of our normal routines, the Friends may have a harder time with the transition. It can often be helpful for...
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Master Class: featuring Tony Galzin, co-owner and chef of Nicky’s Coal Fired
Friends Life Community is grateful for our amazing community partners, like Nicky’s Coal Fired, who are going outside the box and leading ZOOM Master Classes to keep the learning going....
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Disability Day on the Hill 2019
On February 12, 2019 Friends Life Community participated in Disability Day on the Hill with nine friends, four staff members, and one parent. Disability Day on the Hill provided an...
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Tandem Troupe Builds Confidence
Meryl Streep once said, “Acting is not about being different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.” Self-discovery and confidence building are at...
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Creating Opportunities
By: Waverly Ann Harris Often, when I am sitting with a new family in my office, they share a similar story with me. It is a story of their adult...
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Michael’s Story
People with disabilities deserve a place to belong. Through continuing education and job training, the Friends get every opportunity to achieve their full potential and discover their place within the...
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Parents reflect on raising children with disabilities
In this emotional video, watch parents react to seeing their adult children with disabilities talk about their experiences. “Friends Life has shown Katie that whatever limitations she has, there are not...
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Lauren Alaina Sings “Rocky Top” for the Friends
Lauren Alaina sings “Rocky Top” for the Friends During this week of gratitude, we are especially grateful for the Friends, who make our lives so much richer. The Friends...
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Service Learning Spotlight: Meals on Wheels
“Helping other people is what I enjoy the most at Friends Life,” says Bradley, a participant in Friends Life Community’s Day Program. Each week, Bradley and his peers participate in Friends...
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Our Beloved Fall Festival Returns
Who doesn’t love fall in Tennessee? Pumpkins and gourds, blooming mums, mild weather, changing leaves, and golden sunlight. It’s the perfect time of year to gather together with one’s community...
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Achilles Race Update from Amy Harris
t was so good to have the rain hold off last Friday for Week 2 of the Achilles-Friends Life Community race training group! We had a smaller group than the...
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Jackalope Returns to Songwriters’ Night
Our Songwriters’ Night would not be possible without our amazing event partners. We’re thrilled to welcome back our supporters and faithful friends from Jackalope Brewing Company for our 9th Annual Songwriters’ Night! Jackalope was...
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Kempton Presley: “Coming Home”
by Kempton Presley I first visited Friends Life Community about four years ago when I felt myself being drawn in by an event they were hosting on their property. At the...
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Staff Feature: Community Art at Friends Life Community
In the global scope, Community Art has many facets. It is often defined broadly, and each practitioner facilitates based on the needs of the community they are working with. This...
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Spring at a Glance
It’s busy season here at Friends Life Community. Our classes and explorations have been in high gear embracing the sunshine as winter turned to spring, and quite a few faces...
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Act 1: Telling Our Stories
Theatre is a storied tradition. It’s a forum for artists to express their views and enact change. From Shakespeare’s clear appreciation of the crown to Tennessee Williams’s open representations of the American...
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Taking Risks
In one of our newest classes, our staff members Jenna and Katie are teaching our Friends about different cultures. “Cultures Class” is where our Friends explore new languages, art, food, writing, and...
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With Grace and Humility: When the Friends Become Teachers
ere at Friends Life Community, a lot of our day programming emphasizes teaching life skills to our Friends—adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A big part of that is teaching...