Lesson 7 I'm in Heaven!

Super cheesy title, but I'M IN MEXICO RIGHT NOW AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL!! I've never been out of the country, so you can understand my excitement :)

This week we learned about how to create programs that are fully accessible. This is a website that I found to help me with our case study this week:

Principles for Adapting Recreation Programs

We watched a few videos showing good examples of recreation programs that include people with disabilities:

The coach of the disability sports program said something I really enjoyed. I won't quote it exactly, but in effect it said that by interacting, coaching, and interacting with those people who have disabilities, her appreciate for the sweetness of life and activities is increased. I think as we realize this, we can bring that enthusiasm to work and help others realize their potential and how great life really is!

I also like how one of her track students said that she was hard on them. If we are truly going to treat those individuals who have disabilities the same as we treat everyone else, we will need to push them to excel sometimes. I think it is a tendency of human nature to fall beneath our potential and have the need of external motivation sometimes. People with disabilities can be the same way. We all have a divine nature and have potential beyond what we can comprehend. I am grateful for the people in my life who have pushed me to excel when I needed it.

Here is some information from this week that I do not want to loose and something from a classmates portfolio that I am required to add weekly: 

http://www.un.org/wcm/webdav/site/sport/shared/sport/SDP%20IWG/Chapter5_SportandDisability.pdf

What is Program Accessibility and how is it accomplished?

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Approach

• Designing recreation programs and activities so people with disabilities can actively and socially participate in them.
• Approach > Enter > Use > Conveniences

The Inclusion Process

Step One: Program Promotion

• Refers to advertising and promotion of program.
• Ask questions to ensure that advertising is conveying the message that you want. Do my flyers show that my program is accessible? Are my flyers reaching the special population?

Step Two: Registration Process and Assessment of Needs

• Registration forms need to include a space where the applicant can state any special needs.
• Be prepared to meet with applicants to discuss special needs and how to best prepare for optimal experience.
• Does the participant require any accommodations of have any needs of which we should be aware?

Step Three: Accommodations and Supports

• Accommodations: Equipment and Activity Adaptations
1. Besides the person’s own devices, do we need any special equipment or modifications?
2. Have the steps of the activity been broken down into small tasks to match the competence of the participant?
3. Do we need to make changes to the rules to accommodate everyone?
4. Is the terrain or space accessible to everyone?
5. 5. How we manage the dynamics of the group to operate more effectively?
• Supports: Additional Staff of Volunteers What additional support staff does our program need?
• Assign a one-to one assistant
• Assign an extra staff member for the group
• Develop a “leisure partner” or peer support system
• Develop a leisure coach system

Step Four: Staff Training

• All staff participants are well informed and prepared.
• Guidelines: Is our training ongoing and consistent? Conducted with new programs? For all program leaders? Involve participant input? Are new staff members educated and trained in the inclusion process?
• Topics: Do our training topics include importance of inclusion? Benefits of inclusion? Disability awareness activities? People-first language? Simulation/experiential activities? Involve scenarios? Leadership roles? Discuss only important needs of specific participants?
• Does our program offer equal special personal care?
• Are the non disabled participants comfortable and well informed of needs of participants with disabilities?

Step Five: Program Implementation

• Are we executing the principles that we had prepared for?
• Are we communicating well with patrons to further improve the program?

Step Six: Documentation

• Are we properly documenting daily progress to evaluate success over time?

Step Seven: Evaluation

• Involve everyone (participants, parents, leaders) in evaluation process
• What happened? Why did it happen? What could be improved? What can be done differently?

Principles for Structuring Social Integration in Recreation Activities

1. Frequent and consistent opportunities to get acquainted
2. Equal status
3. Mutual goals
4. Cooperation and interdependence
5. Receiving accurate (not stereotyped) information about the person with a disability
6. Fair and tolerant norms

Developing friendships

• Promote social integration to develop reciprocal relationships whether they have a disability or not.

Scenario

A staff member from a psychosocial rehabilitation center for people with mental illness calls you to see if one of his clients can join the painting class your agency sponsors. How should you proceed with this situation?

• Step 1: Re-evaluate brochures to ensure the clarity that all are welcome; ask what interested them in the program.
• Step 2: Ask if any special considerations are needed for the client; have the client come in ahead of time to familiarize themselves with the facilities and answer questions with the registration process.
• Step 3: Inform staff of the new participant from the psychosocial rehabilitation center; assign a volunteer to work one on one with the new participant.
• Step 4: Make sure staff is trained and prepared for the inclusion of the participant; inform class of new participant.
• Step 5: Monitor the program.
• Step 6: Document observations of the participants and the staff, and their ability to implement inclusion for the new participant.
• Step 7: Evaluate effectiveness by questioning staff members and especially the one on one volunteer. Get feedback from the rehabilitation center and if they would be interested in coming again.
• Promote social integration by:
• introductions
• organizing small groups of 2-3 for community sharing and cooperation
• recognizing the new participant when he/she does something well