The Big Sky Project is an international effort to create a 2020 vision of the future for people with disabilities. This project is designed to raise public awareness about the serious challenges that remain for people with disabilities in our society and develop strategies, initiatives, programs and public policy to address them.
Accomplishments of the Big Sky Project include distribution of a DVD "focus group in a box" and the development of a custom forecast map created by The Institute for the Future (see right). The map identifies future forces that will have a significant impact on individuals with disabilties over the next decade. Along with the map, several vignettes - stories that bring to life the human side of the map - were created and can be played via the video, right.
UCP representatives, leaders from other disability rights organizations and individuals with disabilities met in Omaha, Nebraska at Alegent Health in February 2007; to develop a preliminary "strawperson" vision of the future for individuals with disabilties in the United States (click here for the Omaha Session site). This vision was used as an input for the Big Sky Project National Visioning Sessions held during the 2007 UCP Annual Conference in April. Participants attending the 2007 UCP Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida had the opportunity to further refine and contribute to the vision (click here for the Orlando Session site).
Stephen Bennett:
"Our goal is to generate understanding and patience among all stakeholders on the proposition that engaging with the future and resultant visioning is a necessary and pragmatic first step/prerequisite toward developing viable business models - both for individual stakeholders and UCP."
How You Can Help
While UCP is the spark, Big Sky is too large for any one organization to own. Success will come with the participation and support of a broad coalition of individuals, groups, and organizations. Those partnerships must include the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Together, all of us will create a fresh strategic view of our nation, our times and the possibilities tomorrow holds and realize a brighter, more just and sustainable future for all Americans with and without disabilities.
Sponsors to date include The Shapiro Family Foundation, The Brotman Foundation, WellPoint Foundation, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, Ripplewood Holdings, and Alegent Health System.
For more information on how you can help redefine the future for people with disabilities, contact Vince Rodriguez, Managing Director, Big Sky Project, United Cerebral Palsy, by phone, 202-973-7102.