Social Inclusion Through Recreation
Introduction and Overview
Increasingly, our society is recognizing the value of social inclusion in the lives of all of us. New Brunswick has recently made a new law known as the Economic and Social Inclusion Act. While primarily focused on reducing poverty, this new law recognizes that economic and social exclusion has a negative impact on people’s well […]
Why Social Inclusion?
It is clear that people can be present in community without being socially included. Being socially included means that a number of things are present in people’s lives. Social inclusion means that people: Experience a sense of belonging Are accepted (for who they are) within their communities Have valued roles in the community Are actively […]
Why Recreation?
Recreation offers specific opportunities for social inclusion that may not exist in other walks of life. Brian Abery, from the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota explains why recreation programs have a number of characteristics that make them good places to facilitate the social inclusion of people with disabilities (Abery, “Social Inclusion […]
Barriers to Inclusive Recreation
The purpose of this module is to equip recreation providers with the knowledge and tools that are needed to create inclusive recreation programs. However, an understanding of the barriers that people with disabilities often face is critical to identifying what must be done to facilitate inclusive recreation. There are a number of important barriers to […]
Becoming an Inclusive Recreation Provider (The 8 Requirements)
The good news is that there are a lot of good ways to create inclusive recreation programs and to facilitate social inclusion on behalf of people with disabilities. Below we present the eight requirements of building a successful inclusive recreation program. In the next section of this learning module other strategies for achieving social inclusion […]
Other Strategies For Achieving Social Inclusion Through Recreation
Following the eight requirements will go a long way to ensuring that recreation providers are truly inclusive. Achieving social inclusion through recreation may require some specific strategies that are consistent with ensuring access for people with disabilities. Address cost barriers. Many people with disabilities will not have the money required for registration costs or participation […]
Providing Accommodations and Supports
Inclusive recreation programs will consider the ways in which accommodations and supports for people with disabilities can be provided (and, if necessary, funded). Accommodations and supports can take many forms. It can mean providing assistive devices and equipment, accessible facilities, adaptation of the activity or equipment used (as discussed in the previous section), helping people […]
Strategies for Families
Families can play important roles in assisting their children to become involved in recreation programs and activities. While the information in this module is designed mainly for recreation providers, we encourage families to review the other parts of this module. In particular, read the sections “Why Social Inclusion?” and “Why Recreation?” at the beginning of […]
Additional Information and Resources
Web Sites Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability: http://www.ala.ca National Center on Accessibility: http://ncaonline.org New Brunswick Human Rights Commission: http://www.gnb.ca/hrc-cdp/index-e.asp Recreation New Brunswick: http://www.recreationnb.ca The Center for Universal Design: http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud Books, Newsletters, and Articles Inclusive Recreation: Programs and Services for Diverse Populations, Human Kinetics, 2010. Available for order from:http://www.humankinetics.com/therapeuticandinclusiverecreation Strategies for Inclusion, 2nd edition, Human Kinetics, 2009. […]
