There is growing recognition across the disability support sector that people with lived experience need to guide decision making. Our recent collaboration with Karis Disability Services demonstrates what’s possible when people with disabilities co-design strategic plans and services alongside providers.
Through the Karis Everybody Engages process, people with disabilities, families, employees, and industry leaders worked together over 10 months to shape the organization’s strategic direction.
Participants contributed through conversation, drawing, visual voting tools, accessible surveys, and sensory-friendly spaces—approaches that provide varied, low-barrier ways to participate.
Several themes emerged:
- Co-design builds trust when people can participate at their own pace and in their own way.
- Plain language, visual tools, and pre-engagement support make participation truly accessible.
- Respecting all ideas—not just the “loudest” ones—leads to better outcomes.
- When people can see themselves in the plan it grows commitment, trust, and momentum.
Davis Pier x Karis Disability Services
Davis Pier and Karis Disability Services worked together to dive deeper into how co-design is applied in practice and what other organizations can take away. This white paper reflects our shared commitment to co-designing strategies that strengthen inclusion, collaboration, and meaningful participation across the developmental services sector.
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