Initiating relationships

Because many people in rural places have had their trust broken by outsiders, initiating relationships in a professional and genuine way is important. If possible, bringing some enthusiasm and positivity to the contact can help smooth over some of the awkwardness that sometimes comes with initiating a relationship that did not emerge organically. Being professional also means being upfront about what you hope to achieve or if you are unsure, being genuine about the uncertainty too.

Using email to initiate

Contacting someone without any prior experience with them or a “warm handoff” from someone else can be intimidating! Sometimes it is easiest for people if you send an email with some information ahead of time and let them know that you will be calling to chat more. In other circumstances, people prefer just a phone call and then a follow-up email with more information.

Keep going

Sometimes it can take a number of attempts to get a relationship initiated. You can think of this like planting seeds. Not every seed will take hold, but if you plant enough, usually at least one will bear fruit. It is also important to have realistic expectations about varying perspectives on disability, disability rights, and independent living. Not everyone you reach out to will understand or agree with the independent living philosophy.

One affirmation that might be helpful in the pursuit of building a non-organic relationship is “positive, persistent pursuit.”

Addressing IL needs

Sometimes your work around addressing independent living needs in your rural communities will intersect with sensitive topics and experiences such as abuse, neglect, or violence. When this happens, a more nuanced approach to engagement can be helpful. It is important to think about the way you phrase things, starting small and finding common ground. For instance, everyone has the same goal of bettering the lives of people with disabilities. You can start there and think about how to work together to make that happen!