Empowering Ability: Helping Build Inclusive and Meaningful Lives
Empowering Ability is helping families, self-advocates, and communities learn more about inclusion, independence, and building meaningful lives for people with developmental disabilities. Founded by Eric Goll, the organization shares podcasts, resources, workshops, and life planning tools that encourage people to focus on abilities, strengths, and opportunities instead of limitations.
One of the most popular parts of Empowering Ability is the Empowering Ability Podcast. The podcast focuses on helping people with disabilities live what Eric calls an “awesome ordinary life.” The podcast talks about important topics such as friendship, employment, housing, community inclusion, self-determination, safety skills, independence, and future planning.
Eric Goll created the podcast because of his experiences supporting his sister Sarah, who has a developmental disability. Through supporting his sister and connecting with many other families, Eric realized that families were often searching for information about employment, housing, friendships, community life, and support systems. He wanted to make that information easier to access for everyone.
The podcast promotes an important message: people with developmental disabilities deserve to belong in their communities and have opportunities to participate in everyday life. Many episodes focus on community inclusion and moving beyond segregated programs so people can build friendships, develop skills, and become active members of their communities.
Empowering Ability also talks about the importance of employment and meaningful roles in society. The organization shares stories and strategies showing that people with disabilities can succeed in workplaces when given the right opportunities and support. Episodes and articles discuss inclusive workplaces, customized employment, and helping employers understand the strengths people with disabilities can bring to a job.
Another important focus of Empowering Ability is helping families prepare for the future. Many parents and caregivers worry about what will happen to their loved ones later in life. The podcast and website provide information about life planning, building support circles, encouraging independence, and helping individuals make choices about their own lives.
The organization also supports self-determination. Self-determination means helping people have more choice, control, and independence in their lives. Instead of making every decision for someone, families and support teams can help people build confidence and make choices about goals, activities, housing, friendships, and employment.
Empowering Ability encourages communities to focus on inclusion instead of separation. True inclusion means people with and without disabilities learning, working, volunteering, and participating together. Inclusion helps create friendships, belonging, understanding, and stronger communities for everyone.
The organization also highlights the importance of support networks. Families, friends, support workers, educators, and community members can all help people with disabilities live more connected and fulfilling lives. Building strong support circles can help reduce isolation and create more opportunities for participation and independence.
Podcasts and online resources like Empowering Ability are making information more accessible. Some people learn better by listening than by reading long articles. Audio content can help more people learn about disability awareness, inclusion, and community supports in an easy and welcoming way.
The Kamloops Self Advocate Newsletter believes organizations like Empowering Ability help promote kindness, respect, inclusion, and understanding. Positive conversations about disability awareness can help reduce stigma and encourage communities to become safer and more welcoming for everyone.
Empowering Ability reminds people that individuals with developmental disabilities are not defined by labels. Every person has strengths, dreams, talents, and the ability to contribute to their community. By focusing on possibilities and inclusion, organizations like Empowering Ability are helping build a more compassionate and inclusive world.
