Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Collins.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am a Florida native, born and raised in Southwest Florida. I like to say that I, and my career, are the product of both my parents. My dad came here from England, and so soccer was pretty much a given in my life especially growing up in a state where we have the ability to play outside year-round. My mom was an exceptional student educator, and while growing up I didn’t want to work with children with disabilities, I did want to be a teacher.
I got my start in early childhood education at a preschool in Tallahassee, where I had lived briefly for college before moving down here and beginning my career in working with children with disabilities at an inclusive preschool. I didn’t know it at the time, but that job would be the single most important moment in what would become my personal and professional life.
Working in a classroom where both children with disabilities and their typically developing peers are learning side by side would end up being foundational to founding Ability to Include. It is also where I met my partner Nicole, with whom I have two stepchildren both with disabilities. Seeing what families went through firsthand has informed every program we offer at Ability to Include, where gaps in services are, and the shortcomings in how services are provided.
I founded Ability to Include in 2021, and it became my full-time job in 2023. Our flagship programs, Rec EdVentures and Braden River TOPSoccer, center around how children with disabilities can benefit and grow from recreation and gross motor activities combined with behavior and special education practices. Conversely, how children who do not normally have access to specialized interventions and education due to a lack of a formal diagnosis can still access it through programs like these.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have been incredibly fortunate to grow up with supportive friends, family, and community. So many of my teachers and coaches have inspired and assisted me in my achievements and successes. I’d say my biggest struggles usually came in spite of those that did so much to help me, usually accompanied with a phrase like “Chris, get out of your own way”.
I attended Florida State University where, at the time, was pursuing my aspiration of being a high school teacher. As I was sometimes known to do, I did not, in fact, get out of my own way. I ended up failing and dropping below the academic threshold before dropping out. That would be the first of many moments that put me on the path I am on today, because it is when I got my first job as a preschool teacher. While I did eventually finish school, completing my bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota and my Master of Public Administration at Florida State (I was truly determined vindicate myself there), those were also done with the support of friends and family.
Parenting children with disabilities is also, rarely, a smooth road. However, I am also humbled by my kids each and every day. They were a big part of my decision to go back to school. I remember writing in my grad school application that being a young professional without a college degree was something I was deeply insecure about, but it was my kids, and many of the kids I worked with, that showed me success looks different for everyone. Shedding that insecurity, ironically although seems to happen with many folk, was what also gave me the confidence and drive to go back to school.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Ability to Include’s mission is to level the playing field in education, recreation, and advocacy for children with disabilities and their families. We use multi-sensory, play-based instruction and opportunities to reduce disparities in education and recreation for any child who can benefit from it, irrespective of ability or circumstance.
That is also what sets us apart. When every child can benefit from something, they should not be excluded based on a diagnosis. Our TOPSoccer program is not just for children with disabilities, but their siblings play as well. We bring Rec EdVentures, or our literacy program GAV Instruction, to schools serving children with special needs, but also to schools and communities that lack the resources for specialized programs like ours.
What I am most proud of, is increasing the levels of accessibility for programs like ours. The most common barriers for most families is affordability and proximity. Our programs are completely free for the families we serve, and we work diligently to also bring programs to as many schools and clinics as possible for those that can’t make the trip to our community-based locations. This is done through the support of generous donors, businesses, and other organizations that we partner with to be impactful and accessible.
How do you think about luck?
I have had immense luck in life, to be where I am and to do what I love. First and foremost, where and when I was born. I know for some, finding luck is usually in the endeavors we pursue but I think the real fortune lies in things we take for granted in our lives or inherent in our personhood. I am lucky to have been born healthy, to grow up in a family and community that looks out for one another, to live in a time where humanity is at its most advanced.
I’d never invoke a cliche like “everything happens for a reason”, but everything that happened to me is why I have achieved my modest achievements, and found the love & happiness I have found.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://abilitytoinclude.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abilitytoinclude/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriscollinsabilitytoinclude/
