Lesson 9

This week we talked about Outdoor recreation. We specifically talked about how using outdoor recreation with a disability can help others. I had a hard time connecting to this week personally because I am not very outdoorsy. I like sports. I decided to take the term outdoors with a grain of salt and think about it in broader terms. That seemed to help.

We watched quite a few videos that were incredibly inspiring. I will post a few of them below. For me I learned 2 main things. One is, everyone has a disability. Whether emotionally, physically, mentally, we all have an aspect in life that is harder for us to overcome. Second is, we can overcome and accomplish anything if we decide to. It will not be easy, but it is possible.

This video shows us that as professionals we can give someone a totally different identity. "We are climbers first, disabled second." We can used our programs to give people their positive identity.

This videos talks about accomplishing goals. We can help others gain self-esteem by helping them create and then achieve their goals.

Here is a link I found for creating outdoor programs for everyone: https://outdoorsforall.org/

Outdoor Activities

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Outdoor Activities includes water sports such as sailing, canoeing, kayaking; snow based programs such as downhill and cross country skiing, snow machining, ice fishing; land based activities such as camping, rock climbing, hiking bicycling, riding horses, fishing and hunting.

Benefits of Outdoor Recreation

• Physical Exercise and Activity
• Physical challenge
• Learning new skills and applying those skills
• Enjoy the wonders and beauty of Nature
• Opportunity to be with friends
• Freedom from daily stress and pressures
• Closeness to Heavenly Father; spiritual growth
• Outdoor activities are Fun and enjoyable!
• Excitement of planning an outdoor experience

Below are a number of successful outdoor programs.
Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center
(www.boec.org)
Extraordinary things happen at the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC). A man with quadriplegia finds the courage and patience to take on the high ropes course, a woman who is blind feels the thrill of carving down some fresh powder, a group of teenage boys learn what it means to work hard as they set fence ties on a desert farm in Utah; these are mere glimpses of what happens at the BOEC. For more than 35 years, the BOEC has been changing lives, or more accurately, showing people that they have the power within themselves to change their own lives. The mission of the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center is to expand the potential of people of all abilities through meaningful, educational, and inspiring outdoor experiences, with a specialized focus on serving those with disabilities and special needs. The BOEC offers an Adaptive Ski and Ride School, Wilderness Programs (on-site as well as mobile courses), Professional Team-building Retreats, and a unique Internship Program. Situated on 39 acres above Breckenridge, Colorado, the BOEC features a residential lodge, climbing wall, high ropes course, team initiatives, rafts, canoes, sea kayaks, teepees, as well as programs at many locales in the mountains and on the rivers of the Colorado Rockies and the Desert Southwest.
Bradford Woods
(www.bradwoods.org)
Bradford Woods is a national and international leader in the application of universal design principles on our property. Our facilities are designed for all participants, regardless of their ability level. Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without adaptation or specialized design (NCA). Many examples of Universal Design can be found on the grounds of Bradford Woods. These include, but are not limited to, our nationally known Amphitheater, switchback trail, high universal course, climbing tower, and Olympic-sized swimming pool.
The Therapeutic Camp program is designed to support each group’s medical, social, and physical needs. Camps are grouped by diagnosis so that each child has his or her specific needs met. This also provides a unique opportunity for youth to form social connections with and receive support from others who have similar life circumstances.
Multiple clinical research projects at Bradford Woods have concluded that our Recreation Therapy summer camp program meets the psycho-social needs of our campers through this disability specific design in that it provides a normalizing experience, a supportive community to be one’s self without medical labels, and to simply be a kid without barriers. We recognize that opportunities to find support from staff and peers with similar disabilities is absolutely crucial for positive psycho-social support, growth, and long term achievement. Indeed, our research has confirmed that there are few, if any, opportunities for youth to have this experience in a supportive, empowering, inclusive, and camper first environment.
The State of Colorado offers a variety of year-round activities for disabled persons seeking indoor and outdoor adventures.

Summer

Hiking in Boulder

Outside of Boulder are 21 natural sites and 22 trails that meet Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines. The website provides a guidebook for people with disabilities featuring descriptions, maps and videos of wheelchair user Topher Downham navigating each trail www.Bouldercolorado.gov
CTRC CampsThe Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center (CTRC) provides the opportunity for children and adults with disabilities to ride horses with the assistance of certified instructors. CTRC offers a camp where children with and without disabilities can learn to participate in group games and horse-related arts. www.ctrcinc.org
No BarriersNo Barriers USA, a gathering of assistive technology pioneers, has selected Telluride to host its summit August 8–11, 2013. Scientists, inventors, and people hindered by physical limitations will collaborate on solutions for those who are challenged to achieve their wildest dreams. www.nobarriersusa.org
Summit Rock Climbing with Paradox SportsParadox Sports, in partnership with the Boulder Rock Club, has established a bimonthly Front Range Adaptive Climbing Clinic for disabled climbers. www.pardoxsports.org
ASA Summer ProgramDurango’s Adaptive Sports Association’s (ASA) summer program supports accessibility with rafting as well as canoeing and kayaking. Adaptive adult and tandem trikes are also available. www.asadurango.org
NSCD Summer ProgramThe National Sports Center for the Disabled’s (NSCD) summer program offers adventures for all ages, including horseback riding, sailing, and more. www.nscd.org
ASC Summer ProgramThe summer program at the Adaptive Sports Center (ASC) brings dynamic adaptive activities including downhill mountain biking, cycling, hiking, and more. www.adaptivesports.org

Winter

ASA Winter Program

The winter program at Durango’s Adaptive Sports Association (ASA) provides one-on-one lessons and state-of-the-art equipment and instruction, even the method of “sit-skiing.” www.asadurango.org
NSCD Winter ProgramThe National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) offers options from alpine and cross-country skiing, and even ski biking. The NSCD camps of overnight hut trips, moonlight adventures and world-class ski racing. www.nscd.org
ASC Winter ProgramThe winter program at the Adaptive Sports Center (ASC) includes Siblings Camps, Ladies Getaways, full and half day ski, monoski, ski bike, and snowboard lessons as well as hut trips and snowshoe outings. www.adaptivesports.org

Something from someone else blog: Camp Kostopulos