Online Workshop: Leading Successful Speed Dating Events
Workshop Summary
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities want to meet people, make friends, and find love. A speed dating event gives them a real chance to do that. This workshop shows you how two organizers made it work.
Note: This is a pre-recorded, one-hour workshop. Instant access upon purchase. Includes the workshop slides and a set of ready-to-adapt event handouts.
Why This Workshop Exists
More and more professionals want to host speed dating events for the people they support. Most do not know where to start.
How long should it run?
Where should staff and parents be?
What happens when two people match?
What if your agency is nervous?
So Katherine McLaughlin brought together two people who have done it.
Ashley Allen is a social worker at an I/DD provider agency in Colorado. She and her husband planned a Valentine’s Day speed dating event on their own time. About 60 people signed up, and 26 came, even with a snowstorm that day.
Sybil Jackson is a licensed mental health practitioner in Omaha, Nebraska, with 30 years in the field. She has hosted multiple speed-dating events through her own nonprofit, pairing each with an evening dance.
“It’s all about opportunity and then practicing these skills.”
— Ashley Allen, workshop presenter
What the Presenters Share
This is an honest, informal conversation. You hear what worked, and you hear what did not.
Setting Up the Event
Both presenters landed on about two hours, with five-minute rounds and a food break in the middle. Sybil starts with a short lesson on the rules to calm first-time nerves. Ashley held hers at Brewability, a pizza and brewery spot that employs adults with I/DD, and let the group use the space for free.
Both asked parents, guardians, and staff to wait outside. At Sybil’s first event, having parents in the room was a huge distraction.
During the Event
Both used printed conversation starters. At Ashley’s event, the rules and starters were taped to every table, so no one had to ask for help to keep talking. Volunteers moved around the room to restart a stalled conversation or sit with someone who did not have a partner for that round.
People who only wanted friendship were welcome too. Anyone could sit out a round with no pressure.
Matching After the Event
Ashley used rating sheets where people circled an emoji and checked yes or no. Then she found a problem she had not planned for.
“We didn’t think about fine motor struggles that a lot of the people we work with have. So writing down with a pen or pencil was really difficult.”
— Ashley Allen
The presenters discuss other options and compare two ways to share contact information. Ashley called both people a week later to confirm before sharing phone numbers. Sybil gives numbers to staff instead, and explains why.
Safety, Liability, and Pushback
Some agencies worry about liability. Some staff do not follow through on bringing people. Some leaders still believe people with I/DD do not date at all.
The presenters talk openly about each of these. They also talk about how Ashley included LGBTQ+ participants at her first event and why both presenters are considering a dedicated LGBTQ+ event.
Marketing
You will hear how they filled the room: flyers with a clear purpose, community partners who shared the event, QR codes for easy sign-up, and a popular local DJ.
Who This Workshop Is For
This workshop is for anyone who wants to help adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities meet new people. That includes sexuality educators, social workers, direct support professionals, program managers, recreation staff, and agency leaders.
It is also helpful for parents and community groups who want to start an event in their area.
What You Will Learn
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
Plan the length, venue, and structure of a speed dating event for adults with I/DD
Prepare participants with simple rules and conversation starters
Use volunteers to support the flow of the event
Choose an accessible way for people to record who they want to see again
Share contact information in a way that respects choice and safety
Respond to concerns about liability and pushback from staff, families, or agencies
Market your event through community partners and local networks
Workshop Price
$45/one-time
Purchase once — watch as many times as you like.
What is Included?
Your purchase includes immediate access to the one-hour video recording, plus the following downloadable resources:
Workshop Slides — The full presentation, organized by setup, the event itself, follow-up, and marketing.
Workshop Transcript — A complete time-stamped transcript in .txt format.
Speed Dating Rules — A list of dos and don’ts for participants, plus a one-page quick guide.
Conversation Starters — Simple questions to print and place on each table.
Rating and Matching Sheets — Examples of how participants can note who they liked.
Flyer, Sign-Up Form, and Questionnaire — Samples to adapt for your own event.
Volunteer Flyer and Registration Form — To help you recruit support.
Photo Release Form — A plain-language template for events where you take pictures.
Ashley Allen, MSW, SWC, is the Operational Excellence Manager at Developmental Disabilities Resource Center in Lakewood, Colorado. With more than nine years of experience in inclusive programming, Ashley is a passionate advocate for empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through person-centered services and meaningful community engagement. She is dedicated to breaking down social barriers and creating safe, inclusive spaces where people can build genuine friendships, explore romantic relationships, and strengthen their independence and confidence. Drawing on her experience developing and facilitating social connection programs, Ashley will share practical strategies, lessons learned, and best practices for planning and hosting successful speed dating events that provide fun, empowering, and relationship-focused opportunities for participants.
Sybil Jackson, LIMHP, PLADC, CEO/Founder, Sybil Jackson PC Corp. Throughout my career, I have been committed to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health challenges through behavior management, case coordination, treatment planning, and advocacy. I served as a guardian for individuals with intellectual disabilities for eight years and participated on the Human Legal Rights Committees for ENCOR and Mosaic of Omaha. As the owner of Sybil Jackson PC Corp, I provide counseling services as a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner while managing all aspects of my practice. I also developed training for foster parents caring for children with intellectual disabilities. My education, professional licenses, and certifications reflect my commitment to delivering compassionate, high-quality, person-centered care.
Workshop Host
Katherine McLaughlin, M.Ed., AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator, is the Founder, CEO, and Lead Trainer for Elevatus Training. She has been a sexuality educator and trainer for over 30 years. As a national expert on sexuality and intellectual and developmental disabilities, she trains professionals and parents, as well as people with I/DD, to become sexual self-advocates and peer sexuality educators.
