Inclusive Recreation Programs Promoting Active Living: City of London Christine Wootton and Laurie Quinlan

CITY OF LONDON Recreation Programs The City of London offers inclusive recreation programs to Children/Youth/Adults and Older Adults in a variety of opportunities (ie. Sports, Arts, Fitness, Leadership and General Interest programming.

Our Goal To ensure all citizens of London have equal opportunity to participate in inclusive recreation programs. Identify and remove barriers to ensure our programs respect the dignity, independence, and integration of participants.

Our Goal Cont’ We make all reasonable efforts to meet the needs of individuals participating in our programs.

What Are We Doing? Upon registration participants can complete a Customer Accommodation Initial Request Form. This form collects information about the program they wish to participate in and what accommodations they require.

What Are We Doing Cont’ Supervisor receives information and with reasonable effort accommodates the request. If request cannot be made for specific program, alternative arrangements are made with participant (ie. date, time, another program etc.).

Examples of Accommodations The City has a list of qualified American Sign Language interpreters to contact for support of those who are deaf or hearing impaired. City of London covers these costs. Participants are able to bring a support worker to program.

Accommodations Cont’ Support Worker is non paying customer. Support worker can be a family member, friend or paid staffing. The City does have limited financial support for families/participants to pay for support workers.

Intentional Connections We have targeted selected programs in the City to encourage more participation in main stream programs for people with special needs. Essentially hold spots for individuals with special needs population to register.

Intentional Connections Cont’ Partnership with Thames Valley Children Center/Stepping Stones and possibly future service providers to promote their clients to join.

Current Programs Supporting People With Special Needs Preschool program with boy who has severe muscular deformities. DSW attends with him. Provided him with a sensory box to keep him focused and engaged in the program. Deaf person attending computer class and fitness program with an interpreter.

Cont’ Service dog attending with child with autism to a dance class. Wheelchair ballroom dance (attend with an able bodied partner). Many more examples……

What’s Next? Continued education and promotion. Still a disconnect in our community. Better identify the needs of individuals during the registration process to make the program experience more positive.

What’s Next Cont’ Expand training of front line staff. Partnerships with other organizations to share resources etc.

Day Camps: The Importance of Partnerships Increased registration of children with special needs in day camps results in increased need for training. We can’t do it by ourselves! We need help from experts like Thames Valley Children’s Centre and Fanshawe College.

All Kids in Camp Training City-wide training day for camp staff who support children with special needs Started in 2008 as City of London/ Thames Valley Children’s Centre partnership Has grown to planning committee of 10 agencies, with 200+ in attendance

All Kids in Camp Cont’d Large partnerships mean we can leverage resources – funding, presenters, content ideas, etc. Since starting this training, camp staff feel more prepared to support children who have special needs. Children with special needs increase from 25 in 2007 to 130 in 2012

BUT One Piece Was Still Missing Friendships and meaningful social interaction

What is TRACKS? A strategy to teach children how to interact with their peers who have disabilities. Adult leaders prompt through peers, and decrease their proximity to foster relationships. T ry Again (Persistence) R ight Thing (Correcting) A ssist (Prompting) C ongratulate (Reinforcement) K eep Trying (Persistence) S how (Modeling)

Why Recreation? Recreation programs are great settings for peer-to-peer interactions! -Children are in close proximity to each other, adult “barrier” can be decreased -Focus is on having fun and making friends -Academics is not a focus

From a Traditional Adult-Mediated Approach... Camp Counsellor Camper with Social Challenges Peers

... To a Peer-Mediated Approach Camp Counsellor Camper with Social Challenges Peers

Benefits of TRACKS Enhance social interactions for all children Increase physical activity through inclusion Educate peers on how to interact with children with autism and other social challenges Increase disability awareness Enhance children’s problem-solving skills

The History: Spring 2010: City of London and Thames Valley Children’s Centre partnered to pilot TVCC’s Peer Pals program at a City of London Day Camp. Summer 2010: Pilot was successful at 2 camps! Fall 2010: A committee, including Fanshawe College, was formed to further revise resources and training material. Created the “Camps on TRACKS” program.

Trained 200+ inclusion camp staff in TRACKS at All Kids in Camp -Hired TRACKS Coordinator each year -Hired Data Collector each year -Held Train-The-Trainer session in May 2012 TRACKS implemented at all 15 City of London inclusive day camps (ages 5-12) - 1:12 Adult-to-Camper ratio - 1:1-1:4 Adult-to-Camper with disability

TRACKS Program Steps: 1.Ability Awareness 2.Teaching TRACKS 3.Prompting Through Peers 4.Reward System

2011 Data Results Autism Social Skills Profile: Significant Questions 1. Joins in Activities with Peers 2. Engages in one-on-one social interactions with peers 3. Maintains the “give-and-take” of conversations 4. Expresses sympathy for others 5. Initiates greetings with others 6. Introduces self to others * Significant differences at p<0.05 Question Number

Initiations – Adults vs. Peers BaselineTRACKS

Qualitative feedback very positive across the board (children, parents, and camp staff) Very evident change in camp environment – more peer-to-peer, adult support has changed TRACKS philosophy is spreading throughout Ontario Impact and Results of TRACKS

How Can You Become Involved in TRACKS? Join Camps on TRACKS on Facebook Laurie to indicate interest in TRACKS training opportunities (early 2013) and/or attend All Kids in Camp training (May or June 2013) Laurie to access TRACKS resources (kit, training folders)

Questions

Our Contact Information Christine Wootton Adult/Older Adult Programs x 4758 Laurie Quinlan Summer and Leadership Programs x 5762