Inclusion in Recreation and Physical Activity: Promoting Social Competence, Friendships, and Communi

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Inclusion in Recreation and Physical Activity
Promoting Social Competence, Friendships, and
Community Participation
Stuart J. Schleien, Ph.D., CTRS Department of
Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality
ManagementUniversity of North Carolina at
Greensboro
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Community Lifestyles of Adults With Disabilities
Findings Physical Presence in Community Does Not
Guarantee Neighborhood Inclusion or Establishment
of Social Relationships. Conclusions Deinstituti
onalization Often Involves Little More Than
Physical Placement of Individual Community
Participation Is Much Less Than Expected or
Desirable Care Providers Low Expectations of
Residents Leisure and Social Potential Result in
Minimal Program Development to Promote Social
Competence, Friendships, or Community Involvement.
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Too Few Friends

• Small social networks and loneliness
• Minimal participation in community recreation
  activities due to lack of companion or friend.

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Inclusive Recreation and Physical ActivityFacts
and Figures

• Limited Leisure Repertoires and Social Networks
  Although 94 Live in Community Passive Activity
• Few Specially Trained Recreation Staff in
  Community Settings
• -Only 11 of all CTRS employed in
  community recreation settings (NCTRC) only
  9.6 in NC
• Inclusive Programs Infrequent, Except for
  Swimming, Arts and Crafts, Special Events
• Minimal Inclusion in Camps, Outdoor Education,
  Cultural Arts, Club Memberships, Sports,
  Volunteering
• Inclusive Opportunities Absent and Not Systemic
  Across Most Communities
  

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Three Approaches to Community Recreation Inclusion

• Reverse Mainstreaming services initially
  designed for participants with disabilities.
• Inclusion in Generic Programs services
  initially designed for participants without
  disabilities.
• Zero-Exclusion/Accessible services designed,
  from inception, to be welcoming and accessible
  (systemic).

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Building Blocks and Effective Practices (Top-Down
/Bottom-Up)

• Administration (e.g., mission, budget, physical
  access, hire/train staff, marketing, advisory
  board).
• Program Design (e.g., point-of-contact,
  accommodation plans, inclusion facilitator, goals
  reflecting social inclusion, behavioral policies,
  age-appropriateness, interdependence, recreation
  inventory, prepare companions, natural
  proportions).
• Program Implementation (e.g., curriculum
  adjustments, cooperative groupings, trainer
  advocates, adaptations/partial participation,
  TR/General recreation partnering).

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Inclusive Community Recreation Successful
Outcomes

• Skill Acquisition, Maintenance, Generalization
• Social Interaction
• Attitudes of Nondisabled Peers
• Physical Activity/Fitness
• Functional Academics
• Self-Esteem
• Friendship Development
• Staff Attitudes Toward Inclusive Programming
• Key Player Partnerships
• Sustainable Systems Change (not there yet!)

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