Learn with Us

Starfire’s journey has taught us a lot. Our hope is to share what we’ve learned so that we can help build a movement. We offer trainings for a variety of organizations, businesses, families, and professionals seeking to improve their awareness of inclusion in community.

What would you be interested in learning from Starfire? Sign up below for our Story-Based Learning Series, and get a new set of resources, podcasts, videos, articles and questions to ponder in your inbox every month!

When you sign up for our learning series, you’ll also receive updates and invitations from Starfire. You can unsubscribe any time via the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of all our emails.

Trainings Offered

Each training by Starfire is carefully designed to reflect the tenets of asset-based community development and relationship-building. We believe it’s “never too early and never too late” to build connections and foster relationships. We encourage the engagement of people from all races, backgrounds, incomes, and abilities so that our trainings represent the community.

We offer a variety of structures to hold space for each individual learner including, but not limited to, Community Conversations, custom individual and organizational mentorship, and topical presentations. Below is a sampling of what topics Starfire can engage with you during your learning:

Organizational Transformation

Themes: Foundational Values of Community Integration, Starfire’s Organizational Change and Lessons Learned, Management: Issues and Opportunities, Leadership Training, Executive Director & Program Coordinator Coaching, Retreats, Programmatic Analysis & Support, Organizational Culture Consultation and Audit, Program Design & Implementation, Human Resources & Operational Audit, Board Development and Strategy, Imagery & Marketing

Integration Innovation

Themes: Starfire’s Journey Toward Integration, Lessons Learned & Stories Community-Based Project Design and Implementation, Person-Centered Planning, Community Exploration, Community Engagement Strategies, Community Engagement Walking Tours, Design Sprints, Graphic Facilitation and Imagination Sessions, Valued Social Roles, Image & Impact, Social Networks, Asset Based Community Development, Citizen Advocacy & Relationships, Customized Employment, On-The-Job Supports Family Innovation: Values, Design, and Practical Implementation

Family Innovation: Values, Design, and Practical Implementation

Themes: Early Childhood Efforts, Family-Directed Inclusion, Person- and Family-Centered Planning, Siblings & Extended Family Networks, Remote Video Conference Support & Mentorship, Equity in Service Provision, Storytelling, Privacy and Respect, Mentorship & Coaching, Joy Over Commiseration

To learn more or to find out how Starfire might tailor a training for your community or organization, contact mitch@starfirecouncil.org

What People Are Saying

“Today was terrifically enlightening! We have all walked away with new ideas and a furthered perspective to aid us in our quest to guide people to meaningful lives. We look forward to future collaboration and learning experiences. ”

— First Capital Enterprises, Chillicothe, Ohio

“Starfire has a completely different model than anything I’ve ever seen. I’ll be taking a lot back to management!”

— Ability Works, Erie County, Ohio

“We want to thank you so much for sharing your story with us – from the organization to the clients and staff, we love the work you do, the way you do it, and your willingness to talk, teach, and share with others. We left Cincinnati absolutely reeling with excitement, ideas, and new approaches to challenges we face in our own work. We feel so motivated to make changes and better represent people with disabilities.”

— Volunteers of America, Louisville, Kentucky

“To say that Starfire is a nonprofit in Cincinnati that works with people who have disabilities is one of the greatest understatements of the decade. Yes, this is true stripped down to the most literal sense, but it is impossible to summarize Starfire by the people it serves and fully capture the spirit of the transformational work they are doing, breaking down artificial barriers and bridging the private and public life of neighbors.”

— Lauren Culbertson, Coburn Ventures, New York City

“Mind blown.”

— Savannah Citizen Advocacy, Savannah, Georgia

“I think what has been so interesting is that I have felt so unsettled since we left. You rather effectively shone a very bright light on my motivations and thinking which I think exposed an awful lot of misguided, self-congratulatory, and somewhat mercenary thought processes. What I now believe is that we can and will change what we are doing.”

— Koinoia, Cleveland, Ohio

“Folks are still buzzing about what you shared. This really cause me to think and rethink how we best serve individuals with disabilities. Way more people needed to hear and be a part of this learning. Pretty please try to find a way to get more people to hear and knowledge.”

— Networks for Training and Development, Inc., Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

“Sometimes we get stuck on the bigger picture when something so obvious is right there waiting to be discovered. Starfire made a point to use what the community needs… This was a great training and taught me to look at our practices in a whole new way. ”

— Perspectives Corporation, North Kingstown, Rhode Island