The QoLAB project has taken a step forwards. After this year’s local workshops, Co-creation Labs were launched in Austria, Finland, Hungary, and Portugal. These Labs brought together people with disabilities, their circles of support, professionals, managers, local authorities, and inspection bodies. Their shared goal? To reflect on how we can embed the Quality of Life Supports Model (QoLSM) in services and systems.

The Labs offered inclusive spaces where participants could share experiences, identify gaps in support, and design better solutions together. Crucially, they placed the voices of people with disabilities at the centre. As one participant put it: “We are capable to reach more in a group than alone”.

Meeting face-to-face fostered real dialogue, trust, and reflection. Participants described the process as both useful and empowering. People with disabilities felt fully included, while service providers and decision-makers gained a new perspective, meeting on equal terms and seeing beyond their own roles.

Across the four countries, a powerful message emerged: quality of life must be a shared responsibility at all levels of society. We need a cultural change to support people with disabilities to make their own choices and consistently include their voices and aspirations in decision-making.

The next step is action. These insights will now guide the development of national Action Plans, turning the lessons learned into clear goals, concrete steps, and sustainable practices. These plans will ensure that quality of life remains at the heart of services and systems.