Chapter 13 – Promote Social
Interaction and Friendships:
On-Line Lesson
The focus of this lesson is on learning strategies to help encourage and
promote social interactions and friendships.
INTRODUCTION
The development of relationships is the core of inclusion. It involves
providing support to help people who haven been devalued to establish
relationships with valued members of their community. People need to grow
and learn with their peers in order to have access to valued social roles.
Leisure services professionals must be prepared to provide services to people
with disabilities in inclusive settings because of the growing preference of
people with disabilities and their families for inclusive leisure programs.
Another reason to be prepared is because of legislation which supports and
mandates services for people with disabilities in inclusive community
environments. Although there is research to show the benefits of inclusion,
implementation has been slow and has been met with resistance.
THE BENEFITS OF INCLUSION
The benefits of inclusive recreation are significant for people with disabilities
and without disabilities as well as for leisure services providers.
People with Disabilities
- Cultivate friendships – Real friendships can be developed with other
participants.
- Acquire social skills
– Individuals with disabilities are more likely to
develop social skills necessary to develop relationships when participating in inclusive
recreation opportunities.
- Engage in social interaction
– Inclusive play groups facilitate peer
interaction.
-
Develop life-long skills – Through the presence of appropriate inclusive
recreation options, the development of life-long functional recreation skills will be
promoted.
- Enhance Image – The image of a person with disabilities is higher with
inclusive participation as opposed to segregated participation.
- Observe Role models – Inclusive recreation settings can provide role models
that encourage age appropriate participation patterns for people with disabilities.
- Improve Academic Performance -
Individuals involved in inclusive programs do better academically and
socially when compared to individuals in segregated settings.
People without Disabilities
- Improve positive attitudes
– People who are not disabled often alter their
attitudes in a positive way about individuals with disabilities as a result of joint
participation in selected activities.
- Increase understanding
– Exposure to inclusive leisure services results in better
understanding and acceptance of people of different backgrounds and ability levels setting
up the potential for integration to have a positive impact on the social development of
all individuals.
- Develop acceptance
– Inclusive
opportunities can contribute to the acceptance of people
with disabilities by people without disabilities.
- Experience personal growth – Many people report experiencing improved capacity
for compassion, kindness, and respect for others, as well as personal growth and increased
social sensitivity, as a result of inclusive participation.
- Improve social development - Children
without disabilities experience improvement in feelings of self-worth,
communication and interaction abilities, leadership skills, and tolerance of
diversity.
Leisure Services Providers
- Increase our acceptance - exposure and education increases
acceptance.
- Improve our financial situation - providing inclusive services is
substantially less expensive than contracting for segregated services.
STRATEGIES FOR FACILITATING SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND FRIENDSHIPS
Prepare People to Promote Social Interactions and Friendships
- Be aware of isolation – Individuals with disabilities are most often isolated
from their peers without disabilities if interactions are left to chance.
- Learn about the benefits of friendships
– Friendships serve many important
functions such as: learning social skills; encouraging children’s separation from
parents; developing a sense of autonomy; enhancing self-esteem; instilling a sense of
belonging to a community; achieving feelings of intimacy; being assured of being valued
and loved; and enriching their quality of life.
- Teach Leisure Services Providers
- Possible training topics
include: benefits for people with and without disabilities;
information
about ADA and how it
supports inclusion, and values of social interactions, friendships, and inclusion.
- Assess participant interests
– The use of surveys
as well as observation, are useful ways to discover people’s needs
and interests.
- Include people in planning and decision making
– It is important and valuable
to involve people with disabilities and their families on boards and advisory committees
when planning to promote social interaction and
inclusion.
Prepare the Situation to Foster Social Interactions and Friendships
- Design cooperatively structured activities – Activities that require
cooperative efforts can facilitate inclusion where everyone contributes in some way.
- Divide participants into small groups – Peer interaction typically occurs more
often in small groups of 2-3 people.
- Provide a small area for participation – More peer interaction results in small
areas as opposed to large play areas.
- Choose interactive materials and equipment – Limited numbers
and varieties of materials seem to encourage sharing and positive peer
interaction. Certain types of toys such as
cars, games, gross motor equipment, and socio-dramatic materials promote peer interaction.
Other toys such as small manipulatives, clay, books, and puzzles may inhibit social
interaction.
Management Activities to Encourage Social Interactions and Friendships
- Teach Social Skills - Systematic efforts to allow children to
interact frequently with a small group of peers is likely to lead to
increased interaction between children with and without disabilities.
- Encourage age-appropriate behaviors –
Professionals should treat participants with disabilities
age appropriately as they would other participants,
assisting only when necessary and encouraging
accomplishments.
- Provide social support - A wide range of supports can be provided and
is helpful if participants learn to become independent and interdependent in
recreation activities.
- Promote development of peer companions – Peer companions can promote positive
social interactions between people with and without disabilities.
- Foster friendships – Friendships developed and fostered
through leisure participation help people cope with stress and maintain and
improve health.
CONCLUDING STATEMENTS
The
ability to
experience leisure with friends is at the center of feeling included in
one's community. The social benefits that are realized when inclusive
leisure services are provided are many. Providing those services should be
the goal of all leisure services professionals.
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1998 Northern Arizona University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED