VI.  PROGRAM:  Participation of People with Disabilities.

__A. The Agency Plans for Increasing Participation of People with Disabilities Using:

1. Plan to increase participation of people with disabilities in agency special play and recreation overall program; the plan has quantitative (numbers) and qualitative goals and an achievement schedule or timetable.
2. Progress in increasing participation is evaluated annually.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__B. The Agency Provides Information on Special Play and Recreation Activities and Program:

__Accessibility information: areas, buildings, facilities, toilets
__Announcements and columns in flyers, newsletters, and special announcements
__Special activities and program
__Special calendar/schedule: weekly, monthly, annual
__Special clubs, groups, and teams
__Special competitions and contests
__Special directory of area special play and recreation activities and programs (including information on all special activities and programs offered by consumer organizations, rehabilitation agencies, and youth agencies in an area)
__Special equipment
__Special fellowships, financial aid for camps, outings, and trips
__Special support services
__Special transportation
__Standard of special permissions (medical doctor, parents, caretakers)
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__C. The Agency Canvasses, Contacts, and Visits Recruiting Participants:
__Businesses---------------__Civic Groups-----------__Clinics
__Current Participants-----__Employment Services---__Health Agencies
__Hospitals----------------__Physicians------------__Public Health
__Religious Organizations--__Residences------------__Schools (all levels) __Sheltered Workshops------__Social Services-------__Voluntary Health
__Other
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__D. The Agency Uses Media for Special Recreation Program:
__Announcements __Cyberspace: Internet, Web Pages, etc.
__Newspapers __Newsletters __Public Meetings
__Radio and TV __Telephone __Word of Mouth
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__E. The Agency Provides Orientation to New Participants on:
__Agency activities, programs, organization of the agency, and personnel
__Inter-agency cooperation and coordination with other agencies providing special play and recreation activities and programs
__Opportunities to volunteer and to seek part-time and full-time employment
__Printed information on the roles/functions of board and board members, committees, and staff (administration to activity assistants and volunteers)
__Tours of areas, facilities, and resources
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__F. The AGENCY involves new participants in and by:
__Appointment as "members" of committees and panels
__Evaluating activities, funding, policies, programs, services, and staff
__Planning activities and programs
__Policies and procedures: policy-making, review of procedures
__Selecting activities and program to continue, discontinue, and start
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__G. The Agency Use of Assistive and Electronic Technology:
__Assistive devices for play and recreation
__Internet
__World Wide Web: agency website and useful websites
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

VII.  PROGRAM:  Program Principles.

"Twelve (12) Principles of Special Play and Recreation for People with Disabilities"

These "12 Principles ..." are essential in serving people with disabilities in special play and recreation. Successful special play and recreation programming by civil society, governments, non-governmental organizations, and recreation and rehabilitation agencies flows from these principles.

I.  ABILITY. Universally, people with disabilities have the same play and recreation ABILITIES through adaptation and accommodation as people who are not "disabled." There should be no presumption of inability or incapacity by people with disabilities.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

II.  ACHIEVEMENT. Universally, every person with disability should experience play and recreation ACHIEVEMENT. There should be no presumption of any lack of the desire for a sense of achievement through play and recreation activities.

["... People may fail or achieve marginally in various spheres of life -- a career, or education, or employment. But, if play and recreation are "real" play and recreation than success and achievement are guaranteed. There is no failure in "real" play and recreation ... success in play and recreation is what draws a person back ... play and recreation are "factories" devoted to producing enjoyment, fun, satisfaction, and happiness ... in play and recreation there are no closed doors, no dissatisfactions, no dejections, and no gloom ...."]
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

III.  ADAPTATION. Universally, every play and recreation activity can be ADAPTED, modified, or accommodated to be feasible for a person with any illness, injury, or disability. There should be no presumption of non-adaptability of areas, equipment, facilities, or supplies or of play and recreation activity criteria, requirements, restrictions, or rules.

["... The 'Archives of Play and Recreation Achievements by People with Disabilities' has pages added each day ... for people with physical impairment ... there is foot and mouth painting ... white water rafting ... hang gliding ... mountain climbing ... for people with hearing loss there is dancing and professional theater ... for people with visual impairment there is ... painting -- yes, painting -- and reading ... for people with retardation there is art ... athletics, writing ...."]
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

IV.  ASCENDANCE. Universally, special play and recreation programming fosters the ASCENDANCE from dependence and isolation to independence, integration, and association. Participation and association provides bridges to family life, voluntary service, education, pre-vocational experience, employment, community participation, and community roles. There should be no presumption of any disinterest or indifference to ascending to play and recreation independence (functionally) and independent inter-personal associations by people with disabilities.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

V.  ASPIRATION. Universally, every person with disability should ASPIRE to participate in any play or recreation desired. There should be no presumption of any lack of the right to aspiration by any person with a disability.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

VI.  DIVERSITY and NEW EXPERIENCE. Universally, play and recreation activities and programs should respond to the desire for diversity and new experience in relation to the participant/s age and sex, community, cultural-ethnic background, education, socio-economic situation, and other pertinent factors.

Special play and recreation activities and programs should provide as varies an array of opportunities for diversity and new experience as are enjoyed by the general population -- or be even more diverse, but not less diverse. There should be no presumption of disinterest in the need for, or desire for, diversity and new experience.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

VII.  INDIVIDUALITY. Universally, play and recreation activities and programs should respond to the need for individuality in terms of creativity, idiosyncrasies, personality, and tastes.

In contemporary society, commerce, communications, information, education, entertainment, and government presume peoples' conformity. "One size fits all." Not true! One activity or one program does not suit all and oftentimes, "one size programs" fit no person, with or without disability.

Above all, there should never be a presumption that a particular play or recreation activity "fits" all people with a particular illness or "suits" all people with a particular impairment!

There should be no presumption of indifference to the need for, or desire for, individuality. Play and recreation should be an experience where individuality is guaranteed.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

VIII.  EDUCATION FOR PLAY AND RECREATION. Universally, every person needs play and recreation education and every person with disability needs "Special Play and Recreation Education." There should be no presumption that people in general or people with disabilities do not need play and recreation education.

["... lead a person in recreation for an hour and there is an hour long joyful experience; teach a person skills in play and recreation, and the person plays and recreates for a lifetime ...."]
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

IX.  EMPOWER RECREATION TIME. Universally, idle time has been forced on people with disabilities because of being confined to hospitals or institutions and to restrictive living situations or unemployment. Further, the general lack of transportation, either public or personally owned, and the limited funds for travel have served to deny people with disabilities access to play and recreation activities and programs. Play and recreation and special play and recreation providers (policy-makers, administrators, leaders) should consider the fact of "forced idle time" must be replaced by "empowered recreation time." This is achieved by allocating resources to play and recreation programs and services that empower recreation time and displace forced idle time.

There should be no presumption that forced free time, or forced leisure, is a desirable lifestyle for any person including people with disabilities.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

X.  PROTECTION AND PREVENTION. Universally, special play and recreation is directed to healthful, safe, salutary pursuits. The play and recreation leader, activities, agency, areas, equipment, facilities, personnel, program, and service should "Do No Harm." Measures are taken universally upon all occasions to assure protection and prevention of illness, injury, and disability because of play or recreation. In particular unsafe, high risk activities, for example, hand-fired street fireworks, should avoided.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

XI.  REHABILITATION. Universally, special play and recreation activities and programs respond to the participants needs for rehabilitation that is: care-based, institution-based, and rehabilitation-based needs; treatment-based; therapy-based; and, function-based. The play and recreation leader, activity, and program supports and enhances rehabilitation.

NOTE. The "non-prescriptive, non-medical model, non-treatment" character of "special play and recreation" does NOT diminish the "ameliorative, beneficial, curative, function-enhancing, healing, or therapeutic" character AND result of adapted and special play and recreation activities and programs. Play and recreation deliver the cure with or without the prescription.

First, healing, therapeutic, and rehabilitation goals are achieved in special play and recreation.

Second, for some people with illness, injury, impairment, or disability, the non-formal, non-therapeutic character of special play and recreation has an added healing and therapeutic benefit.

An added benefit of special play and recreation is that they allow the special participant to escape:
Those who treat (with or without causing pain);
The rigors and routines of treatment, confinement, and daily schedules;
The constrictions and restrictions of the treatment setting; and,
The sterility of personnel and setting, that is, the medications, the schedules, the treatment rooms, the wards, and the corridors and hallways.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

XII.  SOCIALIZATION. Universally, every person with disability should gain SOCIALIZATION through play and recreation in associations, classes, clubs, organizations and societies, and groups. The groups should include informal, interest, self-help, and small groups. There should be no presumption that people with disabilities have any degree of diminished need or desire for socialization, or friends, or co-recreationists, or a network of acquaintances. Rather, the isolation that many people with disabilities may experience increases the desire and the need for play and recreation socialization. Further, social isolation exacerbates illness, symptoms, and problems to the point of requiring treatment.

[" ... sometimes it seems that doing the recreation activity and doing the recreation activity with someone are equally important ...."]
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

VIII.  PROGRAM: Special Play and Recreation Education and Advising

__A. The "Special Play and Recreation Education Curriculum" is provided through classroom and small group instructions in:

PLAY and recreation philosophy, goals, understanding, and appreciation.
PLAY and recreation activity and adaptation skills: novice, intermed., master.
PLAY and recreation self-help planning: interests, goals, plan, and action.
ELIMINATION of barriers: barriers identification, knowledge of solution options (what, who, how, costs), and community organization skills.
SKILLED USE of play and recreation resources, for example, skills in using directories, information and referral, networking, organizing, recruiting, etc.
SKILLED USE assistive technology in play and recreation, knowledge of resources.
SKILLED USE of computer technology in play and recreation, use of the internet as recreation, and use of the World Wide Web access to information and recreation.
ADVOCACY skills in assessing unmet needs, in organizing and representing needs of individuals and groups in play and recreation.
FORMATION of play and recreation routines ('habits').
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__B. "Play and Recreation Advising and Counseling" have the same goals as education, use the same learning and desired behavior/goals as education, and use the same "Play and Recreation Education Curriculum;" but are provided in one-on-one and small group INFORMAL advising or FORMAL counseling.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

IX.  PROGRAM: Areas, Facilities, and Equipment for Play and Recreation

__A. ACCESS. The community recreation agency provides access to areas and facilities (entrances, exits, rooms, toilets, etc.): physical access in relations to communication, hearing, physically, visually, and other impairments 
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__B. ADAPTATION, ACCOMMODATION, MODIFICATION. The recreation agency provides adaptation, accommodation, and modification of equipment, participation requirements, and game rules.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__C. DETERMINE NEEDS. The recreation agency determines the unmet recreation area, facilities, and equipment needs of people with disabilities.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__D. PROVIDE SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION. The recreation agency provides special transportation services for people with disabilities based on need, from residence to event and return.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

__E. PROVIDE MOBILE EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES. The recreation agency provides mobile equipment (that can moved from site to site, for example, toilets); and, temporary access (temporary ramps) at occasional and temporary use sites . NOTE. These temporary accessibility features do not replace the need for basic need for accessibility to permanent areas, buildings, and facilities.
STATUS: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 PRIORITY: __1 __2 __3 __4 __5

GLOBAL VISION PROJECT:
Global Vision of Rehabilitation and Recreation
for People with Disabilities in the 21st Century
A JOINT PROJECT BY:
Disability International Foundation AND
Special Recreation for disABLED International

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