Professional Development Webinar Series

1. Professional Development Webinar Series

2. 5 Ways to Make YourPark and Rec Program More Inclusive and Accessible

3. This webinar is about to start!

4. 5 Ways to Make YourPark and Rec Program More Inclusive and Accessible

5. Housekeeping Items • As attendees, you can only hear this presentation through the speakers/headphones of your computer or over the phone. You are not tied into the verbal part of the webinar. • To listen over the phone • call the conference center: +1 (415) 655-0054 • access code: 214-521-686

6. Housekeeping Items • There is a Question feature on your control panel. Submit your questions by clicking on the feature on your control panel and typing in your question. • Some questions will be answered in a typed response, others will be answered in the Question and Answer portion of the webinar.

7. Housekeeping Items • A an email with a link to a survey will be sent to you following the webinar. • Complete the survey and a PDF version of today’s webinar will be sent to you. • Anyone interested in CEU’s must view the entire webinar and must complete the survey.

8. 5 Ways to Make YourPark and Rec Program More Inclusive and Accessible

9. This webinar is made possible with generous support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

10. Today’s Moderator Dan Humphreys CDSS, MS Director of BlazeTEC

11. Today’s Presenter • Disability Policy Officer for the Chicago Park District 2005-Present • 12+ Years of service with Chicago Mayor’s Office for people with Disabilities (MOPD) • Over 30 years of experience in disabled and adapted sports as an • Athlete • Official • Coach • Administrator Larry Labiak Disability Policy Officer Chicago Park District

12. 5 Ways to Make Your Park and Rec Program More Inclusive and Accessible • Policies • Staff Training • Transportation • Programming • Equipment & Facilitates

13. Disability Facts • 54 million Americans • 1 in 5 individuals has a disability • 16% of people with disabilities use mobility devices • Face the greatest number of physical barriers in the community • 49% of people with disabilities have either a vision or hearing impairment • 33% of people with disabilities have a major medical condition • Majority of disabilities are “invisible” Source: DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center

14. 27 million people have a physical or sensory disability • Over the next 15 years, an additional 60 million people will reach retirement age (i.e. baby boomers) • Over 600,000 individuals with disabilities live or work in Chicago • Close to 400,000 senior citizens live in Chicago

15. Chicago Park District Core Values Open – useable by all Active – enhance active recreation opportunities Green – environment-friendly practices, procedures and materials Connected – support, funding, partnerships

16. Park System • 3 Regions • North – Central – South • 582 parks • 8,126 acres of park land • 239 field houses • 519 playgrounds • 17 historic lagoons • 24 miles of lakefront • 18 miles of paved lakefront trails • 24 beaches/10 harbors • 144 gymnasiums • 75 fitness centers • 77 swimming pools

17. POLICIES

18. Review and Development • Evaluate current policies to ensure they address needs of people with disabilities (PWDs) • Service Animals • Power-driven Mobility Devices • Emergency Planning

19. Non-traditional Groups Protected Under the ADA • Asthma - inhalers • Diabetes - monitoring • Severe Allergic Reactions - EpiPens (Epinephrine auto injectors)

20. Take advantage of existing resources • Best practices by other park districts/parks departments • Project Civic Access - DOJ • Your local ADA Information Center • Being reactive could cost you more in the long-run

21. Resources • Network of ADA Centers (800) 949-4232 www.adata.org • U.S. Department of Justice (800) 514-0301 (voice) (800) 514-0383 (TTY) www.ada.gov • U.S. Access Board (800) 872-2253 (voice) (800) 993-2822 (TTY) (202) 272-0081 (fax) www.access-board.gov

22. STAFF TRAINING

23. Why? • It is the right thing to do • Alleviate concerns of both disabled consumers and staff • Reduce disability-related complaints

24. Types of Training • Disability Awareness & Etiquette • ADA Compliance • General policies and procedures (e.g. locker rooms/bath houses) • Proper use of assistive equipment • Experiential learning (e.g. role playing)

25. Special Recreation Staff Training • Crisis Prevention and Intervention • Transfer Training • Familiarity with various disability types (e.g. Autism, deaf/HH, seizure disorder) • BlazeSports Certified Disability Sport Specialist (CDSS)

26. Tools for the Trades • Cheat sheet/crib notes • Standard ADA details cut sheet (e.g. parking space dimensions/access aisles/signage) • Beach walk maintenance procedures • Pool lift operations/repair procedures • Photos depicting problem areas (e.g. degraded pathways)

27. TRANSPORTATION

28. An Age Old Problem • Lack of an accessible vehicle • Policy prohibitions • Distance between participants’ homes/schools and target site • Societal norms tend to exclude PWDs from mainstream activities • Carpooling complexities • Funding

29. Dealing with the Problem • Identifying Resources • Partners with similar philosophies • Link to ADA Para-transit service • Door-to-door • Travel training • Develop working knowledge of accessible travel options (e.g. one lift-equipped bus vs. two)

30. Retraining the parents • Increase awareness • History/Paralympic Movement • Disability Sport Community • Raise expectations • Potential • Long-term benefits

31. Programming

32. Developing Programming Options/Choices Inclusive Segregated Combination

33. Identification • Resources • Facilities/equipment • Experience/knowledge • Barriers/obstacles • Real and perceived • Cross-disability differences • Potential Partners

34. Athlete Self-discipline Teamwork Leadership Sportsmanship Socialization Professional Work ethic Collaboration Management skills Flexibility Communication skills Benefits of Participation

35. Being Part of the Athlete Development Continuum • The beginning • Grassroots • Athlete identification • The progression • Recreation • Lifelong health/fitness opportunities

37. Outreach to Disabled Community (CPD Disability Advisory Committee) • Centers for Independent Living (CIL) • Sub-disability advocacy organizations • Local disabled sports teams/organizations • Municipal disabled services/advocacy agency (e.g. Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities) • Veterans’ services organizations • Website/social media/electronic media

38. What are our goals? • Short-term • Long-term

39. CPD Goals • Short-term • Expose current program participants to additional adaptive sport and recreational opportunities • Long-term • To offer both integrated programming and specialized opportunities for specific disability populations

40. Short-term • Outreach to active military and veteran population of Chicago • Long-term • Develop a veteran-based wheelchair softball team for the 2012 season and beyond

41. Partnership Development • Event support (e.g. one-time volunteers) • Programmatic development (on-going) • Mutually beneficial relationship • Combine resources to eliminate gaps • Formalize partnerships on paper • Define the relationship within the program plan - Who will be responsible for what?

42. Communicate • There will be adaptations from plan to practice • To minimize misimpressions, misinterpretations and discord • Evaluate • To ensure long-term success • Expand your network • Continued partnerships • Adding new partners

43. CPD Partners • World Sport Chicago • Chicago Public Schools • Chicago State University • University of Illinois (Chicago & Urbana) • Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago • Midwest Wheelchair Sport & Social Club (MDWSSC) • BlazeSports • Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Program • Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) • Adaptive Adventures • Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs • Illinois Center for Rehabilitation & Education • Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital • Special Recreation Associations (SRANI) • Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships/Lincoln Park Boat Club • Creative Mobility/Project Mobility • National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD)

44. Partnership Programs

46. Marketing Programs (Getting the Word Out) • Use alternative forms of communication • Publicize programs through organizations that work with people • with disabilities • Include non-discrimination policy in all general information publications • Include in announcements: • Non-discrimination policy • Site accessibility • TTY numbers • Availability of alternative formats • Deadline for accommodation requests

47. Expand accessibility information on website • All publications should include notice that: “This publication can be made available upon request in alternate formats. Call # for assistance.” • Provide copy of access policy and implementation manual to all employees • Improve design of printed displays • Provide sign-language interpreter for major events, without waiting for request • List TTY numbers and provide TTY training to staff • Establish contracts for communication services that can be used throughout the department Source: Recreation Management May/June 2005

48. Tips for Success • Provide programming options (i.e. choices) • Utilize special events to target specific disability populations • Identify leaders (existing and potential) within target disability populations • Discover what works for you and continue to support it (i.e. sustainability)

49. Property Tax-based Revenue • Architectural Barriers Removal • Programmatic Development • Inclusion/One-on-One Aides • Staff Support • Transportation • Equipment, etc. Illinois SRA Levy (P.A. 93-612)

50. Equipment & Facilities