Special Bridge Dating Site for Adults with Special Needs

Introduction

Special Bridge is a new dating website due to launch in December 2013 that will cater to adults with autism, Down's Syndrome, developmental delays, and special needs. It's goal is to create a supportive environment that allows people to create meaningful friendships and romantic relationships.

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As children and teenagers with special needs and mental disabilities grow older, they may find it difficult to meet people in their age group and ability level. Special Bridge is a new type of dating and companionship website that aims to help these individuals find friends and romantic partners with the same types of special needs, allowing them to create new friendships and open the door for romantic attachments.

Often the romantic aspect of life for people with special needs is overlooked. Caregivers spend so much time focusing on educational, medical, and mental health needs that fostering friendships often gets left by the wayside. Young adults of every ability level have the desire to love and be loved, to make friends, and seek companionship. Special Bridge is unique in that it's specifically designed as a special needs dating site - assisting people in making meaningful connections through online matching and communication, as well as through site-sponsored group events.

This special needs dating website will feature an easy-to-navigate interface that allows users to search for people based on location and level of functioning. Once connected with another person, the internal messaging system will allow users to communicate with each other. The site's design gives each member a rich experience without the sensory overload that some other websites are prone to, which can be difficult for people with autism to process.

A low monthly membership fee for each user will go towards covering the costs of operating the site, and will eventually be used to pay for group outings that will allow people to meet face-to-face in a fun and safe environment. These social events will be planned as the site begins to grow and gain a following within the special needs community. This is just one more way that Special Bridge sets itself apart from mainstream dating websites.

Special Bridge is the creation of Michael Robbins and Lauren Ellis, who wanted to create a unique experience for people with special needs to find companionship with new people with similar disabilities and developmental delays. This was an idea borne out of Lauren's experience with her sister.

Ms. Ellis recently talked about what motivated her to start this special website, saying, "I am very familiar with this community, as my sister Jaclyn has been mildly mentally delayed due to chronic health issues her entire life, and watching her struggle to make new friends and find people to relate to with similar conditions has always been a concern."

Upon doing some research, Ms. Ellis quickly learned that there are virtually no resources for autism dating, Down's Syndrome dating, or other sites for people with special needs who want to meet new, like-minded people. She and Michael made it their personal goal to create a unique community that meets this need. The result of that goal is Special Bridge, which is a labor of love. This family run website is designed to provide support and understanding to each and every member to create an enjoyable and positive experience.

While there are plenty of dating sites on the Internet, most are not designed as special needs dating services. Those that do attempt to address this segment of the population don't offer the understanding and support that Special Bridge will provide. Other dating sites offer a cookie-cutter experience that simply doesn't work for many people with developmental delays and disabilities. Special Bridge represents a safe place for each of these unique individuals to be themselves without fear of judgment or insults.

The goal of Special Bridge isn't just to create romantic matches. It is also a place to meet new people and make lasting friendships, which is just one more way that this dating site differs from the rest. Members can meet people who live just down the street or on the other side of the country, making true friendships that simply aren't always possible outside of the Internet. The low-pressure atmosphere encourages people to get to know each other as opposed to quickly making a match. The process of making friends in the special needs community works at a different pace, which is a concept that some other dating websites are not designed to understand.

All too often, people with developmental disabilities only meet people in school and workshop settings, and even in these situations, it is difficult to find more than one person with the same level of functioning, which can make it difficult to create meaningful and long-lasting friendships. Special Bridge is a unique special needs dating service that helps to match people with the same needs and abilities so that it is easier to start a relationship.

Attribution/Source(s):

This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Special Bridge, and published on 2013/10/12 (Edit Update: 2021/10/15), the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Special Bridge can be contacted at specialbridge.com. NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Cite This Page (APA): Special Bridge. (2013, October 12 - Last revised: 2021, October 15). Special Bridge Dating Site for Adults with Special Needs. Disabled World. Retrieved December 10, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/communication/disabled-dating/special-bridge.php

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