This spring, UMKC-IHD Associate Director & LifeCourse Nexus Director, Sheli Reynolds, and LifeCourse Nexus Program Director, Amanda George, traveled to Seoul, South Korea to support national efforts advancing person-centered thinking and disability policy reform through the Charting the LifeCourse (CtLC) framework.
CtLC is a person-centered framework that helps people reflect on what they need to know and do, identify and develop the supports they need, and take meaningful steps toward living the lives they want, while also driving transformational change by guiding how programs, organizations, and systems build capacity and align their practices to better support those outcomes.
Hosted by more than 20 organizations, 30 Charting the LifeCourse Ambassadors, and local partners across Korea, the trip brought together families, providers, policymakers, advocates and community leaders committed to strengthening supports for people with disabilities across the lifespan.
Over the course of 10 days, this visit highlighted the growing international momentum behind the CtLC framework and the shared commitment to creating more inclusive, person-centered systems worldwide.
This work builds on initial capacity-building activities that began in the fall of 2026, with a CtLC Overview presented in October to approximately 200 attendees. A smaller, dedicated group then completed the CtLC Fundamentals Series and the CtLC Ambassador Series prior to this visit.
Supporting Disability Rights and Family Leadership
The visit began with meetings alongside leaders from Korean family networks to discuss ways to strengthen supports for families throughout all stages of life.
Sheli had the opportunity to speak at a National Day of Disability rally held at the General Assembly. Surrounded by an audience of parents of people with disabilities, Sheli shared the principles of Charting the LifeCourse and the importance of person-centered approaches in shaping policy and community supports. The delegation also met with leaders from Seoul’s Ministry of Education, continuing conversations about systems change and inclusive supports for children, youth and families.
Reflecting on the experience, Sheli shared that the trip was “an absolute whirlwind” and described being deeply moved by the passion for social change demonstrated by their Korean partners and hosts.
Learning Across Communities
Throughout the week, the team visited organizations and community programs working to advance disability inclusion in Korea.
One stop included a tour of the Seoul Rehabilitation Center, where staff demonstrated their commitment to person-centered thinking and community-wide change for people with disabilities of all ages.
The group also met with families and local leaders at a family resource center to discuss how the CtLC framework could support and strengthen existing community efforts.
The visit created opportunities not only for learning and collaboration, but also for relationship-building through shared meals, celebrations and cultural exchange.
A Shared Vision for Systems Change
A major highlight of the trip was a two-day Charting the LifeCourse workshop attended by approximately 180 participants from across South Korea, including leaders and practitioners, family members and people with lived experience.
Through presentations, discussions and collaborative activities, attendees explored how CtLC can support transformational change at individual, family, organizational and systems levels. Despite language differences, the shared understanding of person-centered principles stood out throughout the training.
Sheli reflected, “Through simultaneous interpretation we experienced how the language may be different, but the understanding and the commitment to the CtLC principles are universal.”
Launching a National Policy Agenda
The trip concluded with a major national summit focused on transforming Korean policies and supports for people with developmental disabilities and their families.
During the event, attended by approximately 240 people, Sheli delivered the keynote address as part of the launch of eight national priorities designed to advance disability policy and community supports across Korea. The Charting the LifeCourse framework helped shape the vision for how those priorities could be implemented and sustained.
As part of the ceremony, organizational leaders and university partners formally recognized their commitment to continuing this collaborative work and strengthening international partnerships moving forward.
They signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) stating, “Gwanak Community Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, LifeCourse Nexus, and the Institute for Person-Centered Practice at Sahmyook University agree to work collaboratively in the areas of education, practice, and academic exchange in order to advance the dissemination of Korean Person-Centered Practice (K-PCP) and to promote the transformation of support systems grounded in a lifespan perspective.”
Looking Ahead
The trip marked another important step in the growing global reach of Charting the LifeCourse and its impact on disability policy, family supports and community inclusion.
“We are humbled and honored to be a part of this important movement in Korea,” Sheli shared, “and look forward to our ongoing partnership.” Future activities will include group discussions about implementing CtLC and transcreating Korea CtLC materials and resources.
As partnerships continue to grow across countries and cultures, the shared vision remains the same: helping people and families imagine, plan for and build lives filled with possibility, connection and support.
View the list of CtLC partners in Korea.
- Ansan Community Welfare Center for Persons with Disabilities
- Anseong Community Rehabilitation Center
- Areumdree Kkumteo (Day Service for People with Developmental Disabilities)
- Bucheon Community Rehabilitation Center
- Dongchun Residential Facility for People with Developmental Disabilities
- Dongtan Community Rehabilitation Center
- Eden Welfare Center for Persons with Disabilities
- Gangdong-gu Support Center for Families of Persons with Disabilities
- GSC Supported Housing for People with Disabilities
- Gwanak-gu Comprehensive Welfare Center for Persons with Disabilities
- HAMKKEBOM Cooperative
- Hamyang Lotus House
- Jung-gu Center for Lifelong Education for People with Developmental Disabilities
- Korea Disability Ministry Institute
- Korean Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Naju Change Center for Independent Living of Persons With Disabilities
- Sahmyook University
- Seoul Community Center for People with Cerebral Palsy
- Seoul Community Rehabilitation Center
- Shinsaegye Jungnang Center for Independent Living
- VITAMIN Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center
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Interested in learning more about CtLC tools, becoming an Ambassador, or implementing the framework into your work?
