Creating Spaces Where Everyone Belongs: Community Inclusion in Recreation

The speaker will discuss the rationale for inclusion and cover the benefits for individuals with disabilities, their families, for recreation agencies, and for the community. The presenter will highlight the connection between diversity and disability and how language and the social model of disability can help ensure that everyone belongs. The presentation will cover specific sports, including sensory, behavioral and social supports, as well as considerations for including self-advocates in the planning and evaluation processes of recreation programs.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Participants will be able to identify 5 reasons why inclusion Is important in recreational spaces for both the recreation agency and the community. (Community: increased social competencies; positive role identity & self-confidence; family involvement; Recreation agency: increased participation; avenue for innovation)  

2. Participants will be able to identify 3 ways in which disability is a component of diversity (Natural part of the human experience; added intellectual, physical, social diversity; intersectionality within the disability experience) 

3. Participants will be able to describe 5 strategies and supports for achieving success when working with individuals with disabilities 1) Language use; 2) Needs Assessments; 3) Sensory Considerations; 4) Behavior Supports; 5) Social Strategies. 

4. Participants will be able to identify 4 practices for engaging with self-advocates in the process of planning recreational programs 1) Planning; 2) Marketing; 3) Operating; 4) Evaluating. 

This talk is available for 1 year from release date!