Professional DevelopmentWebinar Series

5 Ways to Make YourPark and Rec Program

More Inclusive and Accessible

This webinar is about to start!

5 Ways to Make YourPark and Rec Program

More Inclusive and Accessible

• 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

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.

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.

Housekeeping Items

5 Ways to Make YourPark and Rec Program

More Inclusive and Accessible

This webinar is made possible with generous support from the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services (HHS).

Today’s Moderator

Dan HumphreysCDSS, MS

Director of BlazeTEC

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

• AdministratorLarry Labiak

Disability Policy OfficerChicago Park District

Policies Staff Training Transportation Programming Equipment & Facilitates

5 Ways to Make Your Park and Rec Program More Inclusive and Accessible

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

Disability Facts

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

Open – useable by all

Active – enhance active recreation opportunities

Green – environment-friendly practices, procedures and materials

Connected – support, funding, partnerships

Chicago Park District Core Values

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

POLICIESPOLICIES

Review and Development

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

Non-traditional Groups Protected Under the ADA

Asthma - inhalers

Diabetes - monitoring

Severe Allergic Reactions - EpiPens(Epinephrine auto injectors)

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

Resources Network of ADA Centers

(800) 949-4232www.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

STAFF TRAININGSTAFF TRAINING

Why?

It is the right thing to do

Alleviate concerns of both disabled consumers and staff

Reduce disability-related complaints

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)

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)

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)

TRANSPORTATIONTRANSPORTATION

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

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)

Retraining the parents Increase awareness

History/Paralympic Movement Disability Sport Community

Raise expectations Potential Long-term benefits

ProgrammingProgramming

Developing Programming Options/Choices

Inclusive Segregated Combination

Identification

Resources Facilities/equipment Experience/knowledge

Barriers/obstacles Real and perceived

Cross-disability differences Potential Partners

Benefits of Participation Athlete

Self-discipline Teamwork Leadership Sportsmanship Socialization

Professional Work ethic Collaboration Management skills Flexibility Communication skills

Being Part of the Athlete Development Continuum

The beginning Grassroots Athlete identification

The progression

Recreation Lifelong health/fitness opportunities

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

What are our goals?

Short-term

Long-term

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

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

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?

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

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)

Partnership

Programs

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

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

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)

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)

Equipment & FacilitiesEquipment & Facilities

Quick Thoughts

Self-evaluation and ADA Transition Plan

2010 Standards – Revised ADA

Progress review/updates

Moving Beyond the Norm

Fitness Centers Consider equipment type and placement

35 of 71 CPD fitness centers feature at least two wheelchair accessible pieces of equipment

Golf Courses 6 public courses = 6 single-rider golf cars

Lincoln ParkBoat Club Adaptive

Rowing Program

Accessible Launch

Signage Path of Travel Counter Height/Reach Range Accidental Barriers Unique Features/Elements Coordination of Services/Communication

Temporary Venues

Mock-up of directional signage for wheeled vehicles on pedestrian pathways

Signage

Maintaining an accessible path of travel…

…sometimes easier said than done!

…try, try again

Counter Height/Reach Range

Accidental Barriers

Unique Features/Elements

Coordination of Services/ Communication

Policies Staff Training Transportation Programming Equipment & Facilitates

Summary

Q & A

Larry LabiakDisability Policy OfficerChicago Park District541 N. Fairbanks Ct.Chicago, IL 60611312-742-5097312-747-2001 (TTY)

larry.labiak@chicagoparkdistrict.com

NRPA Connect

Housekeeping Items

Following this webinar you will receive an email with a link to a survey.  We would appreciate you spending a few minutes

completing this follow-up survey in order to help us improve our professional

development offerings.

Anyone interested in CEU’s must complete the survey.

Thank You!

Housekeeping Items

- Webinar Schedule -June 20th, 2pm EDT

BlazeSports and the NWBA present:

Effective Assessment Techniques for Successful Athlete, Team and Program Development

Speaker: Doug Garner, M.S.

Head Coach, University of Texas-Arlington Wheelchair Basketball

THANK YOU!!